Chapter Six: Power of Love

Leia and Han finished eating as the sun was setting. It touched the Naboo lakes, spilling out brilliant pinks and oranges over the whole dining room. Around Leia, the Naberrie family was seated at the table. Throughout the meal, they exchanged pleasant conversation, but Leia could tell that the anxiety was high in the family, especially in Padmé, although Leia knew her mother was trying to cover up. Padmé's mind was obviously elsewhere, because she responded to comments or questions with a distracted reply.

Leia had not seen Luke or Obi-Wan at all that meal, which she assumed was also her mother's cause of anxiety. Leia and the others had not heard anything about the state of her father, and, in her own small and personal revelation, she realized that that worried her. Was she developing affection for Anakin after all, after she had been so stubborn to resist? She knew that Luke had already begun to form a bond with their father, and a part of her envied him, but at the same time she was proud and unwilling to bend. She didn't want others to know that she had changed her mind about Anakin Skywalker. She didn't want to admit it herself.

So instead Leia focused on her mother, trying to learn as much as she could about the beautiful and accomplished young Senator. Padmé was all of the things she had imagined and dreamed for. It pained her to know that Padmé would die shortly after their births, for reasons unknown. Leia was desperate to know why her mother had died, but she pushed her questions aside. Right now she wanted to focus on observing and learning from her mother, like a child.

"Sola and Padmé," Jobal said to her daughter after the plates had been cleared from the table. "We will have to set up sleeping arrangements. There aren't enough rooms to go around, and the Jedi need to sleep somewhere."

Sola offered, "Ryoo, Pooja, and I will take my old bedroom. The girls won't mind sharing the other bed."

"There is a second bed in my room," Padmé said.

Jobal nodded, and turned to Leia. "Would you mind sharing a room with Padmé? Unless you'd prefer to sleep with…" Her eyes darted towards Han, suggesting what she was about to say.

Leia shook her head, her face reddening slightly. "No, no," she said quickly. "I won't mind sharing a room."

Sola grinned at Leia, eyes twinkling. "She's a heavy sleeper, so you won't hear a peep out of her once her head hits the pillow."

Padmé grinned at her sister. "Sola! At least I don't snore."

Sola pretended to look offended. "I don't snore," she protested, to which Padmé laughed.

"I'll ask Darred when he comes back from his trip," Padmé said.

In response, Sola defiantly raised her eyebrows at her sister.

Ruwee spoke up, "Han can take the second guest bedroom."

Han gave Ruwee one of his familiar lopsided smiles. "Of course. Thank you, Mr. Naberrie."

"I have to apologize," Ruwee said to Han. "That bedroom only has one single bed."

Han smiled at Ruwee. They seemed to have become friendly since their dinner conversation about traveling and models of ships.

"Where will the Jedi sleep?" Jobal asked her husband. "There's only one bedroom left, and it's already occupied."

"I'll share with Anakin," came a new voice. Obi-Wan entered the room with Luke, looking slightly weary.

"Master Jedi," Ruwee said, "How is Anakin?"

"He's sleeping right now," Obi-Wan answered as he and Luke took seats at the end of the table. "He will make a full recovery, but he needs to rest."

Leia glanced in Padmé's direction, where she could see a burden lift from her mother's face.

Jobal stood. "Will you eat, Obi-Wan? And you, Luke? Are you hungry?"

"Yes, ma'am," Luke answered.

"Thank you, Mrs. Naberrie," replied Obi-Wan as Sola passed down the rest of the soup.

"I don't mind sharing a room with Anakin," Obi-Wan offered as he filled his bowl with soup. "I would prefer to keep an eye on him. Luke is welcome in our room too. He could sleep on the other bed. I don't need that much room, and I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

"Are you certain, Master Jedi?" Jobal asked him gently. "My husband and I could give up our room."

"Oh no," Obi-Wan replied as he passed the soup on to Luke. "No, I wouldn't want to inconvenience you, Mrs. Naberrie. Please, I'd prefer to stay with Anakin. We usually share rooms anyway. I am accustomed to his company."

Jobal's eyes softened, and Ruwee nodded to Obi-Wan in respect. "I'm sure we can find some blankets to lay down for you, Master Jedi."

"Thank you."

.x.x.x.

"Han, will you be okay?" Leia asked Han before she was going to head up to Padmé's room.

Han smiled at her. "I'll be okay, Princess. I still don't know what's really going on here, although you and Luke seem to."

"Would you believe me if I told you?"

"I think I already know," Han said, much to Leia's amazement. "We're in the past. I don't know how we got here or what it means, but somehow we're here."

"The Force brought us here," Leia answered, and although Han looked doubtful –he always looked doubtful about the Force– Leia continued, "Luke and I are supposed to learn about our past."

