Luke Skywalker watched silently as C-3PO told the story of him and his friend's escape of the empire to the dozens of Ewoks crowed around with eager ears. The fire that was used to light the small hut, reflected off of the protocol droid's golden body adding a strange sort of fantasy to the story. To the Ewoks it was just that, a fantasy. But Luke had lived through it, and the sounds that C-3PO imitated brought a feeling of dread to him. It made a good story, but it had truly been a hardship to him, his good friend, Han Solo, and his sister.
He looked over to where Leia was leaning against the smuggler's shoulder. She didn't know the truth of their parentage, but Luke had wanted to tell her. He thought if it was him, he would most definitely want to know that he had a sister who was someone he had already come to know as a friend. He studied the smile on her face as she sat among the small furry creatures that were hugging her and Han's legs as they listened. He knew then that he couldn't tell her. He wanted her to be happy without trying to push away the burden that Luke carried alone. There would have been no happiness left in it anyway. Their mother had died when they were born, and his father was now a Sith lord who had tried to kill him in his mad grasp for power.
He had let his thoughts travel too far, and before he knew it the story that he had intended to distract him, was over. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, and tried desperately to listen to what was happening around him. The Ewoks were whispering amongst each other in the foreign language that no one but C-3PO seemed to understand. Silence fell over Luke and his friends. Even Chewbacca, who had growled his comments throughout the telling, was nervously backing up in the little space he had.
"What's going on?" Han had spoken to Leia startling Luke slightly. Han acted as if it was his job to break any silence he may come across highlighting his smug, cocky attitude.
"I don't know." Leia responded her eyes darting around the room. Luke didn't quite know what was going on either, but he had no warnings from the force. It seemed calm and moved lightly over everything. Very different from the heavy presence of evil surrounding the ship Vader and the Emperor had occupied. It seemed to weigh him down making every swing of his saber difficult. The calm was nice and he smiled in it as the Ewoks stopped their whispering when the chief Ewok shook his staff making the small bones hanging from it hit each other demanding every one's attention. He said a single word to an Ewok who started playing the drum he was waiting beside. The Ewok waited a few beats then made an announcement that Threepio was quick to translate.
"Wonderful! We are now part of the tribe." The droid said happily. A loud cheering broke among the bear-like creatures and drums played loudly. It made Luke's heart race and he felt hot as the warm bodies swarmed around him. He quickly tried to get outside knowing it would help. He hadn't meant to wander, but his feet betrayed him. He walked along an empty bridge that was barely far enough to drown out the clatter behind him. He tried to use the Force to calm his mind, but he couldn't seem to turn his thoughts over as he always did.
"What's wrong?" This time the sudden speaking didn't startle him because he had felt that Leia had followed him. His heart felt heavy and tears formed in his eyes.
"Luke what's wrong?" She asked again when he had not responded. He thought for a second he might fall to the ground and release the horrible knowledge of their family on his sister. As quickly as the feeling came it was gone in the peaceful sense he had come to know so well. A different presence however seemed to hover around him and even Leia. It was the Force, Luke could tell that much, but it seemed to be pulling them together as if it was trying to say something. An invisible movement wiped the tears from his eyes and for once he felt like he could tell Leia the truth. It felt right now and the Force urged him on. He swiftly turned around.
"Leia, do you remember your mother?" He questioned. He remembered quickly that Leia had been adopted into the Organa family and might be confused that he would ask if she knew the mother she grew up to love. "Your real one." He added. Luke knew that Leia knew she was adopted even though the Organa's never told her who her real parents were. He sat down on the rail of the bridge, which was surprisingly sturdy, inviting her to talk. She shrugged like it was a simple question, but Luke could feel she was uncomfortable.
"Just a little bit." She told him. "She died when I was very young." Leia sat down across from Luke on the railing.
"What do you remember?" Luke asked almost excitedly. She hesitated, trying to think about it.
"Just images really. Feelings." She corrected herself.
"Tell me." He encouraged. Leia's discomfort turned into sweet remembering as she thought about their mother.
"She was very beautiful," Leia said wistfully. "Kind, and sad." Luke knew that this was true, but he had not remembered it as she had. Thinking back now Luke could remember love mixed with the horrible sadness his sister had mentioned. He heard cries that were not his own, and weakness crept into the air like a snake making the room seemed haunted. He noticed Leia made no mention of the weakness that was overpowering the poor woman's wanting for her children. Had she even felt it as strongly as Luke had?
"Why are you asking me this?" Leia's voice was not angry, but instead was curious and worried. Luke decided this was the secret he would keep from her. He didn't want to remember it either and had pushed it away whenever he had felt it. He would keep the secret of the weakness Luke knew had killed their mother.
"I have no memory of my mother." Luke said to her, making his decision final. "I never knew." He said, studying the empty space in front of him.
"Luke, tell me what's troubling you." Leia said sweetly. Luke knew that he would have to tell her about their father as well.
"Vader is here now." Luke told her. "On this moon." Leia looked puzzled.
"How do you know?" She asked him. Luke didn't know how to explain it without having to explain the Force to her also.
"I felt his presence." Luke said to her. "He's come for me. He can feel when I'm here. That's why I have to go." The idea of leaving by himself to fight his father scared him, but it was, he knew, something he had to do. "As long as I'm here I'm endangering the group and our mission here. I have to face him." He voiced his fears hoping Leia would not do it herself and convince him to stay.
