Chapter 191

After facing the complication in the middle of the Battle, the team was divided. Ahsoka and Luke stayed with the Rebels to fight. And the others ...

They took the Millennium Falcon. Laetitia was on her way to Sorgan. She was still a bit numb from pain, but to her surprise, the pain of childbirth was a lot better than what she had already gone through.

What did that say about her?

On the entire time travelling to Sorgan, she never let go of her child. Leah didn't know who the baby's blue eyes resembled more ... Her father or her grandfather. She held her closely, never wanting to let her go ... But she was letting her go. She had to ... to protect her child. She would do anything to protect her.

"I'm gonna take this child to Sorgan. Arcann will raise my child ... Thexan's child ... our child."

"You're giving her away?"

"If she stays with me, she'll become a target for all those who hate me. Her grandfathers will want to find her if they know she's who she is. Then, she'll learn things a child shouldn't know. She'll become like Thexan, or worse, me ... I want her to be happy ... even if it's not with me."

Leah sighed as she remembered her conversation with Ahsoka. That was true ... It was her greatest fear and the worst torture. That her child would become like her. That she would be forced to live the life her mother did.

Become the person her mother was ...

Leah exhaled deeply, her breath shaking in sadness. She looked down and saw her daughter. Her blue eyes were shining as she was sucking her fingers. Leah tried to pull her fingers out, but the baby resisted. She gave her mother a look in anger as she whined.

Leah chuckled as she rose her eyebrow. She was definitely her daughter. And she already knew how to give people 'the Skywalker death glare'.

She just smiled as she kept gazing her daughter. She didn't want to let her go, but for her sake, she was. Her safety was the only thing that mattered to her. She wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. She didn't know when she would see her again ... and if.

When she confronted the baby's grandfathers ... could she really come out of it alive? Could she really get a chance to hold her baby like that?

"Why aren't you even crying?" Leah asked her daughter.

Even when the baby was born, she didn't let out a single cry. Leah was worried something was wrong with her daughter, but according to everyone, she was completely healthy. Yet, she was not crying a bit.

"Don't tell me you've already inherited the 'keep it all in' skill from me." She joked as the baby cooed.

"Or maybe because you know that you're a secret from everyone. You don't want your crazy grandfathers to find you ... Or you know the truth ... that your father isn't here to hold you." She sadly said.

The baby cooed and looked up to her mother. She seemed to understand what she was saying. How was that possible? She was born 3 hours ago.

"And now, I'm giving you away to the man I hate the most, who is unfortunately your uncle." She pointed out bitterly.

Her attention went back to her daughter, who was staring at her mother with her big innocent blue eyes. She was truly beautiful, a perfect combination of both families and parents.

Though they only 'knew' each other for 3 hours, it was clear that they had a bond no one could ever break. Leah didn't want to let her child go, but ... what other choice did she have? What could she do? Raise her child with the misfortune around her, or give her away to protect her?

It was the hardest decision Leah ever had to make.

"I just want you to know, that no matter what happens in the future, if we see each other again or not ... I will always love you, my little girl."

On Sorgan

Chewie landed the Falcon on the forested planet. He waited inside the ship when the others left. Rex was busy making preparations he was asked to do. Senya was holding her granddaughter tightly.

And Laetitia led them to Arcann's 'house'. To say he was shocked was ... putting it lightly. He was stunned to see his mother after almost 20 years. And even more stunned to see his ... niece.

Laetitia's daughter. Thexan's daughter ...

What he couldn't understand was why she was there. He knew Leah kept him alive to torture him. She wanted him to wait till the child wanted to tell the truth, and Arcann was the one to do it. She wanted the baby to hate Arcann.

He was ... grateful for that.

But why did she bring her baby to him? Why did she bring his mother to him? Why did they look like they were staying with him? Why was she leaving her newborn baby with him?

Why?

Arcann led Laetitia to his house while Senya was playing with the baby outside in the farm. It was still weird to see his mother, after 20 years, playing with his niece, the child of the man he killed.

"Why ..." Arcann started as he broke the silence.

"Why are you doing this? Is that your idea of torturing me? Because it's working. You want me to raise my niece when I killed her father?" He asked.

Leah's face was as emotionless and cold as a stone. She had no feelings towards him, not hate or love. She also didn't feel the need to explain this stuff to him. Meanwhile, she wasn't enjoying it, either. She barely even acknowledged his presence.

"Yes." She simply said.

"And it's not to torture you. It's to protect her."

"So?"

"So she has two powerful grandfathers with anger issues. It's not her fault. She shouldn't suffer for that." Leah stated.

"Oh, now you care about that? Now you're the judge of right and wrong?" He asked, wanting to change her mind by insulting her.

"I've done plenty wrongdoings in my life, Arcann ... But things are different now. I have a daughter. Thexan and I have a daughter ... If she stays with me, what am I supposed to tell her if she asks why I have blood on my hands?"

"Tell her that the Galaxy is a bad place ruled by her crazy grandfathers! That we sometimes have to do bad things to survive. She'll be safer if she learns that early. Trust me." Arcann bitterly stated.

"It's not her job to keep herself safe. It's mine. It's yours. Ours! And that includes protecting her innocence." Leah snapped at him.

