Moonlight-dancer-08: (Chapter 12) I hope I didn't make it that chapter too sad, at least I didn't think I did. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. (Chapter 13) I can see why you like longer chapters, I am the same way…but sometimes the longer chapter doesn't want to be played out on paper…so I try to make sure I write with the flow. So that way I don't stop where I am not suppose to, but I do agree with you! Hehehe, now I hope I can write more interesting story line till the end of the story.
Searching for the Balance
Disclaimers: Star Wars and all of their characters belong to their respective owner Mister G. Lucas. However, this is just a story to settle my curiosity on what could happen if Mister Lucas would create the episode 7, 8, and 9.
Since he has said more than likely he would not, this is my possible take and other ventures in my own imagination. There are a few characters that I claim as mine, other than that here we go!
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Chapter Fourteen
"How are the forces holding up?" Lana asked as she entered the war council room.
"We are adjusting to all of their attacks, but until we can take down the countess and her hold on the dark knights," the general paused. "We are playing a stalemate my lady; even with the reinforcements and all the supplies…it just isn't enough."
"I agree, if we want this to end…we have to take down the head of the snake," Lana leaned on the table to see where their forces were and where their opponents were. "It's been a month and we have yet to push them back beyond the border that has stood there for centuries."
"It would also help if we could speed up the process of finding your cousin," Anakin said as he entered the room. "If we find him, the nanny, and the mother we can use their knowledge of some of the missing books of the archives."
Lana sighed, "Anakin is correct, one of those books hold the knowledge about the countess…but why would they take it with them, if there was a chance she could come back?"
"The texts also contain the knowledge on how to bring her back," one of the soldiers told her. "Your majesty, it is difficult for us to keep such a text here in the palace so we sent it off with the boy."
"I understand," Lana said briefly. "I think we should make plans to take the head of the snake, the countess should be our target. We need to find a way into that palace with a huge force to take everything down."
"Then we need to think wisely," Anakin added in and looked down at Lana. The two of them had still had yet to discuss the fall at the cliff and what Anakin confessed. They had kept their distance from each other once Anakin was released from the Med Bay in the palace. "Your majesty, the ones that go into the palace will have to be Jedi Knights, considering the dark knights more than likely rest within."
"Agreed," Lana nodded. "Then we must make sure our other ground troops can hold while we are inside…"
"Your majesty!" the general stated in protest. "We cannot allow you to do something like that."
"The point is, the countess and I have a rematch," Lana replied. "I won't go until we found my long lost cousin. No one will contest that, now will they?"
"But…"
"No buts, I will be apart of this mission, we are all fighting for the same cause. I will not live while others die to protect our common cause from all over the galaxy." Lana said as she stormed out of the room.
"Why does she want to fight the countess?" the general said with a heavy sigh.
"She wants to make sure she finishes what her father started, at least she wasn't using her rebellious tone but a more determine one." Anakin informed the general.
"She is still being difficult," the general told him. "She wishes to be part of the people out in the open, but we cannot yet risk her being out unprotected."
"She will be stubborn, but you cannot blame her in wanted to take a more active role," Anakin said with a small smile.
"If you don't mind us asking, but what is your relationship with the queen?"
Anakin was taken back surprise by what the general just asked of him, he could not understand why he would ask such a question. Now that it appeared that the general could sense his thoughts and answered his mind boggling question.
"The reason I am asking," the general paused. "Is maybe you can convince her not to be so determined to go after the countess. I know that if someone close to her were to speak with her…"
"That I might be able to get her to back away to making any early plans of attacking the countess," Anakin finished and the general nodded. "I cannot guarantee what will occur in our conversation, but I … I will try."
"Thank you," General saluted and walked back over to the table.
Anakin walked out of the room in search for Lana. It wasn't really that hard to spot her, she was always wearing regal dresses. It was strange to see the girl dressing in such a beautiful manner. She might be the queen now but before she was the girl he known all of his life. They had always worn the normal robs of the Jedi Order, and well she might be the first to be outside of the loop. She did look stunning in his eyes, but it had been difficult for him to talk to her about his feelings. He knew this might not be the right time, but he was tried of hiding his feelings from her. It was now or never, right?
