A/N: Thank you to everyone who continues to support this story by reading!
Special thanks to those who've followed or favorited- pyroseyes, spacecadet777, jgprimeavengerextreme25, and jedi-from-mordor
To my reviewers, my golden children lol-
pyroseyes: I'm happy you found this fic too! I'm very pleased that this side mission/holiday is proving to be interesting. I was afraid this idea wouldn't resonate as well for others as it did for me. I'm living for the pretend mother/daughter antics lol. Thanks again for reviewing and I hope to hear your thoughts on this chapter too. Guest: Yes, the quiet moments are really the best. I think that's when the sincerity of their friendship shines through, as great as having to pretend to be literally related in front of people is. dianafox00: Them taking over the bridge and overwhelming the ambassador was fun for me to write, I'm glad to hear it was a part that was specifically enjoyed! JasmineRey: Thanks! Sometimes I think the side of Rey displayed in TFA, with her abundance of mechanic and pilot knowledge, gets forgotten in the midst of her jedi-awesomeness, so I wanted to focus on it a little bit. I do love some Han and Leia snark lol. And it means a lot that you loved Han's little bit about Rey, that was my favorite part of last chapter. jgprimeavengerextreme25: Thank you so much! I'm glad you found the story and are enjoying it so much! This story has helped me find so many other fans who loved the Leia & Rey dynamic. I didn't think there were that many of us, but it's so cool that there are. Hope you love this chapter too!
This is a looong chapter, so without further ado:
Chapter 10: Duty
It took quite a while for Leia to get comfortable. For years, the softest thing she had to sleep on was the cot in the Captain's Quarters of the Falcon. In contrast, the plush Delayan mattress felt like she was laying in mush. Once she adjusted, the exertion of the day sent her to sleep and she was out until Artoo woke her the next day. It was a beautiful morning on Delaya, crisp and cool. The flowers in the courtyard were blooming, avians were whistling, and civilians were out fishing and swimming in the waters. The Princess sat at the edge of the bed and stretched her neck as the windscreens opened to let the sun in and Artoo babbled. He informed her that two ship transfers had been successfully completed while she'd been asleep and that they had obtained a visitor overnight.
Leia padded through her quarters down to the great room, barefoot, wrapping the complimentary night-coat from Irasale around her. And just as Artoo had indicated, there was a form curled up on the lounger by the fireplace, using a matching night-coat as a blanket. "Rey?"
Startled awake, the girl sprung up and immediately winced at the streak of light hitting her through the window. She looked surprised, as if she hadn't meant to fall asleep there. "Morning."
"What are you doing in here?" Leia asked while moving to warm her hands and feet by the fire.
"I'm sorry." Rey apologized sheepishly, "I couldn't sleep in my quarters. I didn't think you'd mind."
"Of course I don't." Leia gestured in disbelief at the lounger, "I mean, what are you doing on that thing and not one of the beds?"
Rey shrugged, "I didn't want to overstep." She hadn't wanted Leia to know she snuck in at all. She meant to wake up and go back to her side of the wing as soon as first light broke. The older woman was always courteous about it, but Rey felt like waking Leia up and bothering her with her problems had become habits. Ones that she didn't want her Master to tire of.
Leia shook her head but her quarters' com chimed before she could address anything further. "Yes?"
"Rising sun, Your Highness," a jovial protocol droid greeted over the speakers, "Just a reminder that the briefings for your public appearances today will be in one standard hour."
"Thank you."
"Would you care for your breakfast to be sent?"
"Yes. And have Breha's sent here too, please."
"As you wish, Your Highness. It'll be along momentarily."
Leia turned her attention back to Rey, who'd since shrugged on her night-coat and placed the decorative cushions back in their spots. "So, you couldn't sleep?"
"I just—" Rey sighed. In the daytime, with pleasant background noise, company, and light in abundance, the anxiety she'd felt the night before felt childish. "I'll get used to it," she promised, grabbing her boots from where she'd kicked them under the table.
"Tell me," prompted Leia. And as usual, she did so in such a soothing tone, that Rey was moved to open up.
"Just…being alone in all that empty space, with the silence echoing…" the Scavenger paused, one foot in a boot.
Flashes of lying awake on a cold metal floor while her home creaked. Straining to hear sounds belonging to any other life-form. Images of clutching her patch doll and wandering around the AT-AT. Waiting for the sun to rise, so she could at least get to the outpost and see another living, breathing, being.
Her hair, loose and wavy from the braids of the day before, fell in her face. "It reminded me of Jakku. I just needed to know someone was near." She tucked the hair behind her ear and slipped her other foot in, avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment. Some brave Jedi you're going to be…she ruminated, scared of being alone.
