"My master says you should come with me today." Mara informed her when Leia found the girl at her door the next morning.
Leia waved Mara in and went back to her breakfast, glad for some company. "Do you want anything to eat?"
Mara replicated herself something which looked like grey mush, but which she appeared to enjoy. "Do you have, um, any clothes that aren't gowns?"
Leia grinned, "Some. I take it we aren't going to court?"
Mara shook her head, "My master says you are too young to attend everyday, that you should come join me in training instead."
"You didn't tell me what your training is." Leia pointed out.
Mara smiled, "Oh a few different things. Languages, mathematics, combat."
Leia raised an eyebrow at the last.
Mara shrugged, "Hand to hand, blaster, fencing."
"Cool." Leia remarked, "I've learned some archery and riding. I was supposed to learn to shoot a blaster this year, but then I got sent here."
Mara helped her pick out a plain outfit, thankfully not the official Alderaanian white of her gowns, but a sedate green pants and top. She admired Mara's full black body suit. She looked exceptionally strong and capable, for being all of twelve years old.
"So you learn combat from the emperor?" Leia clarified.
Mara giggled, "No, he teaches me other stuff. Today it's fencing with Lord Vader."
Leia froze, "I didn't realize he was on Coruscant, he wasn't at court yesterday, was he?"
Mara shook her head, "Lord Vader hates court. I think he hates me too, but he is actually a really good teacher."
Leia heart was racing.
Mara smiled sympathetically, seeing Leia's expression. "He is scary, but you can just watch what he teaches me, then I'll teach you the basics with practice sabers afterwards."
Mara led her to a practice hall deep below the palace. It was a great high ceilinged space cut from the stone itself. There were no windows, and no furniture. Just a wall of weapons, some exercise mats and weight lifting equipment, and what looked to be some sort of droids powered down in a line on the far wall.
Mara showed her how to stretch and warm up. Then Darth Vader arrived. Leia instinctively backed up against wall, as if she could hide from his helmeted gaze.
Vader pointed at Leia, but addressed Mara, "Jade, who is this child?"
Mara sketched a shallow bow, "Lord Vader, this is the Princess Leia Organa. She's come from Alderaan to attend court. Our master said she could train with me. She'll just observe our lesson, if you permit it."
Vader's helmet tilted to a side as though considering what she had said. "Bail Organa's daughter?"
Leia forced herself to let go of the wall behind her and bowed to Lord Vader, "Yes, Lord Vader."
Vader turned back to Mara, "Be it on your head if she gets injured."
Mara inclined her head, and grinned at Leia, "Just don't get in the way of anything pointy."
Leia flattened herself back against the wall, but still flinched when Mara drew out a violet lightsaber and Vader one of crimson red. Then they began to duel.
Vader beckoned Mara forward with a gesture of his gloved hand. She came in swinging her lightsaber in both hands, Vader meeting her saber with his own. Mara skipped away then came at Vader again, who seemed to take very little effort in blocking her. It was like a dance, Leia thought. The sound of sound of lightsabers cutting through air was like nothing she'd ever heard before.
Occasionally, Vader would snap some instruction to Mara, who seemed used to taking his orders. "More speed." He would shout. "Channel the force." And then he did something which Leia's mind couldn't quite follow. He pointed one of his massive gloves at Mara, palm toward her, and then suddenly the girl was flying back through the room at speed, finally skidding to a halt on her backside, looking flushed.
"You should have blocked that." Vader commented, drawing down on Mara as she struggled to regain her feet.
Mara was in a crouch when Vader brought his saber to her throat.
Leia couldn't help it, she cried, "No!" Taking a step forward as if… what? Was she really going to be able to stop Darth Vader from doing anything he wanted to do?
Vader looked over his shoulder, his lightsaber switching off. He said nothing but stalked away from Mara. He didn't leave the room, but Leia was worried she'd made him angry.
Mara ran at Vader, her saber high, and in an instant his was lit again, and met her blade with an electric sound. Then they were dueling again. Leia managed to keep quiet as Mara executed astounding leaps and twists to avoid Vader's blade. Vader himself moved slowly, but gave the impression of great strength, like a predator in no hurry as it stalked its prey.
But the end of the lesson Mara was panting, but she looked pleased. She bowed low to Vader, "Thank you, Lord Vader."
Vader waved off her thanks dismissively, "I am here because our master commands it."
Mara bowed again as Vader swept from the room. Leia felt she could relax now. Once he had left some of the warmth came back to the room.
Mara threw herself to the mats near Leia, grinning. "He wasn't going to kill me, you know that right?"
"I panicked." Leia admitted, a blush rising to her cheeks.
"I mean," Mara went on, "Darth Vader would love to kill me, but our Master would never allow it."
"So the emperor is Vader's master, too?"
Mara nodded, "Oh yeah. He's very powerful. I'm lucky he's willing to train me when he is on Imperial Center.
"Why not use blasters?" Leia asked, she'd been impressed by what she had seen, but couldn't help but think a ranged weapon was far easier and safer than laser swords.
Mara stared at her, "That would be weird, to see a Sith Lord use a blaster."
"What's a Sith?" Leia asked, confused.
Mara cringed, "I'm not supposed to talk about that."
Leia looked away, sorry she had made her new friend uncomfortable. "Did you say something about practice sabers? I want to try."
Mara fetched two sabers which glowed pure white, and, she assured Leia, would not cut or burn like live blades. Leia was stunned when she took hold of the blade, its vibrations made her arms shake.
Mara showed her how to grip the hilt of her blade, then took a few gentle swings, impacting with Leia's blade as she held it static.
Soon Leia's arms were tired. They stopped playing with the practice sabers, and Mara, who apparently had limitless energy, moved on the exercise equipment while Leia watched.
"You don't have much stamina, do you?" Mara commented lightly, "You need to get in shape."
Leia blushed again, "I want to. My parents on Alderaan preferred I maintain sedate, safe activities. I'm their only child."
"And the heir to the throne, right? Don't royal families usually have more than one kid?" Mara asked curiously.
"My mother the queen can't bear children. I was adopted into the house of Organa when I was a baby."
"Do you know who your real parents were?"
Leia flinched at the question, "My parents are my real parents. But no, I don't know who my biological parents were. And I don't care."
Mara smiled, "Then we have that in common."