-:¦:-:¦:-:¦:-
Part 3: A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight...
The sun was close to setting and a light snow had begun to fall by the time Ermau pulled the team to a halt in front of their cabin. Set back from the lane on a private drive and surrounded by jagged, snow-covered mountain peaks, the quaint timber lodge sat nestled amongst a stand of tall cedars, up a short slope from the shore of a glacial lake, which they could see glinting just behind. The cabin's windows were aglow with golden light, and the bushes and shrubs bordering its deep porch were adorned with tiny artificial luminaries that twinkled in the deepening twilight. While Ermau attended to their cases, Han stepped down from the sleigh on the side with a view of the lake, and then offered a hand up to Leia to do the same. Alighting on the frozen ground, for a moment Leia simply stood beside the sleigh, holding tight to Han's hand while she took in the scenery.
Her expression had turned a little wistful as she disembarked, and Han gave her hand a squeeze, remaining silent and giving her a moment to absorb the view. He'd been to Alderaan a few times in his younger days, back when he and Chewie were still trying to operate legitimately under Imperial rule, and he remembered well the peaceful planet's mountainous terrain and majestic landscapes. Although their climates were vastly different, he could see the similarities inherent in the Zalarian topography. It hadn't even occurred to him that the holiday destination selected for them by Lando might trigger thoughts of Leia's lost homeworld, and he found himself holding his breath, suddenly worried that the stunning panorama would evoke the pain of her profound losses all over again.
But when she lifted her gaze to his, Leia looked thoughtful rather than upset. "This brings back good memories," she said, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze in return. "Happy ones."
Han breathed out a sigh of relief and gave her a warm smile. "Good."
"Begging your pardon," Ermau said as he approached, ducking under the equines' heads as he rounded the front of the sleigh, returning from taking their luggage into the cabin. "Your cases are in the bedroom, and everything appears to be in order. The cabin is well-appointed and fully stocked," he explained, "but should you require anything more, there are two villages quite nearby. One just a short walk in that direction, following along the lane," he said with a sweep of his broad paw to the west, and then swivelled to point towards the wood beyond the cabin. "And the other is up the mountain path to the north. That one is a bit further away, but larger and with a few more amenities. Well worth the extra time it would take to get there."
"Sounds great," Han said with a smile. "Thanks."
"It is my pleasure," the Zalarian said, backing away toward the sleigh with another deep bow. "Please enjoy your stay. I shall return for you in five days' time, as was arranged." Then he hopped back up into the driver's seat, gave a twitch of the reins to signal the team, and the sleigh began to pull away.
As the jingle of bells and the heavy crunch of hooves on snow began to dwindle into the distance, Leia took a step toward the cabin and gave Han's hand an eager tug. "Let's go in."
"Hang on." Han clutched her hand a little tighter, holding her back. "Listen." He cocked his head and paused. "Hear that?"
The faint tinkle of sleigh bells gradually faded away, leaving nothing behind but a hushed silence. It was dusk now and getting darker by the minute as the last of the sunlight began to fade from the sky; only the yellow light pouring through the cabin windows allowed Han to see Leia's face clearly. A light snow continued to fall all around them, miniscule flakes that swirled and drifted in every direction, borne on unseen eddies of frosty air. A few tiny sparkles caught in Leia's hair and eyelashes, and Han smiled.
Leia was still listening intently, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "What?" she said at length. "I don't hear anything at all."
"Exactly." Han grinned, triumphant. "No fighters overhead. No droids. No nosy Ewoks or grumpy Wookiees. No parade of people coming and going, wanting a piece of you, or trying to give me orders." He sighed happily. "Nothin' here but you and me, Sweetheart."
Leia gave a low laugh and tipped her face up to his as he leaned down. They'd already kissed about a hundred times since they'd docked the Falcon, Han reckoned, but having the liberty to indulge in such intimate exchanges whenever they wanted was still something of a novelty between them and, besides, he didn't think he'd ever get enough of feeling Leia's soft lips moving sensuously against his. Every lingering kiss was a promise, too, of more intimate moments yet to come, and he could hardly keep his mind off the prospect.
"You and me—and a metre and a half of snow," Leia quipped when they finally parted, their mingled breaths turning to frosty clouds in the air between them. She hugged her arms around herself and shivered. "I'm freezing."
