A/N: This chapter proved to be surprisingly difficult to write. I knew what I wanted to happen in this chapter, wrote it, and proceeded to delete and rewrite it about five times before changing gears entirely. So, this chapter revolves around November 6, 1860, which was election day. I did research on the election to make it more accurate and the newspaper headline mentioned in the chapter is an actual headline from the New York Herald on November 7, 1860.
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. If I did, I would have done things very differently. I do, however, own my OCs and I am rather protective of them. Also, I'm not American. I have done research but, if I have made any glaring errors in historical fact, please bear with me.
Warning: Since this story is based around the American Civil War, there will be mentions of slavery, violence, and death. There may also be some more mature themes in this story than in my other stories, but this story will never go above a T rating. If you find any of this overly distressing, then this story may not be for you. I am not trying to discourage anyone, but I want to be aware that some people are more sensitive to these themes.
Please leave a review if you like this story so far! Enjoy!
Chapter 2 – Calm Before the Storm
November 6, 1860
"Why haven't we heard anything yet? Surely we should have heard something by now!" Xyva declared, pacing the floor in the parlour. Eve looked up at Xyva and sighed before closing the novel she was reading. She clearly was not going to get any reading done with Xyva pacing about the rather small parlour. Taking off her spectacles, Eve set them on top of the novel and placed both on the small table next to the sofa.
"Xyva, will you come sit down? If you continue to pace, you are bound to wear a hole right through the rug!" Xyva turned and looked at Eve in surprise.
"How can I not pace? How are you not pacing? The fate of our nation rests on the events of today, and you are content to just sit there and read?!" Xyva continued her pacing, and Eve sighed again, shaking her head.
"I am not content to just sit and read, but what else can we do? It is not as though we are able to vote in the election ourselves. We have no choice but to sit and wait for the results to be announced." Xyva frowned. She hated it when Eve made sense.
"Well, those men had better elect Abraham Lincoln! He is the only logical choice!"
"That may be true, but we cannot know for certain whether he will win or not. His policies have angered many in the South—"
"Which is wrong!" Xyva cried, forming her right hand into a fist. "Slavery is a sin, and we all know it!"
"I am not disagreeing with you, Xyva, not at all. But many in the South do not see slavery as the sin that we abolitionists declare it to be. In fact, some see it as their livelihood and part of their culture. They view Lincoln's policies as a threat to their way of life, which means very few people in the South would even consider supporting him."
"But that shouldn't—they should—I mean—argh!" Xyva cried out in frustration and spun around to face the window. "I just feel so useless standing here, waiting for something to happen." Xyva seemed to deflate, and Eve watched her for a moment before standing up.
"All right then, get your things." Xyva turned in surprise to see Eve putting her cloak and bonnet on.
"Where are you going?" Xyva asked, and Eve smiled.
"If you don't want to sit here and wait for the results, why don't we take a trip to town? That way, you will find out the results as soon as they arrive."
Xyva didn't need to be asked twice. In mere moments she was yanking her cloak on and crushing her bonnet on her head. Eve smiled, shaking her head, before opening the door. Xyva ran past Eve, and it was only when she was halfway down the yard that she stopped and turned back to Eve, who was shutting the door to the house.
"What about Rey? Are we leaving her behind?"
"Rey is already gone. Mr. Calrissian stopped by over an hour ago to call on her and asked her to accompany him on a walk into town." Eve and Xyva smiled knowingly at each other.
"Really? Hmmm… I wonder when the wedding bells shall ring for Rey." Xyva said rather conspiratorially, and the two friends laughed before walking along the seaside road to the village.
"Well, it looks as though most of Outer Rim had the same idea as us." Eve surmised, glancing around the village square.
Most of the people who lived in and around Outer Rim had gone into the village to await the election results. Men were filing in and out of the church hall to cast their votes. Outer Rim was a very small community—much too small to be considered a town. The church hall was the largest building in Outer Rim and was, therefore, used for all the important events. As men left the church hall, they would join up with their families to share what was happening inside the hall and wait for the results. Eve and Xyva stood there for a few minutes, absorbing the excitement in the air around them before Eve started looking around. Xyva turned to Eve in surprise.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for a place to sit. If men are still voting in a place as small as Outer Rim, then it will surely be a very long wait ahead of us." Xyva was about to respond when another voice called out.