She knew what he was doing, but how could she talk about his own niece like that? If he wanted her to question her decision to leave her baby with him ... it was working. She knew he had no ideas about babies, which is why she brought Senya with her, but ... how could could he act like this?

"She's a Palpatine, not to mention your daughter! I'm pretty sure she can survive without her innocence." He snapped back.

This time, Leah responded with violence. It wasn't because she was angry. Well, she was ... But she did it to literally knock some sense into him. She wanted him to pull himself together.

Arcann just stayed still when he could have easily avoided the punch. He fell on the ground grunting, his nose bleeding.

"We will protect her innocence for as long as we can because she is only a child. You and I both know the importance of that. No one protected ours." Leah said with a bitter hint in his voice.

Arcann sighed deeply. She was right about that. He didn't even have the energy to fight with her or disagree with her. He grunted quietly as he tried to stand up.

"I'm sorry." He sincerely said.

When Leah felt how sincere he was, she let it go. Now that they were on the same page, now that Arcann was willing to protect her daughter ... she felt some peace. She knew that he was just trying to change her mind ... But unfortunately, he was the best person to leave the child with.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're the only one who can protect her if your father or mine ever found her. So protect her." She asked him as a mother.

"That's why you brought me here and let me live." Arcann concluded.

Now, it made sense. Why Leah let him live. Why she took him to the safest planet. Why she gave him a home. It was all to protect her daughter. Leah just nodded as she took a deep breath.

This was not easy.

"Arcann, not a day goes by that I don't miss Thexan. Or hate you for what you did to him, to me, to my daughter, and to our family ... I have no sympathy for you." Leah coldly said.

"But if there's such thing as redemption or forgiveness, I believe a person should have the opportunity to prove they've changed ... Thexan always believed you could be saved. Maybe she can do that." She quietly stated as she looked down.

Arcann scoffed bitterly in response as he wiped a tear.

"I can't be saved. I killed my brother. I slaughtered innocent people since I was a kid ..."

"And now, you're gonna spend the rest of your life remembering them ... Look, you've done a lot of terrible things. I'm not gonna deny that ... But you're gonna atone for them, starting with her." Leah softly told him.

Arcann looked down as he tried not to be surprised. He had never seen this side of her before. She was always so cold and angry towards him.

"I know it's scary ... The light at the end of the tunnel for people like us is ..." She trailed off, knowing exactly what he was afraid of.

"I believe you can take care of my daughter better than anyone else. You just have to believe it, too."

"I promise I'll take care of her. I'll protect her until my last breath." Arcann swore strongly.

Leah shook her head in appreciation. That was the best thing she could ask for ... considering the situation.

"Good ... Make sure she always wears this." She said as she brought something out of her pocket.

"A bracelet?" He asked in confusion.

"I melted the Force-inhibitor chips and re-made them into a bracelet. It's not strong, but it will help mask her Force-signature and have her enormous power under a bit of control." She explained.

"I will."

"Also, give her this."

Arcann looked at Leah's hand and froze. He recognized what she was holding immediately. It was ... a lightdagger. The exact same model as the one Thexan used to build.

"Yeah ... Thexan made it." Leah slowly said.

She knew Arcann recognized the lightdagger as soon as he saw it. There was only 2 people in the Galaxy Thexan was the closest to, and they were these two. She looked down at the necklace Thexan gave him. She wanted it ... but she didn't need it as much as their daughter needed it.

"He said I might need a delicate weapon that can be hidden. I guess he had a feeling I would use it for something like this ..." She sadly trailed off as she remembered.

Arcann didn't say anything and just took the necklace. It was truly beautiful.

"I also brought someone to stay with you guys. He'll help you." Leah suddenly said to change the mood.

"Who?" He asked in confusion.

Leah forced a smile in irritation on her face. She turned back as Rex entered the house. He was struggling to drag a creature inside ... One Arcann and Laetitia knew very well.

"Ysalamir?!" He shrieked in surprise.

Leah and Arcann suddenly both felt a strong void in the Force as soon as the Ysalamir joined them. The Force was completely gone. Leah cursed under her breath as the Force-illusion disappeared.

"Old friend, right? Trust me, I hate him more than you do." She snipped as she ignored their looks.

"But tolerate him. If he's here with you guys, it will make it impossible, or at least difficult, for Sidious and Vader to find her. They don't know about her, but ... Better safe than sorry." She stated.

"Okay." Arcann simply said as he groaned quietly in frustration.

When Leah had nothing more to say, she just looked away to find her daughter. She found her with Senya, smiling in happiness ... But she didn't move. She wanted that to be the last memory she had of her ... until she would get to see her again.

She didn't want to hold her again. If she did ... she would change her mind about sending her away. She would want her near her ... And that was the last thing the baby needed.

"Take care of her." Leah simply said as she walked away.

She didn't want Arcann to ever see her tears. She resisted 3 years of torture to not give him the satisfaction. She was leaving, but Arcann's voice stopped her.

"Hey! ... What's her name?" He asked.

Leah turned around slowly. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought of a name for her baby. She thought of literally anything else ... but this.

"Iliana." She finally said.

Arcann tried to hide his smile as he looked at the baby outside. That was the perfect name for her ... The light in the darkness.

"Iliana Padme Skywalker."

Done :)