Okay, thirteen days between updates is incredibly long, I know. I hit a snag, but I've worked through it. On the plus side, it took thirteen days to get to chapter thirteen. That's got to be good luck, right?
There are only going to be a few more chapters, I'm not sure how many yet. Anyway, the end is near, and I don't mean the apocalypse. I want to thank all of you who have put up with my erratic updates and offered your suggestions. I'll leave one more warning, on the second to last chapter, but I'm not going to harp on it.
Kazzy: yeah... Did I mention that updates would be erratic at best? I really appreciate you sticking with me every chapter like this, its really great of you.
What can I say? I've been accused of being honest to a fault more often than I can count.
You've hit the nail on the head with Leia, glad to know I did that right, anyway. :-) And those dresses were horrible. Have you ever tried to walk through the woods in a full length skirt? Even in the daylight in regular clothes it's not easy.
We are definitely on the same wavelength! That is exactly what I was thinking when I wrote the scene with the mysterious gungan. Did you figure out who it was? It doesn't matter, I'm going to tell you in this chapter anyway. :-) I hope you like it.
REV042175: There's not going to be much more about Leia until next chapter, but then we are going to seriously address her parental issues.
I love writing Han, but he has had to take a backseat this time. This is a Skywalker story, at least for now. He will get an official 'welcome' later on, though...
I know that you haven't ever tried to walk through the woods in a full skirt, but you can trust me when I say that my description was pretty accurate. I know, I've done it. (It's really murder on your shoes too, but I didn't want to go there in the story. Trust me when I say fasion boots with three inch heels are not the best shoes to wear on a long hike, and if you intend to wear them anywhere keep spare shoes in the car. You never know when you might break down...)
I'm hoping for dramatic with Leia and her father, but who knows. You never know what you're going to get with these people. Nothing particularly important happens this chapter, but the fluff should tide you over...
SSG Micheal B Jackson: Since everybody seemed upset at the quick updates,I waited a good long time to post this one... just kidding, it wasn't intentional.
Leia will get to deal with her issues later, this chapter is kind of a transitional one. Chapter fourteen will deal with some major issues, though. Han's involvement will probably stay minimal. This story really isn't about him, though he just couldn't stay out of it.
I like Telia too, but I don't think she's going to get much more screen time than she has already gotten. Maybe she'll get a companion piece later on... Again, this story is about the Skywalkers, I really can't cut them out to give the secondary characters more screen time. That just isn't a good policy to keep. :-)
Well that's it, on with the story!
Sorrow Multiplied
Chapter 13
Padmè saw each of her children a few more times. Leia, of course, was in the news reports often. Alderaan wasn't very important in the political arena right now, but it was one of the few civilized planets with a monarchy that was still hereditary. That made it great fodder for the society columns. The former queen kept a copy of every article.
Luke was harder to keep track of. She relied on visits to Obi-wan to hear anything of him at all. No more drawings came into her possession, but Beru made sure Padmè had holos and recordings every time she came. Progress reports on the boy's grades were cause for celebration and she cried when she read that he'd been sick. Thankfully, that happened only rarely. Through his aunt, Padmè learned that her little boy was growing up to be strong, handsome, and intelligent, and each progress report left her in tears just a little longer than the last.
She was able to see each of her children in person once more. Leia was in the audience chamber during her next visit to Bail and while she waited patiently for her turn to speak to the King, the girl, now seven, struck up a conversation with her.
"Hello, Miss Sabè." Leia said with a bow.
"Hello, Princess. I hope you are well?" Padmè nodded calmly.
Leia nodded, staring at her mother. Then she caught herself. "I am very well, Miss. I was wondering, do you know that you look very much like my mother?"
Stricken, Padmè almost couldn't bring herself to speak. The child couldn't have made a larger impact on the former queen if she'd struck the woman. Swallowing hard, Padmè managed to say, "The Queen, Princess?"
"Yes. You look quite a bit like her. Enough alike to be sisters."
Not sisters, but very close. Friends close enough to have been sisters. Padmè fought tears and breathed, "No, I didn't know. I've never met the Queen."
Leia smiled faintly, obviously turning something over in her mind. "How long will you be here?"