"Why?" Leia asked him almost desperately. This was the time to tell her. The time Luke tried to avoid in vain. Leia sat patiently waiting for him to answer.
"He's my father." He explained. Luke could almost see her head spinning and he felt a small sense of sympathy.
"Your father." She repeated unbelievably. Even though telling her that Vader was his father was hard, telling her he was hers as well would be extremely difficult.
"There's more." Luke said quickly, not letting her say more. " It won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must." He tried to convince himself as he said it. "If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the alliance."
"Luke, don't talk that way." Leia interrupted sternly. "You have a power I don't understand and could never have." She stuttered. Luke shook his head slightly.
"You're wrong, Leia." Luke said trying to make her understand. " You have that power too." As soon as he said it, he knew it was true. Leia was strong in the Force she just needed to learn the ways of it. "In time, you'll learn to use it as I have." She didn't respond leaving Luke the opportunity he needed. "The Force is strong in my family. My father had it. I have it. And," He hesitated and looked up at Leia. "My sister has it." Luke looked into her eyes willing her know it was true and hoped it would work. Leia looked as if she already knew what Luke was going to say next. "Yes, it's you, Leia" He confirmed. Her eyes were showing her mind putting pieces together maybe even trying to find a way it wasn't true.
"I know." She said surprising Luke more than she had been surprised herself. "Somehow I've always known."
"Then you know why I have to face him." Luke said hoping she would understand. Leia stood up quickly.
"No! Luke, run away, far away." She protested. "If he can feel your presence, than leave this place." Then more quietly she added, "I wish I could go with you." Luke stood up now so he could stand taller than her.
"No you don't." He said trying to reason with her. "You've always been strong." She knew she wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. Suddenly Luke heard a high-pitched beeping from behind Leia. R2-D2 was rolling up shakily across the bridge. "Artoo, what have we told you about eavesdropping?" Luke laughed. The little droid stopped rolling and wiggled side to side while beeping urgently.
"We can't understand you." Leia explained to him. "Go get Threepio." The R2 unit rolled closer and projected a hologram of a strange man in front of Luke and Leia. He had dark shoulder length hair and clothes that resembled Ben Kenobi's but black instead of white. Next to him was a tall man with short hair and a small beard. He wore a long robe that fell down to his feet. Leia pointed at him. "That's my father!" She exclaimed then caught herself. "Bail Organa."
"Who's next to him?" Luke asked her. She shook her head with her eyes still glued to her adopted father.
"I don't know." Leia answered. R2-D2 whistled the name, but neither of them could understand.
"Excuse me." The first man said. The footage continued with Artoo rolling along, but soon he turned around and followed the man that had left Bail Organa. He was hugging a woman who was hiding behind a pillar not wanting to be seen.
"Oh, Anakin." She said relieved. Anakin That was the name of Luke's father.
"I'm happy to see you, Y/N" Anakin replied. Leia nudged Luke.
"That's our mother." Leia said, shocked. Luke looked at Leia sadly.
"That's our father." He replied referring to the man that held Y/N close to him. They continued watching as Y/N spoke again.
"There were whispers that you had been killed." She said in a small voice. Anakin shook his head.
"I'm alright." He reassured her. He chuckled softly. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime. And it might have been if the chancellor hadn't been kidnaped. I don't think they would've ever brought us back from the outer rim sieges." He bent down and kissed Y/N on the cheek.
"Not here." She warned lightly. He shook his head.
"Yes, here." He said defiantly. "I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married."
"Anakin, don't say things like that." Y/N responded in a worried tone. They stood in silence for a minute before Anakin brought her into a hug.
"Are you alright?" He asked stepping back. "You're trembling. What's going on?" The beautiful woman in front of him was nervously shifting from one foot to the other.
"Something wonderful has happened." Y/N said with a faint smile. "Ani, I'm pregnant." She looked at him hopefully. He stared down into her beautiful eyes trying to find his voice. He went back and forth from smiling to frowning as he tried to contain his excitement.
"That's-"Anakin said breathlessly. "That's wonderful" He finally choked the words out and now he could not wipe the smile off his face.
"What are we going to do?" Y/N asked him hopelessly. He shook his head.
"We're not going to worry about anything right now." He told her. "Alright? This is a happy moment." Y/N seemed more relaxed as Anakin comforted her. "The happiest moment of my life." He kissed her again and R2-D2 rolled away before he was caught and dismantled. Luke sat silently as Leia tried to ask Artoo questions that he had himself, but was too afraid to voice. She turned to Luke instead.
"When was this?" She asked him. "Why weren't we shown this sooner?" Luke answered her as best he could based off of what Ben Kenobi had told him.
"I have to face Vader." He announced again, this time more sure than ever. Leia shook her head miserably.
"Luke, the man we just saw is not the man hiding behind that mask." She objected. "He's changed and he won't care about you enough to spare you." Luke held her hands.
"You're wrong." He said, somehow smiling. "There's good in him. I've felt it. He won't turn me over to the emperor. I can save him. I can turn him back to the good side." Leia was no longer objecting. Maybe he had promised too much. Could he really do the things he was saying? "I have to try." Luke kissed her on the cheek before he started walking away. She held his hand until she couldn't any longer, and Luke hoped dearly that he would be able to bring Anakin back as he had promised his sister.