"Xyva, what a lovely surprise to see you out here waiting for me! Oh, and I see that you have dragged Eve along with you." Ben smirked, walking over to them. He reached to take Xyva's hand in his, and she yanked her hand back as though she had just touched a hot stove.
"Solo. What a horrendous surprise. What brings you here to ruin my day?" Xyva glared at him before turning away, clearly wanting to end the conversation. Ben, however, either didn't notice or didn't care because he walked around her, taking her hand in both of his as he answered her question.
"Well, I happened to be in the area, the voting and all, and when I saw you, I decided that I must come over and say hello or else your day would not be complete. I know how much you enjoy our repartee, so who am I to deny you such a pleasure?" Ben asked, and Xyva rolled her eyes, trying to reclaim her hand. This, however, proved to be a difficult task as Ben had no intention of letting her leave and was holding Xyva's hand in an iron-like grip. Eve, watching the two fighting over Xyva's hand, bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
"Well, I am afraid that you shall have to deny me the pleasure after all. Eve and I were just on our way to Tico's Tearoom, and I am sure that you would rather be most places than in a tearoom with ladies gossiping." Xyva tugged on her hand again but, to her shock, Ben did not let go. In fact, he took her hand and wound it around his arm.
"On the contrary, my dear Xyva. I would enjoy nothing more than a cup of tea and your sparkling company. Eve, you will not mind terribly if I borrow Miss Coral for some time?" Ben asked and Eve laughed, shaking her head.
"If you can actually get Xyva to sit down with you for tea, then she is yours for the afternoon." Eve smiled sweetly, and Xyva turned to her in horror.
"What? Eve Skywalker, I will never forget this betrayal! You have just handed your dearest friend, one who has been like a sister to you for years, over to the enemy, like a pig sent to the slaughterhouse!"
At this point, Eve was trying exceedingly hard not to burst out laughing at Xyva's theatrics. Ben turned to Xyva in surprise and had the good sense to look hurt.
"Why Xyva, you wound me. And you do yourself no favours either. I can assure you that you look and smell much finer than a pig."
Xyva stared at Ben in stunned silence, simply blinking at him. Ben used this moment to his advantage and practically dragged Xyva off with him to Tico's Tearoom. He called out a farewell to Eve, who waved back before hearing Xyva's indignant voice cry out, "YOU'RE COMPARING ME TO A PIG?"
At the sound of Xyva's shriek, Eve burst out laughing. Noticing the stares she was receiving from a rather tense crowd, she quickly tried to compose herself by placing a gloved hand against her mouth. Eve successfully managed to stop laughing, but her shoulders were still shaking a little when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Your friend and cousin certainly make a scene. I think they would rival the greatest comedic duos on the stage." Eve turned and smiled.
"Major Dameron! What a pleasure it is to see you today. Have you cast your ballot yet?" Poe smiled at her and took her hand in his, lifting it up and placing a light kiss on it. Despite her best efforts, Eve flushed at the action and hoped that her pink face could be explained by the cool temperatures of November.
"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Skywalker. I must confess that I was hoping to see you here when I noticed your sister speaking with Finn. Are you here awaiting the results of the election? I did just cast my ballot, but I fear it may take some time for them to be announced." Poe explained, letting go of Eve's hand, and Eve nodded.
"Yes, I am aware of the fact that it will take some time for the results to be announced, but it was either come to town or watch Xyva wear a hole into the rug at home. So, I chose the option that would save the rug." Eve replied with a slight shrug to the shoulders, and Poe chuckled.
"I do not know Miss Coral all that well but given her, shall we say, fiery personality, I can well imagine the scene you have just described, and I am sure that Mrs. Skywalker would be quite relieved to not have to replace a rug before the day is out." Eve laughed, nodding.
"Indeed. Dear Mama is not a penny-pincher, but she would much prefer to spend our funds on items such as food and clothing rather than replacement rugs!"