Han leaned back to assess her attire with a critical eye, and frowned. "First thing we need to do is find you some warmer clothes," he said, and then looped an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the cabin.
They followed the short trail of Ermau's footprints to the front of the cabin and climbed the stairs, then angled across the deep porch, stamping the caked snow from their boots as they approached the wooden front door.
"That jacket of yours ain't gonna cut it at this altitude," Han observed, pushing open the heavy door, and then gesturing for Leia to go ahead.
"It was all the quartermaster could find on such short notice," Leia explained as she slipped past him and into the warm space beyond. "He said it's made with alcomase and Vectinian spider silk, so it should be thermal, but—." She paused in the tiny vestibule just beyond the threshold, and Han heard her sharp intake of breath. "Oh, my stars."
As the door clicked shut behind him, Han stepped around Leia's transfixed form to take in the luxurious features of the small lodge. Decorated in warm autumnal hues, the cosy room was dominated by a panoramic window that looked out onto the glacial lake they'd glimpsed on arrival, its deep blue water framed by snow-laced evergreens and the majestic mountains beyond. The last rays of the setting sun kissed the edges of the easternmost ridges, limning them in gold and casting a glittery shimmer over the darkening water. Dragging his gaze away from the extraordinary view, Han took in the broad fireplace positioned on the rightmost wall of the great room, an impressive feature that looked to have been crafted from rough-hewn fieldstone. There were a few pieces of comfortable-looking furniture arranged before the fire; two plush armchairs and a small sofa, bracketed by end tables and a couple of lamps. The room's furnishings, while made to look rustic at first glance, were quite the opposite to Han's discerning eye; fine craftsmanship was evident in every detail and he was sure there must be some hidden technology in place to regulate the temperature, which was pleasantly warm. The rich fabrics of the chairs, sofa and cushions had clearly been selected not just for aesthetic reasons, but with comfort in mind, giving the room a cosy and inviting look—right down to the thick, sumptuous hearth rug that stretched from one edge of the low stone plinth to the other.
Han's eyes were drawn to the low fire crackling in the fireplace, and then up to the bottle of wine, adorned with a luminous white bow, which sat between two crystal flutes atop a silver tray on the mantle. He gave a low chuckle and a disbelieving shake of his head. Trust Lando to pull out all the stops and turn a simple favour into something right over the top. Han reckoned his old buddy was still apologizing—whether for the slimy double-cross in Cloud City or for the sloppy flying over Endor, he wasn't quite sure. But it didn't matter. The bottom line was that Han was going to get to spend the next five days in this luxurious setting. With Leia. Alone. He couldn't stop grinning. While his mind was still busy pondering over the possibilities of that luxurious-looking rug, Leia gave a soft laugh and bumped his arm with her own.
"And there's even a festival tree, right here in the cabin."
Tucked into the corner to the left of the fireplace, the tall fir was decorated from top to bottom with the same pearlescent orbs and silvery garland as its outdoor equivalents, although on a somewhat smaller scale, and illuminated with hundreds of softly glowing iridescent lights strung throughout its dense branches. Han raised a curious eyebrow.
"I noticed. They're even stranger-looking indoors," he opined.
"It is strange," Leia agreed, laughing, "But it's lovely. All of it is. The cabin, the fireplace, the view…." She took a few steps forward, and then looked back at Han. "And I know it's been a while since I've seen one, but that looks like an actual kitchen over there." There was a spark of excitement in her dark eyes, and more than a little curiosity. "I'm going to go look at the bedroom, and find the 'fresher. Why don't you go check out what's in the chiller, and we'll plan what to make for dinner?"
Han couldn't help but smile at her light-hearted ease. On the heels of a frantically busy and exhausting few months, it was deeply satisfying to see Leia so relaxed, and fairly glowing with anticipation over such small pleasures as having access to a real kitchen and the prospect of preparing a meal together. He had certain other collaborative activities in mind for the evening ahead, but if she wanted to bake or boil something first, he was game. They had all night—in fact, five whole nights ahead of them in which to rest, relax and get reacquainted on a level they hadn't been able to enjoy since they'd journeyed to Bespin together, so many months before.