Leia could sympathize. She couldn't stand the quiet either. Her mind always filled the emptiness with memories of war and loss. "Why didn't you come get me?" she asked. Then turned to Artoo, perturbed, "Why didn't you come get me?"
Rey came to the droid's defense, "I told him not to." Leia didn't ask, but the question settled on her face, so Rey explained, "I'm always waking you up."
"There are a lot of things always waking me up."
The younger woman nodded, "I know. But I don't want to add to them."
Sighing, Leia took a seat next to her on the lounger. The Apprentice braced for her Master to express dissatisfaction in her fear (which was not something Leia would do but Rey was leaning into her frustration with herself and her insecurities), or for Leia to quip something sarcastic to lighten the mood (which Leia would definitely do). Yet, what she heard was completely unexpected. "You've got to get over being afraid of me, Rey."
Confused, Rey's eyebrows crinkled together, "I'm not afraid of you."
Leia's mouth flattened; she didn't buy it. As mentioned before, Leia knew Rey had abandonment issues to overcome. She understood and respected that the girl needed time, patience, and sometimes space to emotionally navigate the relationships in her life due to her experiences. She wouldn't push Rey to discuss anything she didn't want to, or pry at subjects that brought up trauma, but this idea of 'sparing' Leia from having to help when Rey was in need, that was vital to address. That was not how a healthy master/apprentice relationship worked and it would do nothing to prepare Rey for dealing with the harder truths and trials ahead of her. Yes, she had Finn and Chewie and a number of others who would show support, but she needed to know that Leia would be a steadfast and immovable source she could turn to as well. Not someone she had to hide her fears and doubts from, just because Leia was busy or asleep. "If our training is going to benefit you at all, you need to be able to trust me. To know that I care about you personally."
Rey had been afraid that her quick and strong attachment to Leia would be the very thing to sabotage their friendship. That she would latch on to Leia as a mother figure and act too presumptuously—out of feeling a closer bond with Leia than Leia felt with her—and suffocate the woman so much that she'd cut her off. Drop her as an Apprentice, or worse, keep her as one and train her as hesitantly and full of disdain as Master Luke initially had. Consequently, she'd overcorrected in hopes to preserve that bond and now her Master wasn't even sure if Rey thought she cared. She knew Leia cared. It's that she didn't want to mess up and change that. The Apprentice contended, "I do trust you, Master. I do know that you care and it means a lot to me. I'm sorry if I haven't shown it. I only hold back because…" She picked at her fingernails, "I'm afraid of annoying you."
At seeing Leia's face fill with concern—the woman didn't think she was that temperamental—Rey was quick to expound. "Like Threepio does. He's always following you around, and going on about something, and you can't stand him."
"Again. There's always people following me around, going on about things."
"I don't want to be a thorn in your side."
After months of contemplating what Rey's formality around her was for, and how to connect with her in a way or at a speed she was comfortable with on a level needed for a master and apprentice, realization finally dawned for Leia. Rey hadn't been afraid of getting close to her. Rey had been afraid Leia wouldn't want her to try. "First of all," Leia leaned in for emphasis, "no one could surpass Threepio in that department." Artoo beeped coyly in the background, absolutely loving the shade thrown his counterpart's way. She then stressed, "And second, that's different. You're my apprentice. It's my duty to be there for you." When Rey opened her mouth, Leia could already tell it was something counterproductive to her point, out of insecurity, so she cut her off, "And I don't mind. Whenever you need me—whatever it is—get me."
Words could not express how important it was for Rey to hear that. Not wanting to tear up, Rey blinked to hold her composure and respectfully responded, "Yes, Master."
However, not taking the rote response as evidence Rey honestly believed her, Leia took it a step further. She reached for Rey's shoulder to ensure the girl grasped her sincerity. "And I don't just mean it from a master to an apprentice or a general to a rebel. I mean it from me to you. Understand?"
Rey fought the lump in her throat and smiled appreciatively. "Yes."
Leia then slapped her lap as a punctuation to the discussion and stood to get preparations for the day started. First on the agenda was an addendum: "Pick out a room. I'll have the protocol droid move your cases here."
"Are you sure? I don't—"
Leia narrowed her eyes, "What did we just talk about?"
Rey relented and changed the subject instantaneously, "You don't think Irasale will be insulted, do you?" After all, spaciousness was a Delayan 'honor' they would be turning down.
"No," Leia rolled her eyes, "I'll tell them it's 'separation anxiety' and she'll be too fascinated to argue."