"I'm sorry, Princess, could you repeat that?" Padmè had been fighting so hard to breath, she'd forgotten to listen.
"Are you going to be in the city for very long? You said that maybe we could play together." The girl did not pout and she did not beg. She stood there very serenely and asked.
Yes, oh, yes! I'll stay as long as you ask me to! "I'm afraid not, Princess. I have already agreed to transport a shipment for the King and after that I'm afraid I've already been booked for another shipment by a trader on Malastare."
Leia looked very disappointed and Padmè clasped her hands tightly around the package she was holding so they wouldn't automatically reach out and comfort the girl. "But I'm sure you have much better things to do than to hang around with a tired old trader."
"I like you," Leia said brightly.
"But you hardly know me." How much emotion can one person handle? Padmè felt as if she would be torn in two. Her baby girl was only asking for an hour or two, and she had to say no.
The Princess did not get the chance to respond. Bail called out, "Trader, welcome!"
Padmè bowed as best she could with the bulky package in her arms. "I must leave now. Take care, Princess."
She jogged after Bail as he opened a door and led her out of the room and away from curious ears. Outside the door, a man took the package from her and she was able to hug her old friend.
"It is good to see you again, Milady." He said, releasing her after several moments.
"Please, a King should not speak to a mere trader so."
"We are in a soundproofed, shielded room. No one will be the wiser. Did you have a pleasant conversation with Leia?" He sat and gestured toward another chair.
"It gets harder every time I see her. She is so beautiful."
Bail smiled sadly. "She looks just like her mother." He sat for a long moment, not saying another word. Finally, Padmè spoke.
"She said the same thing about me, just a moment ago. She said I looked like her mother." Padmè broke down in tears, only to find herself wrapped in strong arms.
"I'd thought something like that happened." He held her as she cried, supporting her.
"It's just too much, Bail. I miss them both so much, Then she says something like that and I just can't help it!" Padmè sobbed helplessly until she didn't have another tear in her. Then Bail let her go.
"Stay here. You can be Sabè, you can work around here. You could be a tutor or something."
"You know I can't. He's still looking for me. Even after all these years..."
Bail shook his head. "He thinks you're dead. You're dead and she doesn't exist. You would both be safe."
"And what would a trader be doing hanging around the palace? And what about Kerinè? And what if she gets attached to me and he comes? I'd have to leave again if I ever got word that he was even in the sector. I can't risk him sensing me, especially not near one of his children." Padmè spoke too fast, trying to convince herself as much as her friend.
"Whoa, slow down. We'd figure out something for you to do here and Kerinè can be here too. And he won't come here. There is no reason for him to come here. You are dead, remember?"
"I can't, Bail. I just can't risk it. I can't risk her. I just can't." Padmè was close to tears. "Please don't ask me again."
"Alright. But remember that the offer still stands. Anytime you want it, just say the word." He pressed a small pouch into her hand, then stood. "I had better go. People might start to talk if we stay in here too long."
The former queen giggled, though it wasn't much of a joke. She followed him out and they parted ways with another hug, this one in the hallway where a guard gave them both an odd look. "Goodbye, you highness."
"Goodbye, Milady. Take care, of yourself and that young one."
She nodded and turned around. The route back to her ship passed far too slowly for her, but eventually she made it safely to her cabin, where she locked the door and poured over the new holos of her baby girl.
Despite his best efforts, he hadn't been able to spur the others back into argument after the arrival of that woman and her friends. And where had she found that creature? He'd begun to think them extinct. The others had listened to it, too. Worse, they had been silenced by it. If they worked together, his plan was ruined.
The Queen still hadn't shown up, though his men assured him she was no longer in her prison. He could only hope she was lost in her own forest. Perhaps some creature had gotten her in the night.
He knew it wasn't so. She was probably the one who had found that abomination and sent it in here. The worthless creature couldn't even speak correctly. He lingered over his breakfast while he considered. A note had come with the meal telling he would be notified when meetings resumed.
No matter, his plan could still work, it would just take a little more work on his part.
The day was still young when they reached the city and Padmè insisted on stopping at the spaceport first. Kerinè was waiting for them at the boarding ramp to their ship.
"How do you always do that?" Padmè asked the girl.
