Motives

Chapter 38

Ryell Square, New Alderaan

Valwyn K'ntarr had noticed Han Solo as soon as he had entered the market square. Val had come unannounced, as he often did, to visit Leia Organa. Her rebuttal of his advances had remained consistent and rumors of the rekindling of the President of Corellia and her relationship was all over the holonet.

He had accepted that he did not have a chance with her, yet, he found himself continually and increasingly drawn to her. And something inside of him twisted at the thought of seeing Leia's face light up at the sight of her erstwhile lover. Of seeing the sparkle return to her deep brown eyes in a way that he had never been able to manage.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" He asked, deftly turning her away from the approaching President.

"A time or two," she politely responded, looking over the stage that they were standing by. "But thank you, it's still nice to hear."

There was a chill in the air. It was late summer and an early cool front had caught the residents of New Alderaan by surprise. Leia was wearing a long, sleeveless tunic that reached her mid-thigh with slim fit pants that barely reached her ankles. Her shoes were simple, with an almost non-existent heel. As a slight breeze whipped through the courtyard, she shivered and ran her hands across her biceps.

Val put his arm around her and drew her to him. "It's early for such a chill," he said. "We may be in for a long winter."

"You may be right," she replied, hardly leaning into his embrace but surprisingly allowing it.

Val longed to glance back to see where the President could be. There was no doubt that he had seen them and should've caught up to them by now. Perhaps he had taken Val's bait and left in a jealous heat. The thought pleased Val. He was not usually the vindictive type, but it seemed to him that he had lost the fight over Leia without the President trying much at all and Leia was the type of woman that deserved to be sought after and fought over.

"The city centre has come along beautifully," Val supplied as they approached a large, decorative fountain. "And Ryell Square. What a tribute!"

"It is and yes" she agreed. "I'm glad you approve."

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, turning toward her and surreptitiously glancing about the faces in the crowd.

The President was still across the square, he had apparently been recognized and held up by a small crowd. Valwyn's time with Leia always felt fleeting, but now - it was as if he could see the final sands of the hour glass falling one by one in very slow motion.

"Our paths, it seems, will forever be entwined. Will they not?" he asked as he took his hand and cupped Leia's cheek, feeling her skin. It was cool and soft.

"Val," she started and he recognized the beginning of her usual rebuttal.

"You made a promise to me once," he said. "That you would consider me, if nothing were to come between you and the President."

"Yes," she replied, shaking her head. "But-"

"It's been over a year since his wife died," Val interrupted her. And then he took her left hand in his and while rubbing his thumb across her ring finger, he asked, "Isn't it a custom in both Alderaan and Corellia to place a ring upon the finger of your intended?"

He watched the color rise on her cheeks. "Val," she said, shaking her head.

"I know," he replied, sadly considering the perks and pitfalls of being a chivalrous man. But, although he may be many things, he wasn't, couldn't be a complete heel. Not to Leia. Not even to the President, whom he held a healthy respect for. It felt good to toy with the idea for just a few moments, though. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the naked spot on her finger. If he was any judge, it would not be naked much longer.

"I believe," he said, dropping her hand down but still holding it in his. "I believe that there is someone here to see you." And then he turned his body and Leia along with him so that she could see Han Solo in the distance.

"Oh," she said, and a beautiful color came to her cheeks.

She moved to go to him, but Val held her hand. "If you have any feelings for me whatsoever, you'll allow me this," he said, his tone soft and pleading. "Let him come to you. Do not make me endure the sight of you running into his arms."

She sighed, extricating her hand from within his, but it seemed as if she was inclined to comply with his request because she stood there next to him waiting.

Han had patiently answered several questions to a few curious Alderaanians, but as soon as he saw Val bring Leia's hand up to his lips, he had made his apologies and gently pushed his way through the crowd, heading across the square.

The two of them had exchanged a few words, Han had seen that and Leia had finally noticed him - but she was not heading his way. Han was not sure what this meant but he didn't like it. He didn't like the way the two of them stood there shoulder to shoulder as if in a united front to his approach.

He slowed his stride, thinking back to everything that he and Leia had been through since the Battle of Coruscant and even prior to that. His words to Eliza from earlier repeated through his mind, how much he wanted a private moment between them so that they could plan their future together. Eliza's disbelieving, and probably disapproving, "pfft" also came back to his mind. Had anything ever worked for the two of them the way it was planned to or supposed to? He shook his head in the negative.

Leia was well known on the planet, of course, and wherever she was standing people naturally seemed to afford her the proper distance and space. Han, as he walked towards her with his special forces agents in his wake, created his own social void around him. The people in the square seemed to sense that something was happening. Devotees of Princess Leia had followed her gaze and were watching Han as he approached. Citizens who had recognized the President of Corellia were satisfying their curiosity as to where he might be going next. And all others who had heard or seen anything about the rumors between the two, stood around and elbowed for the best view to watch what was happening between the galaxy's most star-crossed lovers.

The energetic quartet on the bandstand seemed to be putting the scene to music, the notes and vocals rising and falling in perfect crescendos. The night truly turning dark now, the strings of twinkle lights flickered on and lit the square in a romantic hue. Behind Han, the newly completed fountain turned on, it's water shooting into the air and dancing to the music. Han stopped. Leia was only a few steps away now and the enormity of the moment made it feel as though Chewbacca had crawled up his back and was standing on his shoulders.

This was exactly what he had not wanted. Yet the ring inside of his breast pocket seemed to vibrate with encouragement and burn with expectation. And he had wasted too much time already, he decided, to throw away even a slither of an opportunity to let Leia know that he wanted her for the rest of his life. He heard the sound of a barking dog and then suddenly felt a wet nose at his hand, nudging and licking for attention.

"Dancer?" Han asked, coming out of the fog of his internal thoughts. He looked over and saw Eliza standing several paces away. Looking around once again at the tableau that he found himself somehow in the center of, he gave his daughter a plaintive look.

Eliza smiled at him sympathetically but then nodded her head vigorously in encouragement.

Han nodded back to her and then turned back to Leia. He heard Eliza whistle to Dancer, who left Han's hand and lumbered back towards his owner. He then walked the last few steps to stand in front of Valwyn and Leia.

"President Solo," Valwyn greeted him.

"Valwyn," Han replied.

The two men shook hands and then Val pulled Han towards him to clap him on the back in a friendly hug. "Take good care of her."

Han pulled out of the hug and nodded at Valwyn who then took his leave from the couple.

"Princess," Han said, smiling crookedly.

"Scoundrel," she whispered, smiling back at him.

And then he lowered himself to one knee while he pulled the tiny ring out of his breast pocket. There was a collective gasp from their audience and he watched as Leia's eyes swept across the square and then looked back down at Han.

"Princess Leia of Alderaan," Han began, his voice serious now. "Last remaining member of the Royal House of Organa." He had researched what he was supposed to say. "Will you do me the honor of uniting our houses," and then he took her hand, "our families, our bodies, our hearts and our minds? United in spirit for as long as eternity lasts?"

Leia had begun nodding her head in the affirmative as soon as he had started speaking, which had encouraged him and made it easier for him to get through that part of the proposal. But when he held the ring out to place on her finger, he smiled and his voice reverted back to his perpetual teasing when he asked, "Is that a yes, sweetheart?"

"Yes," she whispered and Han slid the ring onto her finger to the sound of thunderous applause.

A/N: So, as usual, I'm an absolute sucker for deliriously happy endings. Hope you enjoyed! There may be an Epilogue, but I still have to write it. :-)

Until then:

THE END