"Miss Skywalker, there is not much use waiting about the village square for news that will surely not arrive in the near future. Would it be too forward of me to ask you to accompany me to the tearoom for some refreshments and then out for a walk to pass the time?" Poe asked somewhat nervously, and Eve bit her lip lightly.
"Major Dameron, that is an incredibly generous request, but do you truly wish to spend your afternoon in my company?" Eve asked, glancing away.
If it had been any other woman, Poe Dameron might have been inclined to believe that the lady was being coy or searching for an easy compliment. But this was not any other woman – this was Eve Skywalker, a woman who had been overlooked for most of her life and clearly hurt in the past. So, when Poe took Eve's hand in his again, drawing her gaze back up to his, he spoke with complete sincerity.
"Miss Skywalker, believe me when I say that there is nowhere that I would rather be."
"Why look who decided to stop by my humble tearoom for a visit! The happiest couple in all of Outer Rim!" Rose Tico cheered, greeting her new customers. Ben let out a guffaw as he sat down at their table by the window, but Xyva was not in good humour.
"Rose Tico, you bite your tongue. You know very well that I would never willingly be seen in public with this… this… this scoundrel!" Xyva hissed, flopping down in the chair across from Ben in annoyance. Ben looked at Xyva with a look of feigned shock plastered across his face.
"Xyva, my dear, your sharp tongue sometimes cuts me to the quick… but I take that last comment as a compliment. My mother used to call my father a scoundrel and look how well they turned out!"
"It figures that would be hereditary. Only a Solo could take an insult and twist it around into a compliment."
"And only a Coral can take a compliment and twist it around into an insult." He smirked, grabbing her hand in his death-grip, and dragging it across the table to plant a kiss on the back of it. Xyva huffed at him in annoyance, yanking her hand back. She then crossed her arms across her chest and turned to look around the room, purposely ignoring all attempts Ben made at conversation.
Rose shook her head, trying not to laugh at the antics of the two as she served them each tea with a slice of cake. Xyva made a great show of thanking Rose for the refreshments while ignoring Ben. Ben made a show of the fact that he was paying for the tea, so Xyva was technically indebted to him. Rose decided it was best to escape before there was any bloodshed and was quite relieved to hear the bright ring of the bell alert her to new customers.
"Eve… and Major Dameron! What a lovely surprise. What brings you to my tearoom on this exciting day?" Rose tried to hide her surprise as she tossed a knowing look in Eve's direction. Eve gave her a pointed look, and Poe, seemingly oblivious to the wordless exchange between the two women, just smiled.
"Miss Skywalker and I were hoping that we would be able to have some tea and cake while waiting for news of the election." Poe explained, and Rose nodded, looking around the room, trying to determine which table would be the best for them.
She quickly decided on the table by the window in the corner of the room. Not only was it more private, but it was also far enough from the chaos of Xyva and Ben that it was unlikely that they would be greatly disturbed. Rose assumed from the looks on their faces that both Eve and Poe were hoping to discuss some important matters, so she figured that they would appreciate being as far from the disaster area as possible. She quickly seated them and served them their refreshments so that she could leave them be and focus her attention on the other customers. After all, Rose was fairly certain that if Ben Solo and Xyva Coral were left unattended for too long, something would either be broken or set on fire.
"There you are!" Rey smiled as she stood from the bench she had been perched on outside the church hall. Finn Calrissian smiled widely at her, holding out his arm for her to take. Rey looped her arm around his without hesitation, and the two walked away from the crowded village square.
"Thank you for waiting for me to do that, Miss Skywalker."
"Oh, it was no trouble at all! I did not mind the wait. In fact, I got to enjoy a rather unique activity while I was waiting for you… people watching!"
"What exactly does 'people watching' entail?" Finn looked both a little confused and intrigued.
"Oh, it's rather simple, really. You sit quietly and observe the people around you, and then you make up stories based on what you see. For instance, I saw Ben and Xyva fighting, which is rather usual, but it looked as though they were playing tug-of-war over her hand. So, I have decided that Ben was probably purposely vexing Xyva just to get a rise out of her." Rey laughed, and Finn chuckled.