Anakin closed his eyes and tried to sense Lana's presence. He felt the palace and sensed different Knights but none of them were Lana. He kept wandering the hallways of the palace until he felt something faint but was Lana. He continued to follow the feeling that would lead him to the gardens. There in the mist of the afternoon sunshine, there she was in a sparkling glowing dress. Her hair was starting to show some growth but also had a heavenly glow within the strands of her brown tresses. Anakin just took in the sight of her and smiled, she might not like her role as the queen but she was looking every part of it.
"So your majesty, may I enter your presence?" Anakin said with a smirk and then his jaw dropped when she turned to face him. She had the tiara that nearly blinded him by the shine of it and then her soft face showing a small smile.
"You call me that one more time, I am going to test this dress's mobility on taking you down," Lana said with a small smirk.
"Well then Lana, what is on your mind?" Anakin asked as he walked over to the girl.
Lana shook her head, "It's really nothing. I just wanted some breathing space. It just feels like since I've been in this role that I haven't had really any room to just be me. I've been given so many responsibilities and yet … they don't give me just a moment's break."
"Lana, you are the queen…did you really think there would be breathing time other than sleep?" Anakin asked with a smirk. "Lana…we still have some unfinished business…"
Lana had a blank look on her face, "I…I…guess we do. Like how did you survived the fall?"
Anakin was a bit disappointed but sighed deeply before answering her question, "Well…I don't know. I just remember while falling that if I survived find some soft landing or if I died to make it quick."
"So did you find something soft?" Lana asked…
Anakin shook his head, "I felt my fall begin to slow down as if someone was helping down. That is after of course hitting several rocks and being beaten up by the earth of this planet. It was as if the spirits of the force were telling me it was not my time to go yet."
"So you think the spirits saved you," Lana walked over to him as she touched his face for the first time in about a month's time. "Why do you think that?"
Anakin took a hold of her hand in his, titled his head to her head as he stared into her eyes. "Because there was a certain someone I had unfinished business with…"
"Really…" Lana looked into his eyes.
"Yeah," Anakin leaned forward and stopped just short of her lips. "Something like this…" As he spoke those words he sealed it with a firm kiss. His lips were placed firmly on hers as they shared their first kiss. Lana was shocked but it soon fades away as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Anakin wrapped them firmly around her body. The two shared a passionate first kiss as the two were looked upon by many of the Knights and soldiers in the palace.
The on lookers then roared in applause but the two paid little attention to it. They were in their own little world and it would seem no matter the noise nothing would bother them. The two parted with huge smile on their lips. Anakin then knelt down on one knee, then everyone grew silent.
"Lana Skywalker, Jedi Knight, Queen of the Southern Kingdom of Amora…when this is all over…will you be my become my wife?" Anakin asked and Lana's jaw nearly dropped from her face. She just smiled and shouted, "YES!"
Lana didn't really know if it was the right decision but caution was thrown to the wind. She would think about it later as Anakin repeated the words he spoke to her at the cliff, "I love you…"
"I love you," the couple kissed again as tears of joy ran down Lana's face. Then there was again a large roar of applause with shouts of encouragement for the couple. It would appear that it was something to be joyous about but the knights knew it was a start of their tradition for the Jedi Order; however they would still have to go through trials when they returned to the Jedi Planet. The joyous cheers would die when they would return to the Planet for more tests for the couple.
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Northern Kingdom
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Countess woke in her bed to see Daren standing at the window. She covered her nude form with the satin sheets of her bed. Daren was dressed in his robes as he stared out to the view of the southern palace that was just a mere speck in the distance. She knew there was something troubling him and she could sense something was different but could not figure out why.