"Do what, Milady?"
Padmè scowled. "How do you always know when I'm coming? And would you stop calling me that."
Kerinè smiled and preceded her friends into the ship. A voice issued from the doorway tot he lounge. "Actually, she had help this time."
Telia stood, leaning against the door frame. Her long red hair had been tamed into a thick braid and she wore a loose robe that trailed from her arms. A largish datapad was in one hand and the stylus stuck up out of her hair like an ornament. "I commed her and said you were on your way and she insisted you would stop here first."
"She knows me so well," Padmè smiled fondly at her friend. "Why did you want to meet us?"
"And how did you know we were coming?" Leia added.
Telia settled on a nearby chair and balanced the datapad on one knee. "I have friends all over, they informed me as soon as you were found. Right now, we've got all the governors waiting. They don't know you're here. We are hoping to surprise them into revealing something." She tapped the scroll button several times, then paused. "I don't suppose any of you know who is responsible?"
"I only saw a handful of goons. I don't know who they were working for," Padmè said regretfully. "I wish I did. They said something about their boss being the 'rightful ruler,' whatever that means."
Handing the woman the datapad, Teila said, "Here, we've captured images of every single person who's been through the palace since you arrived. We also know who they spoke to and when. Perhaps you will recognize someone."
Luke looked over his mother's shoulder at the list. "But there are nearly a thousand images here!"
"And most of them are very bad, I know." The woman sighed. "It's a long shot, but right now, it's the best we have. There have been some suspicions, but so far we don't have anything."
Kerinè, who was still standing in the doorway, said, "I'm sure you will figure this out. Especially so, now that your friends are here." She was looking right at Luke and Leia.
The Princess frowned. "Our friends? No one knows we're here."
Now it was Kerinè's turn to frown. "He said he was your friend. I spoke to him when he landed. I sent him on to the palace, I knew you would meet him there eventually. I'm usually such a good judge of character..."
Padmè laid on hand on the girl's shoulder. "Everyone makes mistakes, Keri. But before you start berating yourself, let's find out who this mystery man is."
"Is this the same man whom I caught trying to sneak into the palace?" Telia asked.
"It could be, that would have been just a few minutes after I sent him there." Kerinè confessed. "I never saw him, I just spoke to him on the comlink. He said traffic control had put him right next to me. And that he was a friend of Princess Leia and Jedi Skywalker."
The redhead frowned. "Yeah, that sounds like the guy. He said is name was Solo. Said he was a General."
"That is not possible!" Leia cried, standing very still. "I've got to see this for myself!" She ran out of the ship and out of the private docking bay. In moments, she was standing outside the Millennium Falcon.
Luke smirked, having followed her. "He is a persistent one, isn't he? I'm sure he had a good reason for coming."
Telia had trailed the both of them. "Well, I don't know him well and I don't know why he came, but he's been a great help. The man has an amazing eye. He's got no trouble keeping track of two dozen screens at the same time and he can read facial expressions like a Jedi." She noticed Luke and winced. "No offence, there."
"Of course not."
"So where is he?" Leia asked, only slightly less perturbed.
"Where else, I've got him watching monitors and assigning tails. I'm having all of the Governors' assistants followed."
Leia raised an eyebrow in surprise. "He's playing commander of the troops?"
Luke smiled at her patiently. "Well, you did make him a general, Leia."
The man Han had been watching the night before was having another meeting. The governor had an older man in his room now and the guards had been left outside. Both whispered conspiratorially and glanced about often enough to make the most naive and trusting child suspicious. It didn't help much that they both looked like politicians, at least, not to Han's point of view.
The entire planet made him nervous, which wasn't the best mood to be in when he was trying to contact Leia, but now that was an asset. Everyone here was so nice. It just wasn't natural. The smuggler just couldn't believe an entire population could be so perfect. Even the politicians were nice. Not the fake kind of nice, either. They were sincere, of all things.
Of course, someone was trying to kill two of the three people he cared about most in the galaxy. Whoever it was, it was probably one of the 'nice' politicians. That part just made him all the more suspicious fo the entire planet. Everyone was too perfect, too tragic.
Knowing that Leia was on her way here made him feel a little better. She was no longer just 'okay,' she was coming.