It took a moment, but then Han's eyes widened. "Then this man… Anakin Skywalker…?"

"Is our father. And Padmé Amidala is our mother."

"And Ben Kenobi," Han said, finishing for her. "The old wizard. Now I understand why we needed to cloak our identities, or Luke did at least."

"Yes." Leia smiled, reaching up and touching Han's cheek affectionately. "We haven't really gotten to talk since this all started," she began, changing the tone.

"I'm more worried about you," Han replied. "Will you be okay?"

Leia nodded, and they kissed briefly. "I need to follow Padmé."

"I'll see you in the morning," Han said, squeezing her hand.

"I love you," Leia said as they parted.

"I know," Han answered with a smile. They always used that exchange now.

Leia headed up the stairs after her mother.

.x.x.x.

Padmé was smoothing out Leia's bed when Leia entered the bedroom.

"I hope you don't mind sharing the room," Padmé said to Leia. "Feel free to use it as if it was your own. I'm never here anyway, so I don't mind."

Leia smiled. "Thank you."

"Did you bring anything with you?" Padmé asked.

"I'm afraid not," Leia replied. They had not brought much with them to Endor in the first place, and all the rest of their belongings had been left on the Falcon.

Padmé opened up a dresser and pulled out a nightgown. "Here." She handed it to Leia. "For you to sleep in."

"You don't mind?"

Padmé smiled. "No, not at all. The 'fresher's in the next room, if you would like to freshen up before bed."

Leia headed right to the fresher with Padmé's nightgown. She tried her best to comb her hair without her own brush, but struggled with braiding it and eventually gave up. She slipped on the nightgown. Even though it was a bit short, it reached up to her calves and fit her nicely. Padmé was shorter that she was, but they had the same petite frame and apparently wore almost the same size in clothing.

"It fits nicely," Padmé praised Leia when Leia stepped out from the fresher. Padmé was sitting cross-legged on her bed, braiding her own hair.

Leia blushed at being praised by her mother. "Thank you for sharing your things."

Padmé smiled softly. "It's so funny. You look so familiar. I feel like I know you."

You do. Leia smiled, sitting down on her own bed. "Politics, maybe?"

Padmé raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Are you a Senator?"

"No," Leia answered quickly. Padmé probably knew all of the Senators. She began combing through her hair again, hoping to braid it like Padmé's. "I'm distantly related to the Organa family."

Padmé brightened. "Senator Bail Organa and I are close friends. So I do know you in a way."

Leia smiled back. It warmed her to know that her mother and her adopted father had been friends. Her adopted father had spoken of her mother occasionally, but always with sadness.

"Do you want me to braid your hair?" Padmé offered, noticing that Leia was struggling with her long hair. "My handmaidens and I usually do each other."

"Sure," Leia said gratefully. She went to sit on Padmé's bed, and Padmé began to brush Leia's hair. "Didn't your handmaidens travel with you to Naboo?"

"Not this time, but they usually do. I was taking a personal trip here and told them I wouldn't need to be escorted."

"Do you miss your family often?"

"Yes," Padmé hesitated. "I have many close friends on Coruscant, so I'm never lonely."

"Senators?"

"And my handmaidens, and few Jedi."

Leia wanted to know more about Padmé's relationship with her father. Jedi weren't allowed to have attachments –did Padmé know that? "You're close with Obi-Wan and Anakin?"

"More Anakin than Obi-Wan. Anakin was assigned my protector a few years back when someone was trying to assassinate me."

Leia hesitated, not sure how much she could ask Padmé without seeming too curious. "You care deeply for Anakin," she said softly.

Padmé stopped braiding Leia's hair for a moment. Leia could feel surprise radiating off of her. "Jedi aren't allowed to have attachments," she replied finally, firmly. "And my own occupation discourages it."

Leia sensed that the topic was closed, so she was silent. She worried for a few moments that she had offended Padmé, but soon Padmé spoke again.

"Han seems like a nice man."

Leia smiled, relieved. "I did not think so when I first met him. He was very conceited and arrogant."

"And then he grew on you?" Padmé laughed, and Leia joined her.

"Yes. I told him that I happen to like nice men, and he kissed me." Leia paused, reminiscing with a smile. "That's when I knew that I was in love with him."

Padmé gave a soft sigh. She finished off Leia's hair, tying the ends together with a small ribbon.

"Thank you," Leia said when Padmé let go her braid. A few moments passed, and Leia returned to her own bed. She sat cross-legged across from Padmé. She didn't want to ask any more about her father, or else seem nosy, and Padmé seemed to want to retire for bed.

"Should I turn off the light?" Padmé asked her.

Leia nodded in acquiescence.