"It seems as though your cousin has made it his lot in life to vex Miss Coral as much as humanly possible… But I see what you mean. Sometimes you learn a lot about someone by just observing them. Take your sister, for instance – she is every bit the proper lady, but it feels as though there is more to her than a simple spinster. There is a look in her eyes that seems almost…sad." Finn trailed off, and Rey frowned.
"Clearly, you are very good at people watching, Mr. Calrissian. You have noticed more about my sister on the few occasions that you have seen her than most people in Outer Rim who have known Eve her whole life. Eve was not always the way she is today. Something happened to her several years ago, and you have probably heard some version from the strains of gossip that are constantly spreading. Eve is rather private and prefers to ignore the subject altogether. In fact, she does such a good job ignoring the subject that it is easy to imagine that Eve is perfectly fine… until you see the look in her eyes when she thinks no one is watching." Rey spoke carefully. She knew that Eve wanted to keep the story private and was unsure of whether Eve would make an exception for Finn. Finn, noticing Rey's hesitation, decided not to pry.
"I would not say that I am necessarily good at people watching, but I have learned to observe. People can lie with words, but their actions almost always tell the truth." Finn explained, looking down, and Rey frowned.
"You say that as though you speak from experience," Rey muttered, and Finn let out a dry laugh.
"Well, that would be because I do, Miss Skywalker. I learned from a young age to not trust the words of others because it is so easy for someone to lie."
"I don't understand… the Damerons seem like such honest and kind people." Rey pondered, her brow furrowing, and Finn quickly shook his head.
"It is not the Damerons I speak of… I speak of the man who once owned me."
Although his last sentence was uttered in a tone that was barely above a whisper, Rey froze like it had been shouted from the highest roof in Outer Rim. Rey stared at him in shock, trying to figure out what to say but unable to utter a single word. Finn, noticing her shock and discomfort, quickly shook his head and turned to face her.
"Miss Skywalker, I apologize. I should not have said that in front of you – it was rather thoughtless of me." At his words, Rey's eyes widened, and she gave him a look that was rather reminiscent of a doe alerted to danger nearby.
"Mr. Calrissian, you need never apologize for what you just said. It is I who should be apologizing for my thoughtlessness. I am afraid that you simply caught me by surprise. Perhaps I should not have been so shocked, but it never occurred to me that you could have possibly been a… a-"
"A slave? Yes, I suppose not many would think that looking at me now, but I most certainly was a slave as a child."
Finn once again offered his arm to Rey, which she took without hesitation, and the two continued their walk back to Ahch-to Manor. It was silent for a few moments as Rey tried to figure out how to respond. She opened her mouth several times, quickly closing it when she realized she had nothing to say. Finally, she decided to speak and blurted out:
"Could you tell me about it?" Finn turned to her in surprise, and immediately her face flushed as she pulled back. "Oh, well, what I wanted to— what I really mean is— you don't have to, of course! I would not blame you if you walked away at this moment…" Rey spluttered before looking down in embarrassment. She bit her lower lip, inwardly berating herself for being so thoughtless. Rey started to walk away, certain that her companion would surely no longer desire her company, when she heard him reply.
"It is all right, Miss Skywalker. It is simply that I was not expecting the question. I do not mind telling you if you truly want to know, as long as you keep much of what I tell you to yourself." Rey nodded, no longer trusting in her ability to speak without making a fool of herself. Finn took a deep, slightly shaky breath before launching into his story.
"I suppose that my story begins in Georgia in a very small town called Jakku. It's nothing of much consequence, and the only thing that it is known for is the plantations. I was born into slavery – my parents were slaves at the First Order plantation. I also had a younger sister… I was two years old when she was born, and I loved her dearly. My mother and father were very loving to my sister and me, but they were always trying to think of ways to escape. My father had once escaped and gained his freedom, but he was recaptured before he made it far enough north. My life was not terrible for the first few years, but then the master, an old man named Snoke, decided that I was old enough to work in the fields. It was brutal work, and I remember being constantly yelled at to hurry up. They once tried to beat me, but my father took the beating in my place. I still feel guilty that he once took the punishment that was meant for me.