They stepped back inside to take a moment and decompress. Their largest public appearance and Breha's introduction to the rest of the planet was now out of the way. The event took place on the uppermost balcony of the palace after Queen Irasale gave an eloquent speech about remembering Alderaan. Thousands turned out for the planet-holovised event—a great deal of them were crowded in the gardens in front of the palace but they were also lined along the banks of the rivers in the distance and anywhere from which the palace could be visible. The importance of the planet's involvement in Breha's continued anonymity was emphasized, and then she and Leia were introduced to a mass of citizens and their deafening applause.
During Leia's brief address, Rey found herself fiddling with the borrowed ring on her finger. It was a heavy thing and one Leia wore often—two round, polished, navy stones intertwined in real refined gold. The Scavenger was unaccustomed to extra weight on her hand, so it was hard to forget the jewelry was there, and it wasn't as if there was anything else to discreetly fidget with. Leia had no such outward evidence of anxiety. Of course, she'd grown up public speaking. Speeches were second nature; she gave them to The Resistance on a regular basis. But Rey noticed that this time was different for the General (perhaps because she hadn't spoken as the Princess of Alderaan, to Alderaanian citizens, in decades. She likely never thought she would again.) Rey's only clue to this was seconds before they stepped outside. Despite feeling it was needless, she had whispered, "May the force be with you," to give Leia a last shot of encouragement. In return, Leia tightly squeezed her hand, "Thank you for being here with me," and it was in the midst of that gratefulness that Rey was allowed to see a flicker of hesitation. Of nervousness.
They both took comfort in knowing they were in it together, even if the experience and what it meant to each of them differed. Leia was a shield, buffering the intense onslaught of attention for Rey. And for Leia, Rey was a shadow, a constant support that never strayed from her side and never gave up her secrets.
Following that nerve-wracking part of the appearance was a beautiful commemoration called 'streaming the colors.' Fleets of selected pilots from the Delayan Air Academy painted the skies with brush strokes of clouds in colors reminiscent of an Alderaanian sunset. There were large streams of lavender, lilac, periwinkle, and indigo which contrasted smaller interwoven streaks of rosy pink, gold, and pale yellow. Rey had come across some lovely sights in her adventures since leaving Jakku but that was one of the most magnificent. Then, before the occasion came to an official close, a group called the Aldera Legacy Children's Chorus performed Mirrorbright, a once popular and beloved lullaby across Alderaan. Rey noted the complete and immediate silence that fell over everyone in attendance as the melody began to play. Most looked to Princess Leia with hands on their hearts and sorrow in their eyes. A few waves and polite smiles later, they and the royal family returned to the peace and quiet inside the palace. Leia was quick to dab at the corner of her eye before a tear could escape and then she and Irasale exchanged heartfelt thanks for the memorable event and Leia's participation in it, respectively.
Rey, again, habitually twisted her borrowed ring as they rode the hover back to their quarters. Leia simply watched the scenery go by with chin in hand. On the way, they talked admiringly about the barely faded colors still floating in the sky and remarked over Irasale's surprisingly sober composure during the event. It was only after Rey inquired of the markings she saw on the cheeks of several in the crowd—and Leia explained that they were 'tears' for Alderaan, common among rebel soldiers who were serving at the time of its destruction—that they dissolved into a somber quiet. When they finally got back, they only had enough time for a short rest and change of attire for the evening festivities.
The welcome feast that evening was beyond compare. Everything from ceiling to floor, down to the minutest detail was traditionally Alderaanian. Ice sculptures of Alderaan's royal palace and banners of the Organa Family crest lined the entry in alternation. Meters of glittering silver fabric billowed across the ceiling. The tables were draped with the brightest white saava silk and the chairs were made of deep purple glass with small, round, cushions sitting atop. The floor was polished to a mirror-reflection, guests were donned in popular Alderaanian fashions. A waterfall of teal colored, Alderaanian, wine called toniray flowed down the back wall and holos of Alderaan's snow-capped mountains were projected in every window to simulate a real-time view.
Over their shoulders, the next course was served on sparkling dishes: piping hot kelltip steak, sliced into thin strips, and ecclessis figs with sugared stems. "Poe told me about this!" Rey exclaimed quietly but with bright eyes to the woman next to her. It took some effort but she restrained her eagerness and took her time to drape the new napkin on her lap.
Leia nodded, "It's a classic." Next, she advised, "I like to drizzle the jus," while leading by example, "and break the fig stems over top." Breha enthusiastically copied. Chatter around the hall abounded over the lightly playing string music, each table engrossed in their own conversation with some guests sneaking peeks and leaning ear to the table of royals.
"I just can't get over how real they look," Soze Cortessan (of the family who found and bought the Tantive from the shipyard) commented on the window-holos.
"Which one is Appenza Peak, Your Highness?" asked Rigor, Irasale's husband, a much mellower person than his wife.