"Sweetheart, that sounds like a great idea," he said and then watched as Leia turned and crossed to the other side of the cosy room, slipping through a carved-wood door just to the right of the fireplace.
While the princess explored the rooms on the right-hand side of the small cabin, Han veered left, venturing into the open-plan kitchen and then pausing to inspect the contents of the oversized chiller. It was a gargantuan thing, by Han's standards, accustomed as he was to the Falcon's more compact appliances. This thing was huge, and every brightly lit shelf within it was piled high with fresh food: cheeses and meats, fruits and vegetables of every description. "What do you feel like?" he called over his shoulder.
"Steak," Leia called back without hesitation. "A thick, juicy nerf steak as big as your hand." An exaggerated groan of longing drifted through the partially open door. "With real taberroot, not the rehydrated kind, and some actual butter. Fresh greens of some kind." She poked her head through the door and added. "And chocolate anything for dessert."
"I'll see what I can do," Han grinned, and turned back to continue scouring the kitchen for the necessary ingredients as Leia disappeared back into the bedroom.
As Ermau had promised, both the chiller and the cabinets were well-stocked, but not quite complete enough to produce the exact meal that Leia was craving. He was taking inventory of the spices in one of the upper cabinets when he heard Leia's soft footfalls behind him.
"Bad news, Sweetheart," he said as he turned away from the cabinet. "There's game fowl, fish and some kind of crustacean in the chiller, but no nerf. Maybe I can go—".
His thought died on his lips when he caught sight of Leia standing at the open threshold of the kitchen beaming a bright smile and wrapped in a stylish shin-length coat fashioned from brushed wool in a pretty shade of smoky blue-grey. High-necked and fastened down the centre with a row of gleaming silver buttons, the coat's cuffs, cowl and lower hem were finished with fluffy white trim, and as Leia spread her arms wide and turned in a slow circle, Han could see the detailed embroidery that adorned its seams. The coat looked soft and warm, and accentuated the princess's petite frame as if it had been especially tailored just for her.
Han shook off his momentary speechlessness and closed his gaping mouth. "Wow."
"That was my first reaction, too," Leia smiled.
"But where...ah." Han gave an incredulous shake of his head as realization dawned. "Lando."
Leia nodded. "He seems to have thought of everything. There are sweaters, skirts, and boots for me...and a few things for you, as well. We'll really have to thank him when we get back."
"Yeah," he muttered, eyeing the way the coat hugged Leia's curves. "I wonder if he's got my measurements down pat, too". He shrugged one shoulder. "Well, that solves the problem of making sure you're warm enough, anyway, and it gives me an idea."
"What's that?" Leia asked, unfastening the polished buttons and slipping the coat from her shoulders.
"Now that we know you won't freeze out there, why don't we take a walk up to the village, check out the markets and find ourselves a couple of nerf steaks? We can take our time, wander around and see some of the sights along the way."
Leia paused for a moment, tapping a finger on her chin with an exaggerated expression of deep contemplation. "Hmmm. A walk in the moonlight, in a winter paradise with snow gently falling…."
"And a gorgeous guy at your side…."
Leia snorted a laugh. "Don't you mean a 'scruffy-looking ner—
"Hey, I shaved!" Han interjected, feigning indignation. "And I traded half a case of Mad Mrelf for this coat." He straightened the cuffs of the dun-coloured jacket he wore. "I think it looks all right." He shot Leia a glance.
The princess made an effort to school her features, but she couldn't hide her amusement. She sidled closer, and then leaned in as if to offer a kiss. Han lowered his head to meet it, but stopped short when he saw the meaningful gleam in her eye.
Quirking up one corner of his mouth in wry acknowledgement of her silent but eloquent communication, he rolled his eyes and then heaved a beleaguered sigh. "Alright, but if I gotta change my clothes before we can be seen in public together, then somebody owes me a few bottles of cheap liquor," he warned.
"Take it up with the guy who foisted that ugly thing off on you."
Han made a sour face and then closed the distance between their lips with a quick kiss before taking a step back and swivelling around in the direction of the bedroom. "Fine. I'll see what passes for high fashion according to Lando Calrissian. But I'm tellin' you now, Princess, I ain't wearin' no cape."
Leia's peals of laughter followed him out of the room.
-:¦:-:¦:-:¦:-