"But I could only avoid punishment for so long. One day I dropped a basket of cotton, and the cotton was declared ruined. I was beaten for my clumsiness, and the pain is like nothing you could imagine. It was after that day that my parents decided to put their escape plan into action. Carrying me and my sister, they managed to sneak out of the plantation and make it down to the river before we were caught. Someone had turned us in, but I never found out who. Anyways, Snoke decided that it was too dangerous keeping my family together so, after beating us for trying to escape, he sold us off one by one to different buyers before we could escape again. I was six years old at that time. It was at that auction that I met the Damerons, and they bought me to give me my freedom. They tried to buy my sister as well, but someone else outbid them. Although I was free, I had nothing to return to, so that is why I stayed with the Damerons and became their ward."
Rey blinked rapidly, trying to blink back the tears that had sprung to her eyes while listening to his story.
"I had no idea… they beat children too?" Rey asked in horror, her voice barely above a whisper. Finn shrugged.
"Our age did not matter. If we could work, we could be punished."
"But what about your parents and your sister? Can you really not find them? Surely if you know your last name…" Rey trailed off, and Finn shook his head.
"Calrissian, unfortunately, is a common name amongst freed slaves. My father had taken that name when he won his freedom the first time but, if he had ever managed to escape again, he may have changed his name so that it would be harder to track him down. For all I know, he may have been dead for years. I do not remember the names of my parents because to me, they were always 'Father' and 'Mother.' I remember my sister's name, but her new owners could have changed that as well. Poe tried to help me find them for several years, to no avail. I am afraid, Miss Skywalker, that if I tried once again to search for them that I would not know where to start."
It was silent for a few minutes as they walked up the path to Ahch-To Manor. When they got to the doorstep, Rey turned to Finn.
"I would like to thank you for telling me your story. I am certain that it must have been quite difficult for you to tell, but I appreciate it greatly. It has given me a better understanding of what I believe in and has made me even more certain that things must change." Finn smiled at Rey's determination.
"I suppose we will just have to wait and see." Finn kissed her hand and turned to leave when Rey took a step forward.
"Mr. Calrissian, would you care to come inside and have some tea? I realize that the tea at Ahch-To Manor is not of the same quality as that at Tico's Tearoom…" Rey trailed off, once again wondering if she had said the right thing or not. Finn smiled, putting her worries to rest.
"That is very kind of you, Miss Skywalker, but I fear that you may grow tired of my company." He said with an eyebrow raised, and Rey's eyes widened.
"Oh no! I could never grow tired of your company!" Finn looked at Rey in surprise, and she stared at him silently, a red stain appearing across her cheeks as she realized how her words came across. "Oh… well, what I meant- no- mean to say is that I greatly enjoy your company, but I understand that you could have somewhere else that you need to be, so please do not feel obliged-"
"If you are certain that you shall not grow tired of me, then I will gladly accept your very kind invitation." Finn smiled, taking off his hat as he followed Rey into the house.
The house was mainly empty with the exception of the parlour where Rey discovered, to her slight embarrassment, that her parents, Aunt Leia, and Uncle Han were all having tea. Rey turned to Finn, a sheepish expression on her face.
"You need not stay now that the cavalry is here." Rey whispered, but Finn shook his head and extended his arm to her with a smile on his face.
"If the cavalry is waiting for you, then why don't we face it together?" Rey looked up at him in surprise before a smile burst across her face, and she looped her arm into his.
"Thank you." She said quietly as they walked into the room.
"Any time." Came the equally quiet reply.
"Thank you, Major Dameron. This was very kind of you." Eve smiled, taking a sip of her tea. Poe smiled back before wincing slightly at Xyva's shriek from the other side of the tearoom. Eve bit her lip and looked down. A moment later, the door slammed as Xyva stormed out, and Ben hurried after her. Eve looked up at Poe to apologize for the spectacle her friend had made but, when she caught his gaze, she saw that his eyes were sparkling with mirth. A laugh bubbled up in her chest, and soon both were chuckling.