Leia answered without having to look, cutting her steak slice into an even smaller portion. "The second highest mountain you can see." Her daughter took a pause to search for it as she chewed. She pointed with her fork, "In the fourth panel, over there?"
The Princess checked and then confirmed, "Mhm. The one in the distance." Everyone at the table politely twisted or strained to see for themselves. Appenza's outline was deep blue due to its distance, it's edges steep, and its cap encased in a swirl of clouds. It was stunningly and ominously beautiful. "That must've been a daunting challenge," the impressed Rigor presumed aloud.
The Queen inserted, "What do you mean by challenge, Dear?" before daintily biting a fig. He raised his volume to include the entire table, "Well, if I recall correctly, all heirs to the throne were required to solo climb the mountain."
"You climbed that?" An astonished Rey had remarked to her 'mother' and was tossed a self-confident wink.
Meanwhile, the king consort was struggling, "It was called the challenge—uh…the challenge of…Princess Organa, please rescue me."
The table chimed in good-humored laughter. "The challenge of the body," she answered. "Heirs are—were—required to choose and complete three challenges to prove their worthiness—body, mind, and heart."
"Riveting!" exclaimed the Queen, drawn in. Rey thought so too but her interest was more genuine. "What were your chosen three?"
Leia first signaled the servo-droid for a refill of her beverage and then expounded for the group, "Well, climb Appenza, obviously. For mind, I joined the apprentice legislature. And for heart, I took on several relief missions. My first was Wobani."
"Force bless you. That was a terrible place..." someone uttered. And another mentioned, "I had some distant family sent to the camp there." The Ambassador broke the chain and tried to lighten the mood, "What would you have chosen, Princess Breha?"
"Um…" Rey poked at her last slice of steak, gathering what she hoped would be an eloquent enough response. "I would've wanted to follow mother's footsteps." She glanced at Leia, who smiled softly, a hidden heap of support shining through her gaze. As was best with questions like these, she based them in truth. "We do relief work together already." She quickly gained her footing in terms of the answer she wanted to give and finished articulately, "For mind, I'm sure I'd have become her aide in the senate. And for body, I would've liked to have climbed Appenza too. To honor mother as well as grandmother."
A noblewoman (also of the Cortessan family) raised her glass to the young princess and kindly stated, "I'm sure you would've made them proud." It moved the rest of the table to raise their glasses in accord.
"Though, if I'm not mistaken," Rigor posited with a slight furrow in his brow, "—and I don't mean to be rude—but wouldn't Prince Ben have been the one to complete the challenges? He's the firstborn." He didn't mean anything by it other than being curious of the facts. He was a very intelligent man who held great interest in regulations, criteria, statistics, and any other sort of data he could acquire.
Princess Leia took a deep breath but masked the ache of the thought of Ben with a look of thoughtfulness. "Yes, he is. And he would've." It wasn't the first time during this mission that she'd thought of her son. In fact, he was in the back of her mind constantly. Everything they were experiencing were vestiges of his family's culture. As a boy, he was fascinated in his mother's lost planet and the graveyard of asteroids it left behind. She had hoped to bring him here one day and share what she could of Alderaan with its would-be heir, but she'd let the busyness of building a government, and then defending it, steal the time from them. And now, he was gone. He didn't want anything to do with his mother's legacies—the noble ones, anyway.
She was knocked out of those thoughts by Rigor apologizing for any offense he may have caused, "I'm sorry, Breha. Your answer was lovely."
"No, it's alright."
It was important for the mission that they steer away from conversations focused on Ben or his whereabouts. Only a few in The Resistance and The First Order knew that Kylo Ren was formerly Ben Solo. It'd be better if it stayed that way. Additionally, if curious minds lingered on Ben's story, they might start to linger on Breha's and find inconsistencies. In either case of information coming to light, the deal for the ships would likely be off. Rey (and a second later than her, Leia) sensed the perk in Irasale's attention at the mention of Leia's son. Questions were no doubt on the tip of her tongue. He'd slipped the Queen's mind before but with the reminder, it was only natural to wonder where he was, whether he and Breha had reunited, his reaction to Han's death…and everything Rey and Leia needed to avoid talking about. So, before the meddlesome Queen could follow that train of thought, Breha joked.
"Ben can keep the title of firstborn. We both know I have the title of favorite. Don't I, mother?" she shot Leia a sly, emphatic, smile.
Leia sighed and insisted, "I love you both equally," as if it were something she had to remind her children of often, "You know that."
A mother herself and with her own heirs sitting across from her, The Queen backed Leia up, "That's right. Mothers don't have favorites."
Still, Breha teased further, "Mothers have to say that. But the favorites know."
The table dissolved into chuckles and Irasale's hankering to pry about Ben was forgotten in the levity. "Well, with that, shall we bring in the next course?"
