Chapter 39: The date
Then the door chimes rang. "I
will get in." Luke said.
He opened the door ceremoniously. It
was Han. "Hey, your worshipfulness it is time to go." then Han
whispered to Luke, "Now remember, I will buzz you on the com-link."
Leia, who had been in another room,
walked out. Han whistled softly, he had always known Leia could look GORGEOUS,
but this...it was beyond gorgeous. Luke watched Han, his eyes sparkling, he and
Leia's cousins had not missed any of Han's reaction. "Why, hello,
Han."
"Hello, Leia." Han asked,
still dazed.
Then Leia looked at Han. She also
did a double take, and whistled softly. This reaction was also watched.
As Leia walked to the door.
"Wait," Senta shrieked, "You forgot your purse." She gave
Leia a red purse, Luke had never seen before. But Leia had, Luke could feel
Leia's presence get all mushy, so he knew the purse had a symbolism.
"Thank you, Senta."
Han extended his arm to Leia, Leia
gracefully took it, and they were off. In the speeder car, some of the
formality wore off. "Hey, Leia, you really look BEYOND gorgeous." Han
said, taking her hand.
"And you beyond handsome."
Leia said, letting Han hold her hand, "now will you tell me where we are
going."
"Chaunce V'Kim for dinner, I've
arranged for desert on a ship, a ship that will fly over a romantic spot on Mon
Calamari." Han said.
"Chaunce V'Kim." Leia
asked, stunned, "so you really did plan this out, that place is impossible
to get reservations at. Plus, isn't there a chance Threkin will be there."
Han grinned, "All taken care
of, your highness, you see the manager of Chaunce V'Kim is a old buddy of mine
from Corellia so I got us a private room."
Leia laughed, "and Luke was the
one who urged you to PLAN."
"True," Han admitted,
"I hadn't known there was so much involved in planning a wedding."
"Well, I will enjoy seeing the
fruit of your planning."
The dinner went fabulously. Han and
Leia spent a lot of the time staring into each other's eyes. "Now."
Han said, after sounding hte thing on LUke's com-link, "desert and a
romantic spot, await."
Han lead Leia to the spaceport. He
walked past the Falcon after giving it a pat. "So, we aren't going up on
the Falcon." Leia said, puzzled.
"Nope."
Han grinned, "after all, then how would I eat or talk with you."
Han led Leia to Luke's ship, where Luke was coming off of it after making sure
everything was set up properly. "So," Leia said, with an amused tone,
"you roped Luke into this part of your plans."
"No, he roped me into a lot more then just this." Luke said, in a dry tone.
Everyone, including Luke laughed heartily. "Seriously, I don't mind. But, don't worry, I will be in the cockpit the entire time, unless there is an emergency, and you will only hear from me three times, once when we are ready to take-off, so you can get settled in, next, after Han or u call me on the com-link to tell me to start back towards Coruscant, and last when we start the descent."
Leia gave Luke a huge smile and a hug. "Come on, get in." Luke said, after a minute.
Leia climbed inside the ship, helped up by Han, Luke had already gone to the cockpit. Han lead Leia into the 'dining' area. He whistled as he looked around, seeing Luke's decorations. "You mean, you didn't set this up." Leia asked, confused after looking around.
"Nope, I wonder which shop Luke got the crystal from, it must've been expensive, seeing how finely cut it is. Leia, your brother really loves you."
"I know." She said, smiling mischievously, though she meant the comment with all of her heart.
"Here, sit down." Han said, pulling out a seat at the table for her.
"Thank you." Leia said, sitting down.
Han sat down opposite from her. He lit the candles. Just then Luke called over the intercom, "We are departing from Coruscant now, I just got Clearance."
Luke steered the ship to the pre-arranged spot over Mon Calamari.
"Wow, this spot is BEAUTIFUL." Leia said, looking out the viewport.
"Yeah." Han said, also mesmerized by the lake, and how the light reflected off of it. "Shall we have desert now." Han asked, shaking himself out of it.
"Sure." Leia said
daintily, acting the role of a princess again.
"Leia, did I mention that you
look exceedingly gorgeous today."
"Han, did I mention that you
look exceeding handsome today." Leia countered.
Then Han got up and got the desert.
"Desert is served." Han announced, as he turned around with mounds of
ice cream and cake on trays of crystal.
"Wow." Leia said,
"That looks really good.
"Thank you." Han said, smiling.
Han poured wine for the two of them.
"So, Leia, are you having fun."
"Oh, yes." Leia asked.
Han frowned at himself, he once was
known as VERY courageous, why was that courage failing him today. Han took a
deep breath, and when Leia had turned to look out the viewport he slipped the
ring from his pocket into her wine glass. "Leia." Han asked, when
Leia had turned her attention from the entrancing lake.
"Yes." Leia said, puzzled
by Han's tone and his sense.
"Look inside your wine
glass."
Leia was even more puzzled but she
did so. Then she abruptly looked up. "Han..." She began, but Han put
a finger to his lips, he knelt on one knee. "Leia Organa Solo, will you do
me the courtesy of being my wedded wife."
Leia just sat there, in shock, she
couldn't speak. I mean, she loved Han, but her duty to Alderaan!
"Leia, before you get your speech
back," Han said, giving her a lopsided grin because he knew that comment
would enrage her into speaking.
"I do have my speech."
Leia said, glaring at him with a glare that really didn't have much power
behind it, I am just....speechless."
Han laughed, softly.
"Han," Leia, said looking down, "there is something you should
know, I am a Princess of Alderaan, albeit one by adoption, must live her life
for the people. My marriage must be decided by them, I mean, if my adoptive
parents were alive, I'd ask them, but."
"Luke anticipated there might
be resistance, so he, actually, this part was, surprisingly his part, I won a
planet for you and the Alderaanian refugee's in a sabbac game." He said,
fumbling for the Holo of Dathomir which he opened for Leia, "Luke had some
friends who love projects like this, so we had them develop Dathomir exactly
like Alderaan. There are some native, well, actually there daughters of a rogue
Jedi, who are on the light side, there were dark side entities there, but the
light side witches took care of them. We made a treaty with them."
"We." Leia said,
skeptically, Han had never been big on diplomacy.
"All right, Luke, did, that was
that big project. See, that was how we'd found the prison, where Sallie was,
and one thing led to another."
"Leia," Han said, softly,
"if you don't want to marry me, thats okay. Take all the time you need to
decide, because I know you, once you put it in front of the Alderaanian
council, you won't come back."
Leia looked into Han's eyes, that
comment just made her love him more. "Han, I love you, but I will still
give you my official word tomorrow, after talking to Luke, Stephaine,
Alizabeth, and Saty. See, if there is a chance the council will let me marry
you. I don't want to get your hopes up, I just want you to know that I love
you."
Han knew she was sincere. "I
love you too, Princess."
"Here, lets enjoy this date, then we can let the future
sort itself out." Han said.
"One thing, though, present the planet at the council meeting tomorrow
unless I call you with something else." Leia said, her brain already
stewing up a plan.
"All right, I see that pretty
head of yours is coming up with a plan."
They sat an enjoyed the rest of
their date looking at the lake on Mon Calamari.
Han sounded the double chimes, then,
signifying that Luke should take the ship back to Coruscant. "Well, Leia,
I hope you had fun, I did."
"I did too. THanks for a
wonderful time." Leia said.