"Miss Coral is certainly spirited." Poe observed, and Eve nodded.
"Yes, unfortunately. I remember when a man arrived in Outer Rim, assuming he could win Xyva's hand in marriage…" Eve trailed off, and Poe raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Oh? What happened to that unlucky lad?" Eve, who had been about to take a sip of tea, paused and put her teacup back on the saucer as she thought about the fate of that specific suitor.
"I believe that the last we heard from him was that he was somewhere in Europe." Poe laughed.
"You mean she chased him out of the country?" He asked and Eve looked at him conspiratorially.
"She all but packed his bags and bought him a one-way ticket! Xyva has had many suitors, but none have lasted very long."
"And what about you, Miss Skywalker? Surely you have had your share of beaus." Eve paused, and Poe noticed her features tighten as a shadow passed across her face. A moment later, it was gone, and she was back to her reserved self. In fact, had he not been watching her, he would have missed the change in expression entirely.
"No, Major Dameron. I have not had many beaus at all. Just one but he… it… was not meant to be." Eve looked away, but Poe reached across the table and gently took her hand in his.
"Miss Skywalker, the night that we first met… I believe that you are aware that I heard the rumours being spun about you. When I heard those two fools snubbing you because of a rumour, I decided to ask you to dance. My intentions may have initially been to prove them wrong, but I want you to know that I greatly enjoy your company, and I request to spend time with you because I wish it, not because I feel an obligation to do so."
"Thank you, Major Dameron, that is very kind of you… But there is some truth to the rumours. I know that I should tell you, but I am loathed to in case you lose your good opinion of me." Eve said, lowering her voice so that there was no chance anyone could have overheard what she was saying. Poe smiled.
"I believe it is quite impossible for you to lose my good opinion, Miss Skywalker, but I will not pry. If you ever desire to tell me of the past, I shall listen. If not, then so shall it be. I believe that we all have trials in our pasts and things we would prefer to keep secret." Before Eve could reply, Rose appeared by their side.
"Would either of you like anything else?" Rose asked cheerfully, and Poe let go of Eve's hand. He turned to Eve, who shook her head, before looking back at Rose.
"I believe this will be all, Miss Tico. How much do I owe you?" Out of the corner of his eye, Poe noticed that Eve was pulling out her change purse. "Oh no, Miss Skywalker, I insist. I invited you to join me, so do not even think of paying a single penny." Poe quickly gave Rose the correct change, and Rose gave Eve an amused yet pointed look. Eve glared at Rose before remembering something and pulling three letters tied together out of the pocket of her cloak.
"Oh, Rose, I forgot to give this to you earlier. Amaya asked me to bring you your mail to save you time." Rose took the letters from Eve.
"Thank you, Eve, and how is Amaya?"
"She is well. The babe has started quickening, so Gial has begun fussing over her like a mother hen." Rose chuckled at the image in her mind and then waved goodbye to Eve and Poe as they left the tearoom.
Rose cleared off the table and quickly glanced around the tearoom to make sure that everyone else was taken care of before she sat down at her counter. She picked up the letters to see who they were from. The first two were not of much importance, but it was the third letter that caught her attention. She quickly broke the wax seal and started to read the contents.
My Dear Miss Tico,
I hope that this letter finds you in good health. I greatly enjoyed receiving your last letter, and I must apologize for not writing back sooner. Much has been happening here in Virginia, as I am sure must be happening in Massachusetts as well. Tensions have been running high as we get nearer and nearer to the election. I understand that Abraham Lincoln is a favourite in the North, but he is most certainly not a favourite here in the South. There are rumours that his name will not be allowed on any ballot below the Mason-Dixon line. Anyways, enough about politics. What is the weather like in Massachusetts? Everyone says that it should snow here very soon, and I believe them. You can feel the chill in the air. I hope that you can one day come and see the beauty of this state for yourself. Furthermore, my mother continues to demand to meet the mysterious Miss Tico that I insist on writing to, so it has been decided that you must come to Virginia at some point….