"Brimmel fish, as it were. Bulbs removed," her husband announced.
Once the spotlight on the Organas had mostly faded, Leia placed a maternal kiss on Breha's temple so she could mutter, "Good save."
Mercifully, that was the only close call during the lengthy feast. Conversation revolved around the brimmel fish for far longer than one would expect. Centuries ago, Delaya exchanged crops of their ruica for schools of these Alderaanian-native fish; they had since become native to the southern banks of Delaya as well. Their 'bulbs' were actually small bead-like glands covering their bodies which glowed a range of fluctuating colors (depending on what they consumed that day). The fish began to glow as soon as the sun set but reached their brightest lightshow a few hours before dawn as they finished their digestion rotation. Ambassador Acclellan, of course, did the lecturing of all this. Several guests at the table were prompted to suggest that The Organas make the lightshow a part of their visit, upon seeing how clearly captivated Princess Breha was by the description.
"It would be my pleasure to fit it into our itinerary, Your Highness," the Ambassador offered. "It's best to have an escort at such a distance from the palace and I do make an excellent tour guide."
"Oh, we could make an event of it!" Irasale giddily proposed. "Lord Talo," she called to a nobleman at the far end of the table, "you have a shore-skimmer docked on the southern banks, don't you?" After he affirmed, her eyes lit up, "We could arrange for a dinner cruise, serve drinks until the lightshow…oh! We could—"
It was turning into a ridiculous affair of Delayan grandeur. Rey and Leia only needed to share a wordless expression, for Leia to respectfully decline, "Maybe next time. We already have so much to look forward to." Her gentle rejection and the subsequent arrival of the dessert course helped to dissolve the idea.
Aldera mocoa-cream cake was not only a prized favorite of Alderaan, but it's entire sector. Here, it was paired with the toniray. The Gavinia family had barrels of it stored from before Alderaan's destruction and had been saving it for a special occasion such as this. Additional bottles of it and rounds of cake were sent to the Organas' quarters as gifts. They'd never finish it all, even if they had it for every meal for the rest of their stay…but Leia was already planning to bring what was left back to the Base to celebrate the beginnings of the re-growth of their navy.
The night ended on a jubilant note. The orchestra transitioned into upbeat music typical of that at an Alderaanian dance gala (they'd held a lot of them for charities) and everyone converged into the middle of the hall to participate. Both Organa princesses were asked to dance by members of the royal family, as expected, but whereas Leia felt right at home breezing around the floor with Rigor, Breha was happy enough to deny her invitation and enjoy the music by herself on the sidelines. That is, until her mother abandoned the king consort and dragged her out to teach her the Appenza Swing.
There was no answer after her third attempt at knocking, so Leia let herself in and padded to the side of the bed. "Rey…" she whispered but the only response was deep, peaceful, breathing. She tried again, louder, "Rey."
Buried deep within the covers, a groggy voice cracked, "Master?" Leia found amusement in the way Rey had to swim out of the covers. Her head popped out and her question was preceded by a yawn, "Did I oversleep?"
Leia snickered, "No."
Rey sat up, figuring that whatever it was Leia woke her up for, it must be important. Her windscreens were still closed, so she couldn't tell how early it was, "What time is it?"
The Princess tilted her head back in forth, "Too late to be night, too early to be morning." Then a mischievous gleam appeared in Leia's eyes, "You want to go see the brimmel fish?"
Though hers were heavy with sleep, Rey's eyes matched Leia's gleam as she grinned, "Yeah."
"Put on something warm. It's chilly," Leia hurried out of the room, calling behind her, "Me and Artoo will be in the hover."
The palace at night (or early morning) was tranquil. There were no voices, or footsteps, or melodies played on valachords, just the trickle of fountains and ponds. Moonlight streamed in and cut through the shadows, illuminating the dormant servo-droids lining the walls. The bulk of security was handled by mouse droids who roamed the halls scanning for any life forms or digital signatures that didn't belong on palace premises. Humanoid security officers patrolled too, primarily in the royal family's living quarters and main passageways, but Artoo had found a route to the hangar that evaded them.
"The hangar?" Rey questioned in surprise as they rounded a corner that brought them to the threshold of it. Artoo had rolled ahead and was already at work getting the door open with his data probe.
Leia's reply was also a question, "Do you think we can make it across the planet in this thing?" It wasn't sarcastic in this instance. If the hover could handle the trek, Rey would know, and it would certainly save them a couple steps.
