She began to pray, pray earnestly that the Force would grant her and Luke the words and actions they needed to persuade their father to join them and for the skills necessary for them to destroy the Emperor. She was grateful for what the Force had given her earlier with that vision, having given her thanks in her heart to It.

Still, she wanted more.

Needed more.

I know you spoke in his mind. You had to.. with the way he out of nowhere just looked at you and how his soul has changed. What was it that you said? Luke's voice asked curiously in her mind. He was watching their father who stood by the pilots inside the flying shuttle. Still as a statue.

Luke could feel how the conflict had grown tremendously in the dark lord. The light in him had turned stronger and bigger.

He had to fight back a large smile of joy at the sight of it.

The twins were sitting with their hands cuffed beside each other, buckled in and watched with armed guards. They were heading to the Emperor who was awaiting them in the dreadful new death star.

Leia's gaze went to the Sith. She had been busy keeping her gaze away from Vader. Ever since the moment he entered the shuttle her eyes had moved away from him, to keep herself from communicating to him again with her mind.

She very much wanted to speak more into his mind, but thought against it, not wanting to risk infuriating him.

I told him that we loved him. She answered Luke back.

Luke flashed a smiled at her at that and offered her his hand. Leia smiled back and quickly took his hand and entwined her fingers into his. They both looked at each other and smiled at one another, thinking to themselves that at least at the time being when the world was looking so horrible they at least had each other.

Do you think Han is alright? Her voice sadly spoke in Luke's mind.

She could feel the weight of her engagement ring laying on her chest. A constant reminder of him. She had taken the ring off earlier before leaving Han and the others and put it on a chain to wear around her neck, not wanting to injure it in battle.

Han's smart. He definitely knows how to get himself in trouble, but he always winds up getting out of it. If anything he's more worried for us than for himself. Father never showed up so he must know things didn't go as planned.

Leia pressed her lips together.

You're right.

Her brows came together.

Poor Han, knowing how he worries for us he must be going crazy right now.

.

.

.

It took much strength and self control to keep herself from speaking to her father as she, Luke, and her father all rode together up the turbolift, seconds away from seeing the Emperor.

It simply with the Force guiding her didn't feel it was the right time to speak, just as it didn't when she was just in the shuttle.

Her strenuous training had definitely payed off big time, helping her to keep quiet.

though as she stayed quiet she could feel their father's eyes intensely looking on them both.

Seconds that felt like hours past and the door slid open, revealing the throne room of the glorious Emperor Palpatine.

The princess's stomach churned at the instant thick presence of evil that she sensed laid thickly in the air at every inch of the place.

"Feels just like what I imagined Sith hell to feel like. Fitting.." Leia mockingly muttered quietly to herself.

Luke smiled a bit to himself at her words. Finding a bit of goodness with her humor in all the surrounding evil.

Yeah, no kidding. He thought to himself.

He had taken the first step into the room and started making his way to Sith Lord. Leia soon caught up with him, keeping up with his pace. Their father followed along closely behind.

Up the steps they went, Leia staring at the back of the throne as they approached.

Luke was definitely right about him. There's no good left in him. Nothing I can see. Not even a drop. He's not a man anymore, but a monster...

All those innocent lives lost thanks to him..

They ended their walking up the steps and once they did the throne soon after turned around, revealing the hooded cloaked brute.

"Ahh, the children of Skywalker! Good evening. I have been expecting you both." His yellow eyes glowed a brighter shade as he had spoken.

"You two no longer need those." The Emperor stated while raising his hand towards Luke and Leia.

Their cuffs soon afterwards fell off, clanging loudly once they hit the floor.

Leia could feel fear rise in her brother, making her cast Luke a look of concern. He even looked a bit pale.

"Guards, leave us." Ordered Palpatine and off the guards went, giving them their privacy.

Slowly a sickening smile spread across the Emperor's face as he looked at the two siblings. His eyes then slowly fixed themselves on to Leia.

"Princess Leia of Alderaan!" He exclaimed grinning. "The young woman who has been such a great annoyance to me for all these years..."

He studied her face carefully for a bit and then tsked.

"Oh, my.. I do see it now: Such strong resemblance you have to your mother.." He said while his grin was dying off.

He leaned slowly towards her in his chair, hands on his knees and his expression turning serious.

"It is no wonder you were so easily able to influence my servant!" He venomously snapped, his voice had went entirely cold and his eyes became as daggers to her.

His words carried with it a wave in the air of the dark side of the Force and once it touched her she visibly winced and groaned, taking a step back. The invisible tangible evil had burned like a hot flame when it it had touched her.

After the pain left her body, two faces afterwards came to the princess's mind; her parents Bail and Breha Organa. Leia was reminded how she was always taught to always stand bravely in the face of her enemies.

Boldly she took a step forward and looked back into the golden pools of death narrowed at her.

And then out of nowhere a bright white light flashed, consuming her world.

.

.

.

The princess was standing someplace different and it took her a moment to gather herself together to realize that she was having a vision again. She was standing in a dark vast room and she had to squint to begin to make out what she saw laying on the floor.

At first it looked like a dark puddle on the ground to her, but once her eyes settled she knew right away what it was.

She instantly gasped.

"Father!" She instinctively called out as she ran to him. She dropped hard on her knees to the floor beside him and reached out to touch him.

When her hands should have made contact with him, they went past and through him as if he were a hologram.

Then she remembered...

This has already happened. It's a vision of the past.

She heard the Force whisper to her.

"Under your authority and under your watch you allowed these rebels to escape from me!" Roared a familiar voice and Leia quickly knew it was The Emperor.

Out of the shadows he walked, entering into the dim light of the room. He started to encircle her father.

"Pardon me, Master." Begged Vader. " Please. Allow me to seek them and I'll bring them back to you for you for their destruction."

"Destruction!?" Repeated the Emperor enraged. "Is that truly what I desired from them, old friend? Yes, their fate would have lead to it eventually after tortures, but my overall desire would have been very obvious; they could have been as bait to catch Skywalker!"

The Sith Lord began to encircle again, but stopped abruptly.

Slowly he turned his head and looked down at Vader, a perplexed look on his face.

"There is something... Something different about you, Lord Vader." He spoke slowly as he seemed to be trying to internally grasp the understanding of what it was. "Something has... changed."

"I do not know of what you mean, Master." Vader quickly lied "I am the same slave, ready to do your bidding."

Palpatine's eyes grew dark.

"Then allow me.." He began in a mocking tone, "slave of mine, ...entry into your mind."

Leia could sense the immediate fear rise in Vader.