As Rose continued to read the letter, a wide smile spread across her face. When she got to the end, she gently traced a finger over the name, committing the shape of the letters to memory. Then, she set down the letter to retrieve writing materials to write a reply… after she cared for the customers that had just walked through the door.
November 7, 1860
"So, Abraham Lincoln won…" Leia smiled triumphantly from her seat at the kitchen table, and Alaina smiled, placing a cup of tea in front of her sister-in-law.
"Indeed. We have heard little else since Xyva found out."
Alaina poured a cup of coffee and walked over to Luke, who was reading the newspaper. The first column on the front page read in large, bold letters THE RESULT, END OF THE GREAT NATIONAL CONTEST. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, OF ILLINOIS, ELECTED PRESIDENT, AND HANNIBAL HAMLIN, OF MAINE, VICE PRESIDENT, OF THE UNITED STATES. Alaina placed a hand on Luke's shoulder as she set the cup down in front of him on the table. Luke set down the newspaper and smiled up at Alaina, taking the hand on his shoulder in one of his and placing a kiss on the back of it. She smiled back at him, squeezing his hand before letting go and moving to pour herself a cup of tea. Luke took a sip of his coffee and grinned.
"Perfect as always, my dear." He declared, and she laughed, sitting down at her place at the kitchen table.
"Well, I would certainly hope so! I have, after all, had twenty-eight years to perfect it."
Luke and Alaina smiled at each other, seemingly forgetting that Leia was still in the kitchen with them. Leia, determined to not be ignored, huffed indignantly.
"So, what do you think of the results?" Leia asked louder than necessary to Luke, determined to get the conversation back on track. Luke and Alaina gave each other a knowing look before they turned to answer his sister's question.
"I certainly think that it is a good thing." Alaina commented, taking a sip of her tea. Leia nodded, pleased that her sister-in-law agreed with her. Leia turned to Luke, expecting a similar response, but found that her brother had a frown on his face.
"What is this frown on your face? Do you not think it good that Abraham Lincoln has won and will set this county to rights?" Luke sighed.
"It is not that I am upset with the results of the election – not at all. Abraham Lincoln is what this country needs… but he is not who many wanted. This country was divided into two distinct sections during this election: the North in favour of Lincoln and the South opposed to Lincoln. When I was in the Capital, I heard many threats about a potential secession if Lincoln won the election. I fear we may yet see those come to pass."
It was silent in the kitchen for a moment as all three thought about the potential dangers to come. Then Leia, deciding that the atmosphere had gotten far too gloomy, clapped her hands together.
"Well, enough of that! There is no need worrying about something that may not even happen! Now, Ben has given me a challenge. I was telling him just the other day that he really needs to get married and settle down. It is not right for a man of nearly thirty years to be completely unattached! Ben informed me that if I found a suitable woman for him, he might consider it, so I am determined to do just that!"
"Leia, I don't believe that Ben was truly serious when he suggested—" Alaina started, but Leia interrupted her with a wave of the hand.
"Now, who would be good for Ben? It's a shame that Eve is his cousin, but maybe Rose Tico—"
"Leia!" Luke cut her off before she could even finish that train of thought. "Perhaps it would do Ben more good if you refrain from meddling in his affairs. He is a grown man; surely he can pluck up the courage to court a woman." Leia huffed but, before she could reply, Xyva burst into the kitchen from the back door.
"Ben Solo has to be the most aggravating and INFURIATING MAN I have ever had the misfortune to know!" And with that declaration, Xyva stormed through the kitchen to the rest of the house, slamming the door behind her for effect. Luke and Alaina shared an amused glance at the regular occurrence in their home, but that shared glance changed to one of concern when they noticed Leia's eyes light up.
"Well, why didn't I think of that before? With her fire and determination, she would be perfect—"
"Leia…" Luke cautioned.
"Perhaps we should just let nature run its course." Alaina suggested, trying to diffuse the tension between the siblings. Leia narrowed her eyes at her brother before sighing.
"Fine." She picked up her cup of tea and Luke, and Alaina assumed that the subject was dropped. But, as Leia lifted the cup to her lips, she muttered, "But I don't see the harm in giving nature a little push."