"Definitely not." They both flinched at the mechanical groaning of the hangar doors opening. It hadn't echoed as loudly the day before but of course it would now…The Ambassador's quarters were nearby. It was more convenient for him to stay near the hangar since his assignments had him back and forth to the planet regularly. They weren't sneaking around because they didn't have the right to come and go as they pleased or for fear of punishment if they got caught. If that happened, they would just have to let Acclellan and the entire royal entourage tag along as well—which in itself, was a bit of a punishment. "So, we're stealing a transport, then?" murmured Rey as they glided into the sea of ships.
Leia squinted, "'Steal' is an awkward word. They're technically ours already."
They walked side by side, peering down rows of space and land crafts. Leia was simply searching for something useable, but Rey had a specific one in mind. "Better take this one," she declared upon locating it. It was the lightest weight transport they'd listed for transfer to the Resistance, and it would move not only faster but lower to the ground. They boarded quickly enough while the astromech re-shut the hangar doors (leaving a small crack to slip out of for when they got back.)
"Is it too much to hope this bucket has a stealth shield?" Leia joked, slipping into the co-pilot's seat.
The lights flickered on and the pilot console began to hum as Rey locked the navi-computer onto the projected coordinates, "How light of a sleeper do you think The Ambassador is?"
"My guess is very," said the woman dryly.
Rey winced and then powered on the thunderous engines.
For miles, the winding river was alive with an array of glowing colors, all shifting and streaking. The two women were contently perched on boulders at the edge of the bank, taking it all in and eating leftover cake. Rey wondered if this was what it was like to have a mother or if Leia was just a special kind. She was sure there had to many amazing mothers in the Galaxy, but Leia was probably the best. She certainly couldn't imagine better.
"What three would you really pick? As you." the older woman referred to the challenges spoken of earlier.
Rey shrugged with mouth full, "I think my answer would be the same."
"You'd go into politics?"
On second thought—Rey peeled her eyes away from the lights to pick up more cake, "Well, yeah. I'd change that one. Probably to…" she raked her fork along the top to get extra mocha-cream, "mastering my understanding of the force or…connecting with the jedi who came before."
Her Master nodded in approval, "That's a better choice. More like you." Then she pushed the platter between them further towards Rey, signifying she was finished, "You can have the rest."
Rey folded her legs under her so she could lean over the platter more. Instead of eagerly taking another bite though, she concluded, "But the others...like heart—our work with The Resistance is relief work. The greatest we could do." Leia agreed.
"And I really would've liked to climb Appenza. To honor you."
Leia looked pleased. "I feel honored just knowing you would've." Then brushing the crumbs from her lap, she commented, "Well, I'd say this was a breakfast for the archives. Much different than our normal routine."
"Much earlier," Rey quipped, "But the best."
As if on cue, a flicker of sun appeared on the horizon, signaling that it was time to head back before those in the palace arose. Before getting up, Leia stretched uncomfortably. Her muscles had tightened and her bones had stiffened after sitting on such a hard surface for hours. When she pushed against the rock to slide to her feet, she hissed in pain.
Immediately, Rey hopped down from her place, moved a smaller rock to act as a stepping stool, and then held out her hand to help the older woman down. "I'll get the mess," she nodded towards the platter of crumbs and water canteens. "Do you need help to the ship?"
"I got it now."
As Leia watched Rey through the cockpit window, she reflected on how warm it made her heart to be a mother for someone again. Naturally, most in the Resistance looked to her as a maternal type figure—Poe, Connix, Zay, and even Rose, to name a few. But to actively fill that role was different. It was fulfilling. Especially with someone like Rey, who sorely needed guidance and had always longed for parents. It came as a surprise to Leia, that acting as a mother towards Rey didn't bring up feelings of guilt over her son. Their relationship felt entirely separate to Leia and Ben's. Special in its own right, as it would be for any mother with multiple children. At first, she figured it was because Rey was like a daughter, so there weren't constant reminders. It wasn't like she was trying to replace one with the other.
But more and more she was realizing that it was because Rey felt like her own. There had always been a connection between them, from the second she reached out in grief at Han's death and sensed Rey there, across the Galaxy, feeling the pain of losing the father that wasn't hers. They were never introduced. They met by Leia pulling her into a comforting hug, like she'd done so all Rey's life. Han had tried to explain the instant attachment but it wasn't until then that she understood. The minute Rey stepped off the Falcon in tears, at her core, Leia felt that somehow, some way, Rey was hers and Han's. That feeling was only fortified, day in and day out, through their master/apprentice bond. And now, through this strange mission too, it was being showcased.
