Prologue: Life of a Princess

Aboard the Tantive IV, an exhausted 18-year old Leia sits at the command station awaiting her father's call. At such a young age, she has been put already through so much after Bail had convinced her to follow his footsteps in the world of politics. Day after day, Leia is finding herself in different planets trying to strengthen relations as she puts in her part in helping fuel the start of the Rebellion. While Leia has been proud of her work knowing that she's been making a difference, something felt rather unrewarding for her. Everyday she found herself in a different planet and there will always be creepy diplomats insinuating sexual favors from her and often giving her a hard time when she refuses to give them what they want. It has been a thankless but worthwhile job, and the only thing keeping her spirits high is her father's approval. Sighing in exhaustion, Leia sat back waiting for his call while she carressed her shoulder with her hands, her young smooth hands gently circulating over her white silk fabric. "Just a little more, just a little more..." Leia thought knowing that Bail would soon retire this year and she would replace his seat in the senate, from then on she wouldn't need to do anymore of these tiresome diplomatic missions.

A transmission then appeared and from the blue glowing figure formed as Bail Organa pulled down his hood. "Greetings Leia, I hope your negotiations with Admiral Ackbar have been fruitful?"

"Indeed father, the Mon Calamari have signed to keep their relations with Alderaan strong and will continue to support your efforts in the senate."

"Very good, you truly have bloomed to be quite the leader Leia. I have no doubts in my mind that you would become my true successor."

"Thank you father, I am excited too especially if that means no more off-planet missions. I mean the Mon Calamari were very welcoming sentients, but I just wished they served something less icky..." Leia said trying to joke with her father.

Bail chuckled and reminded her. "Not to worry Leia, all your hardwork will soon pay off. You'll be thankful I sent you on those missions, it always pays to have friends in politics. I will wait for your arrival home."

"Thank you father." Leia replied bowing her head as the transmission shut off. Sighing again, Leia reminded herself "It will all be worth it... won't it? I don't know?" The thoughts running in her head, she has known nothing but politics all her life. During her time in the academy, she's always passed with flying colors and was labeled a prodigy but even with all that praise Leia still hasn't felt any satisfaction in what she's been doing. This whole time her father Bail and mentor Mothma has said that her work is helping the rebellion and will save everyone from the Empire's aggression. However, Leia was growing impatient going around the galaxy for almost a year now but still nothing has come to fruition yet. Sometimes she'd even doubt the path she's chosen, never having made a friend that wasn't her father's nor being able to explore any other profession. Looking out at the stars, Leia knew there has to be more to life in the galaxy and she's just waiting for a chance to escape her life as a princess.

As she pondered these thoughts, it seemed as if her prayers were answered as the ship powered down and an alarm went off. Leia awakening to full alert trying to contact her men. "Captain! Captain! What's going on down there!"

A static noise responded back alongside continuous blaster fire but finally someone replied back. "Princess! We are under attack! Stay hidden princess!"

Panicking, Leia grabbed a blaster of her own and tried to follow orders. The sirens became louder and the shootout started to die down, Leia's heart started punding faster in fear and knew that she couldn't just stick around to be killed. Leia tried to open the hologram trying to send a beacon to her father but then the door opened and Leia opened fire, "Who the hell is after me? The Empire? Pirates?" but no matter how many times she's been able to aim and hit the armored man he just kept walking forward. It didn't matter however, she just needed to stall him for a few seconds for Bail to answer and send reinforcements. Sadly it was all too late, before Bail could even answer his daughter's call the armored man smashed the holotable.

"What do you want from me?" Leia screamed. Now up close, the masked figure was none other than the bounty hunter Boba Fett. While Leia did not know who he is, he knew quite well what he was. This isn't the first time Leia has had to deal with a hunter.

"You're a bounty hunter aren't you?" She asked with a tremble on her voice but her eyes keeping a more fierce facade. "What do you want? Credits? Gold? I have that in spades. Name your price, and we can both forget this ever happened."

Boba replied. "Unfortunately princess, ny price has already been paid and no offer you make will change my orders."

"So what? Are you going to kill me?"

"If that was the case, then I would have finished much sooner. Now are you going to do as I say, or will I have to do everything myself." Boba threatened as he pointed his blaster towards Leia. Still holding her blaster, Leia gave him back a stern look and new better than to shoot back, the Mandalorian armor clearly impervious to it and she threw it aside and raised her hands.

"Wise choice princess, now keep walking." Boba pointed, but as Leia slowly got up from her position she tried to fight back going straight for the blaster. The young princess being trained well by her father for a situation like this. While Boba struggled at first, he was able to overpower the princess and stun her with one shot. Boba looming over her unconscious body as he comments "Such spirit, I saw that coming a mile away but I didn't expect you to be that strong. The boss will be excited to meet you."

Bringing her to Slave 1, Boba handcuffed the sleeping princess and locked her in one of the ship's rooms knowing full well that Leia is more bothersome than any bounty he's ever been hired to capture. Deep in her mind, Leia entered a strange dream as she wakes up in the forests of Naboo as a cloaked woman waited for her there.

"Where am I?" Leia worried.

"That's not important Leia." said the cloaked woman as she stretched her arm towards her to pull her up. Staring back at the cloaked woman, Leia quickly knew who she was. "You... you're senator Padme Amidala! I've read and been told so much stories about you."

Given Leia's connection to the force, this was much more than a simple dream. Padme replying back as she looked towards her daughter "Bail has raised you well, but I have seen that maybe this isn't the life meant for you."

"I... I don't know senator Amidala. Long I have been told that this is my destiny, so I have done everything to live up to it. I don't know what else I'm meant to do." Leia replied.

"You have your father's spirit, but I have sensed something Leia. Everything is about to change, including your destiny and if you want to survive your willpower is all that will save you."

While Leia hasn't been told of her actual parents and lineage, Padme's appearance gave her an ominous chill as Padme hugged her. Padme showing her daughter some compassion, knowing the dangers and troubles her daughter is about to face; Leia feeling it too that the course of her life is about to change and took a deep sigh. Waking up from her dream, Leia looks over the cramp and dark room. "Oh right, I'm kidnapped." Trying to find out where she was, Leia peeked over the small window and saw that they were approaching the sandy planet of Tatooine.

Leia replying "I've got a bad feeling about this."