"What is the matter love," Countess asked and Daren punched the wall. "Don't tell me, Lana…"
"I have a feeling the dear brother of mine has stolen her away from me," Daren told her coldly. "Something has changed in Lana and I can feel it. I don't like it…"
"I do believe your dear brother and Lana might have connected," Countess closed her eyes as she tried to see a vision of the girl. She just smiled to herself, "It would seem that she has accepted your brother's proposal…"
"Proposal for what?" Daren turned to look over at Countess.
She just smiled back at him, "Of marriage…"
"It cannot be," Daren looked at the ground with his fists clenched. "My own brother, well…I guess we can prepare to take away Lana from him. If I cannot have her, then well…no one else will."
"I love that idea, but I get to take her life…"
"Why," Daren looked up to see her smirk.
"She is after me, my prey…besides…I will live no matter what she does to me. I will not bow down to the girl." Countess laughed and Daren just smiled. His eyes instead of the amber glow were a deep red. He then flew over to the bed to knock the countess on her back, his lips crashed down her on hers.
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Southern Kingdom
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Anakin walked over to Lana and wrapped his arms around her. He could sense her restlessness and walked into her room. Lana turned her head to see his face, "How did you know?"
"I've always known when you couldn't sleep," Anakin told her with a huge smile. "So what keeps you up tonight?"
Lana sighed, "I can sense her…"
"Her?" Anakin arched an eyebrow.
"Ever since the time on Daren's ship, I can sense her…at least sometimes, mostly when she is trying to find me," Lana told him in a soft voice.
"Do you sense her now?"
"I did earlier, and it won't let me sleep knowing that she knows about you and me…"
Anakin turned Lana around to face him, "I don't think it should bother us that she knows. I think we should be able to enjoy each other, after all…the council is preparing for us something interesting on our homecoming…"
"Don't remind me," Lana rolled her eyes. "They want to put us through trials to see if we are worthy to be a couple. Isn't it bad enough that we are in a war?"
"You have to admit, if we survive this, the trials cannot be as bad as the ones when we go through to be a knight or possible master," Anakin chuckled.
"I hope not," Lana replied. "Luckily I didn't go through the knight trial, but I don't want to either."
"You are already a knight," Anakin said playfully. "We can survive it; it is not a huge deal. You are too stubborn to lose and I just don't like the idea."
"Don't start with the whole strive to win no matter what, I hate it when you start on your whole ego trip," Lana said with a smirk as she walked out onto the balcony with Anakin following after her. "Is this really going to change us?"
"We've been changing towards each other, it just took us a while to admit it out loud," Anakin told Lana with a huge smile. "Lana, are you having second thoughts?" Anakin cupped her face within his hands and she shook her head. "Then?"
"I just wish father was here to see us," Lana said with a smile. "We were always fighting and now we are more or less, well we still do…just in a different kind of way."
"I think he knows," Anakin told her as he kissed her forehead. "Besides, if we keep getting visited by the spirits when we were every where else in the galaxy, what makes you think is going on here is not taken notice?"
"I guess you are right," Lana told her with a huge smile.
"Lana, there is something else bothering you, what is it?"
"Daren…"
"What about him?"
"He's…he's…." Lana felt such a strong shiver and then Anakin sensed it. "He help fathered a child…"
"A child of darkness," Anakin said as he held Lana to him. "He has been consumed by the dark side, completely and no returning for him."
"That is what she wanted," Lana told him as she looked up to Anakin's blue eyes. "She wanted him to desire something and in the end not gain it…"
"Then give himself to her, and now they are going to have a child," Anakin finished. "When the time comes I will slay him."
"We have a lot to plan for," Lana said simply. "We must carefully plan everything; we need to speed up the search for my young cousin."
"I agree, we cannot waste much time, especially if she is pregnant."
"We'll discuss this in the morning," Lana noticed that Anakin was ready to take his leave. "Stay…"
"What?"
"I would sleep better if you stayed here," Lana told him with a blush on her cheeks. "Please…"
"Are you sure," Anakin asked. "It would look wrong if one of your maids came in here…"
"It won't, we won't do anything that would lead them to think that way…Please…I would feel safer," Lana begged. Anakin nodded as the two went to her bed. They rested in each other's arms as sleep took Lana but Anakin stayed awake.