The meet-greet took place in Irasale's throne room. She and the rest of the royal family mingled with specially invited Delayan dignitaries and nobles as Alderaanians lined to meet their Princess and her daughter. The former arrangement was that five hundred Alderaanian families could enter a drawing to visit the palace for the occasion, but when Leia learned that there was close to sixteen hundred families currently living on the planet, she insisted on opening up the opportunity to all of them. Her foremost reason was that it was what her mother and father would've done. It was an overwhelming process to say the least. There were several joyful encounters where citizens recalled memories of the late Queen and her husband, of the planetwide festivals like the one that was held on Life Day, and personal stories of their beloved homes that they held close to their heart. Many were so happy to see Leia again that they cried, or so nervous to meet Breha that they couldn't speak.
Next was a small family consisting of an elderly man, with the proud mark of a tear near his eye, a mid-aged couple, and a very tiny girl holding her hands together under her chin. She was nudged encouragingly but shyly pressed her back into her mother's leg. "Is that Princess Leia?" her small voice whispered as she pointed to Rey with wide eyes.
"No, that's her daughter. Princess Breha." Her father lovingly corrected. He took one of the little girl's hands and pulled her in front of him, "Didn't you want to talk to her?" The little girl's face scrunched up in confusion, "But I thought Breha was the Queen."
Because Delaya's stationary protocol had determined that Leia be the first introduced in formal situations like these, Rey looked to Leia for approval when approached. She was heartened by the older woman's proud nod to go ahead despite the Ambassador's panicky attempt to advise against it—it was another showcase of difference in Alderaanian custom versus Delayan. Thus, Breha knelt down to be eye level with the child, ignoring the attendant that rushed to spread out the trail of her dress and capelet behind her, "I was named after the Queen. She was my grandmother."
"Really?" the child inched forward, the puzzle pieces now coming together.
Breha extended a hand to invite the little one closer, "Were you one of the younglings who sang for us yesterday?"
The girl's face lit up, "Mhm!" She skipped up to Breha and took her hand as if they'd been friends for her whole little life. "We practiced all week. Mistress Kaffel said Mirrorbright was Princess Leia's favorite!"
"It is." Leia grinned. The little girl's head tilted back and her eyeline lifted up to Leia in complete awe. "It was a very beautiful performance. Thank you," the older Princess praised. To which the little girl beamed, "You're welcome!" and then turned her attention back to Breha to curiously ask her favorite color. With the child now comfortable, Princess Leia motioned for the rest of the family to come shake her hand. She thanked the elderly man for his service, and through conversation, found out he was Officer Tyniir, one of the many pilots dispatched during the Battle of Endor. The younger man was his son, Grigg, born on Cardota but raised on Delaya. And the little girl—named Fia—was his granddaughter. Intervals between families had to be brief to fit everyone in and the next family's turn was looming, so Officer Tyniir gently reminded Fia of the gift she brought.
"Oh!" She held out a piece of black rock. "I want you and Princess Leia to have this." Placing it gingerly in Breha's hand, the young one lit up with pure excitement. "It's a piece of Alderaan! My Granpapa brought it home for me."
Tyniir made sure to assert, "It really is, Your Highness. I visited the Graveyard Belt not too long before she was born."
Breha's eyes snapped upwards towards her mother for her reaction. Leia was visibly stunned and deeply touched. "Oh…" The daughter stood and handed it to her mother so she could examine it closer. It was easy to tell that it had once been part of something larger but repeatedly broken off until it was the size of the child's palm. Its fractures showed bands of silver and porous grey inside, like the granite that made up the planet's crust and mountains. The Princess turned it over in her palm and Rey caught the instant the woman reigned in the welling emotion. Skillfully, Leia walked the line of displaying, deep, heartfelt, appreciation for the gift and politely refusing. "Thank you but that is too special of a memento. You should keep it."
Fia was adamant. Her head shook rapidly, "My Granpapa has another one. I can share with him. I want you to share this one." Then she stretched on her tiptoes and pointed with her small stubby finger, "I even etched a little heart in it." It was tiny and crudely done, but incredibly endearing.
Breha smiled congenially, "We'll treasure it. Thank you."
"Here," Leia bent down as far as she could, "why don't I give you something too?" and slid the ring off her pinky and onto Fia's index finger. It was a little big but she'd grow into it.
"It's so pretty!" Fia leapt to hug Leia's waist, completely oblivious to the nervous and reflexive step forward of the patrol guards, attendants, and her family, who apologized profusely and reached to pull her off. Princess Leia maintained that it was alright. "I'm very happy to see that her heritage is special to her." It reminded her of Ben at that age. Wearing a blanket as a cape on the side, like his Grandfather Bail and giving speeches to her, Han, and Chewie in their home on Hosnian Prime. She cherished the moments when he leaned into being a small prince of Alderaan because ninety-nine percent of the time he wanted to be a pilot racer like his father.
"It's special to many of the children here." Fia's mother assured, "We try to educate them and honor Alderaan as often as we can. And we hope they'll continue remembering it for us for generations." With their time at a close, the attendants began to direct the family onward, so Fia's mother instructed her, "Give it back, sweetheart."
Leia held up her hand in refusal, "No, let her keep it."
Tyniir gasped, "Your Highness, we couldn't. You don't have to—"
"Please."
Thank you's were expressed, hands shook, and goodbyes said as they were led away. Then the next family stepped up.
It wasn't until early evening when the Organas were able to retire to their quarters and rest. Thus, dinner in the dining hall was pushed back to give them the needed time to recoup. Leia's feet had begun to swell from the hours of standing (she refused to sit when meeting families, only on their short breaks), so she headed straight to her suite to soak them and put them up.
Rey decided to use her time looking over one of the texts. Their last few lessons had been based on the tele-force ability section and she wanted to make sure it stayed fresh in her mind for when they resumed training. She'd retained more of it than she thought but for some reason, she was getting the processes of a mind touch (or 'mind trick') confused with the processes of a mind probe. It was very difficult to get a correct understanding by memorizing the techniques alone, but she and Leia had agreed that there was no ethical way to practice such abilities, so that was what had to be done. As a result, this section was taking much longer for her to grasp than previous ones had. Leia had added some tips in the margin but at this point, with the mental strain of the long day, Rey wasn't making sense of it. It was better just to ask than continue and get frustrated. She decided to seek Leia out.
Holding her place with her finger, Rey barreled into Leia's room and onward towards the balcony where she saw the woman was standing, "Master, I had a question about your notes on the section—" Instinctively, Leia had glanced over her shoulder when she was addressed, and Rey's heart dropped to her stomach when she saw the tears. The Princess was prompt in turning away and composing herself.
"I'm sorry," breathed Rey, her face fallen, "The door was open." She'd seen Leia get misty eyed before. Seen her wear an expression of melancholy. At the most, she'd seen the beginning of a single tear wiped from the corner of Leia's eye. Never a lot of tears, never unrestrained sadness.
Leia sniffed. But when she turned around to smile at her apprentice, all traces of grief were gone. It was a talent she'd mastered over the years. "Don't worry about it. What was your question?"
Rey left the book on Leia's bed and cautiously moved onto the balcony. "Are you alright?" It could've been the strength of Rey's force sensitivity and their Master/Apprentice bond, or maybe just because Rey was a naturally empathetic person and she cared for Leia deeply, but Leia's sorrow brought about her own.
The aforementioned lifted her brow in an attempt at her normal humor, "I doubt that was the question you came in with."
Rey's eyes dropped to Leia's hand and her brows crinkled with sympathy, noticing the rock—the piece of Alderaan from Fia. Leia couldn't ignore it. She sighed, "I'm fine."
"You're not." Rey stated respectfully but matter-of-factly. "You don't have to be." Her gaze rested on the rock again. It not only represented an entire world with its government, culture, and people, but also Leia's whole childhood, her home, her parents, and their legacy. "I wouldn't be either."
Leia closed her fist over the rock, took a deep breath, and looked out past the horizon. "I will be. It just takes longer to get there sometimes."
"Would you like some company?"
"No." Leia patted Rey's shoulder, "You've had to support me enough while we've been here."
"You're my Master. It's my duty to be there for you. And I don't mind." They were words Leia couldn't refute because they'd been her own. Trust, care, openness—they went both ways. She couldn't expect that of Rey without letting Rey expect the same of her. And she couldn't counsel Rey on accepting help if she denied the help Rey tried to give.
So, when her apprentice offered her hand for emotional support, Leia took it. She wasn't sure if this was simply what it was like to have a daughter, or if Rey was just a special kind, but she couldn't imagine a better one.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter. There are some moments in here I really loved, and I'm curious to see what resonated with you all and if it's the same as what resonated with me as the author. I think next chapter will be our last on this mission. They'll be headed back to Base.
If anyone cares, I thought I'd list the hand-me-downs I imagined Rey in during this trip so far: Day 1 from last chapter, she travelled and spent the first day in Leia's classic white ANH dress. Day 2 balcony event and then dinner are also leia's hand me downs in the story but nothing recognizable from the movies. If you're interested in seeing the outfits I drew for this based off of some press outfits of Daisy that looked space-y, let me know at the end of your review and I'll send a link to my tumblr post where you can see them. For the Brimmel fish, she threw the white back on. For Day 3 (meet-greet, end of chapter), she's wearing Leia's red and cream cloud city outfit. If you guys are interested in me drawing some of Leia's outfits on the trip too, let me know on my tumblr post of Rey's. :)
Thank you again! Each reader, each hit on the story, really means a lot to me. I hope to update much sooner for this next chapter.
(reviews help inspire me!)