Anakin kept his eyes on his sleeping beauty; her features hadn't changed much since they were children. She did look older as one is suppose to with each passing year, her features were soft with no rough edges, except for a few scars…only visible to those that know they exist. Her skin was soft as the finest silk in the galaxy, at least in his opinion. Her skin not as fair as some would say is fit for a queen but slightly tanned to give her a different aura around her. She was trained to be a knight of the Jedi Order but yet here she was laying on this rather large bed meant for a queen. A queen she could have been if not for the dreaded war, and then…he would not have the chance to have met her.
Because of the war on this planet that caused her to fall into Luke Skywalker's arms, which then led up to him meeting her. She had been an infant at her arrival and yet his first memory of her was when they were small children just playing in the gardens. He could not imagine life without her; it probably was the same for the rest of his family. She had brought some brighter sunshine to the family and also grew with them. She was different, they all had known at an early age. If they were blood related this relationship would have turned out INCREDIBLY different. He was thankful that she was the adoptive daughter of his uncle and not his actual blood daughter.
Fate had brought them together, but was it for the moment like this? Or was it for a grander cause? He would never know, but then again it would be better for him to get some sleep. If he kept on thinking of what was going to happen later or on all of what led them to the here and now, he would never find the answers he sought after on little rest. He positioned himself comfortably with Lana in his arms, and drifted into sweet slumber…
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Solo's Residence
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"Are they really going to get married?" Juliana asked her brother with curious eyes.
Owen sighed, "Apparently Anakin proposed to Lana and she accepted. The council is preparing a trial when they arrive back after the war."
"That is so not fair," Murrue slammed her hands down on the table they were sitting at. "If they love each other, let them face their own personal trials, don't make them suffer through what those damn fools want them too!"
"It doesn't work like that, the council had already set into motion some kind of trial for any one in the Jedi order to face if they wish to wed," Owen argued back. "Uncle Luke even help start the planning, all we have to do is finish it. We knew more than likely Anakin and Lana would be the first couple."
"Then what the Hell is that trial for," Leia asked walking into the room. The three children left with her on the planet looked up at their mother. "If they love each other isn't that enough?"
"It's not that simple mother," Owen argued back. "The trials are there to see if they are fit to be married with the current standards of the Jedi Order."
"Are you sure the council is not adding anything extra due to the fact of Lana's past history," Leia asked as she sat down at the table.
"They better not be," Juliana shouted. "That is so not fair, the girl was the one who got all that information for them and all they want to do is get back her to prove her wrong in marriage?"
"It's not that," Owen sighed in defeat of his family. "All I am saying, they will have to face a trial when they arrive back. Lana will have given the position of ruler to her cousin, Anakin probably given the rank of master, and then the trials will occur after they have rested. The trials once again, are there to see if they are worthy of marriage and can uphold the standards of the Jedi Order."
"If they fail," Murrue asked with an arched eyebrow.
Owen shook his head, "Then marriage will not be sanctioned in the Jedi Order, or at least not with them. We would have to wait for another couple to step forward."
"They won't fail," Leia said firmly. "I know Anakin and Lana as well, those two won't give up after all of this. Especially not after Luke's death, they wouldn't want to fail him."
"Even so, it will be difficult for them," Owen paused. "Most of it will be vision tests for them. It will be difficult visions for them to handle especially now they have professed their love to one another and in front of many knights."
"That doesn't sound good," Murrue stated flatly.
"What are you all still doing up," Han came walking out in his night clothes. The four of them just looked over at the groggy husband/father as he messed with his hair. "Shouldn't you all be sleeping?"
"Sorry dad," Murrue said as she jumped out of her seat. She gave her father a kiss and rushed off to her room.
"Night daddy," Juliana followed suit, kissed her father's cheek and rushed off to her room. Han just made a face and sat down next to his wife.
"It's not every day a father receives kisses from his daughters, what were you talking about?"
"Just Jedi trial talk," Leia told him with a smirk.
"About Anakin and Lana," Han arched his eyebrow.
"Unfortunately yes," Owen told his father. "I'm just concerned for them when they return."
"Well, those two are going to fine, it's the rest of the council I would be worried about when they get out of the trial," Han said with a huge smile. "Those two will turn out just fine…"
"You sound sure of yourself," Leia said flatly.
"I should be, one Anakin is our son and two Lana is much like Luke was in some ways," Han said with a shrug. "They kind of remind me of us before we got married."
"Oh, and what is that suppose to mean?" Leia looked at her husband awaiting his answer.
Han just shrugged, "Those two are going to be fine. I don't think they are going to allow the council to break them up."
"I hope you are right, dad."
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Amora…Southern Kingdom … Lana's Bed Chamber
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"Ahem…" Lana just stirred slightly but still remained fast asleep. Anakin opened his eyes to see the general and few of Lana's hand maidens giggling. Anakin looked down and saw that Lana and he were both still dressed. Lana was clinging to him and Anakin turned bright red. He had hoped that he would at least wake up before her hand maidens came to wake Lana. The general just stood there with a smirk on his face.
"Good morning," The general greeted. "It seems that the queen has finally had a decent night's rest."
"If you don't mind Sir Solo, we need to tend to the queen for her duties," Anakin nodded as he got up out of bed. Lana whimpered like a child losing their toy, but she calmed down after Anakin placed a kiss on her cheek. He wasn't really sure why he did it; it only caused the hand maidens to giggle more.
"Sir Solo, I need to speak with you about some matters at hand," the general motioned.
"Of course," Anakin followed after him but once they left the room they stopped.
"You might want to change first," the general pointed to Anakin's attire.
Anakin blushed, "I'll meet you in the main hall in about ten minutes."
"See you then," the general saluted and walked off. But he had a huge grin written on his lips. Young love was in the air and it was so easy to get a reaction right now from Anakin and then probably the queen later one. It would be much enjoyment of laughter for the elder people of Amora to see such a wonderful scene.
Anakin quickly changed his clothes and made his way to the main room. However he stayed quiet as it is that when you're used, he did not remember getting into his room. He sat down on his bed in his chambers and his thoughts were full of a certain young queen. He marched down into the room where all of the soldiers and Jedi Knights were awaiting him.
"What is it," Anakin asked.
"We figured, since the force keeps falling back, that we should plan a full called invasion on the palace of the northern kingdom," one knight spoke. "Her dark knights have been losing power over the past few days. There use of the force is not of their own, it's from the countess."
"And since she is so occupied with one of her other knights, I would be easier to attack." Another injected.
"But what are the risks on our side," Anakin asked. "True the countess is distracted, but it is her use of the force that would alert her of any kind of attack."
"True, but there will not be such opportunity, especially since the young heir has been found. And he is actually older than the queen," a soldier added. "He actually had guards with him and many people of Amora with him training him, and he should be here in a day or so."
Anakin nodded, "So Lana would be free of her duties?"
"She would have to rightfully pass it down to him," the general spoke. "But if she wanted to go into battle, we would not be able to stop her now…she has been informed of this as we speak."
Anakin sighed, "She will go. I know her, she will want to be apart of this and take down the countess. Then I shall agree to this plan, but let us make sure we plan all of the details. It might be better if we do it before the prince arrives."
"Agreed," a knight nodded along with many of the others.
"We don't want to endanger the prince's life before he arrives. We must make sure everything is done in full safety of the people already on this planet and those on their return," Anakin instructed. "We only have a day, let us insure this time we bring victory to this planet, so that everyone may know peace."
"Then what are you waiting for," Anakin turned around…
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Sorry for not updating sooner. I have been busy with other projects and school is preparing to start. Plus vacation time with family, it's been crazy. I've had this chapter unfinished for a while and went dry on how to write the ideas in my head to paper. So I hope you enjoy this and I will see everyone next chapter.