Han broke himself out of that train of thought when the older gentleman left the governor's room. He quickly had someone follow the old man to find out who he was and what the two of them were up to.
All the monitors were full this morning and many of them were set to alternate screens. Workers were swarming the palace, volunteers, all fo them. They were cleaning the walls and refinishing the floors. They were repairing windows and brining in furnishings for the empty rooms. Of course, many rooms would remain empty until their long term occupants were ready to settle in, but most received at least the basics. The segmented monitor screens did not offer the best view of all this activity. All Han could really see were far more people than he liked running around through the halls. There was no way this was secure. There was no way for him to protect Leia with all this activity.
On the way back to the Palace, Padmè examined the images Telia had captured. None of them looked familiar, though several did not offer a good enough view to be sure what the person looked like. One guard looked vaguely familiar, the former queen could not tell if she'd seen him in the cavern or if she'd seen him in the throne room the day before.
"I can not tell if any of these people had anything to do with our kidnaping," she said, handing the datapad back regretfully. "I really must be losing my touch. There was a day when I would have been able to recognize the backs of those men's heads, not I can't recognize their faces."
"They might not be in there, mother." Luke took the older woman's hand. "I wouldn't have wanted them to come to me if I was the one who organized all this."
"Whoever it is, he would want to keep a close eye on things. His men have been back to the palace or they will be soon. I now it." Padmè said with a frown. "He's bound to be over confidant. He did underestimate us, after all."
Now it was Leia's turn to frown. "I don't think he underestimated us, I think..."
She trailed off and Luke prompted her to continue. "What is it, Leia?"
"I think someone intervened. I think they made the guards forget to check the pocket your 'sabre was in. I think they also called the guards away somehow. Convinced them to leave."
"But who would do that? No one even knew we were missing until after we had escaped." At Luke's question, both Padmè and Leia paled.
Padmè's face took on a vacant expression and she whispered, "Ani?"
The trip to the palace was short and four of them headed straight to the Queen's chambers to set their plan into action. As soon as they had entered, however, someone else burst into the room.
"Missa Padmè? Mya so glad to be seeing yousa!" The Gungan rushed over and lifted the woman in a huge hug. "Mya thought yousa be dyin!"
Padmè spoke breathlessly into his shirt. "No, I am quite alive, at least for the moment." The Gungan put her down gently and she was finally able to take a good look at him. "Jar Jar?"
At the excitement and shock in her voice, he laughed and hugged her again. This time the expression was eagerly returned. "I though you were the one who was dead, Jar Jar."
"Mya hiding." The alien stepped back, a sorrowful expression on his face. "Mya hiding from..."
"I know, old friend. I know." They shared a long look, then she brightened. "Jar Jar, I want you to meet my children. Luke, Leia, I want you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Jar Jar Binks."
"Hello." Jar Jar said.
At the same time, Luke and Leia both said, "Hello."
"Yousa getting tall." The gangly alien said, holding one had at shoulder height for him.
Leia giggled. "I think that's the first time anyone has ever accused me of being tall."
"I'd have to say the same." Luke agreed with a grimace.
"Mya meetin yousa when you itsa bitsa." He held both hand out with his palms only a few inches apart, making all three members of the family laugh. Across the room, Telia cleared her throat.
"As much as I hate to interrupt, we have many things to do."
"You are correct." Padmè agreed with a sigh. "I'm afraid we can't sit and catch up right now."
"Egads!" Jar Jar hit his forhead with one hand. "What meesa doin' talkin about kids. Mya have news! They is agreein'!"
"Who is agreeing and to what?" Leia asked patiently.
"They governors. They is agreein to go back to the old ways. They wantin' to have elections."
The entire group smiled as one. "That is great news!" Padmè said cheerfully. "When did this happen?"
"Meesa not knowin. All they fightin and yellin when meesa get here and now... Theysa agreein! Theysa all saying' what a great leeder yousa is."
"Me? But I haven't been here."
"Consider this my resignation, Governor." The woman said, walking away causally. She was the last one. Much to his shock, every single person he'd had under his thumb the day before had now quit. The other governors had each come to him and said something similar.
The ones he had frightened seemed to have suddenly aquired an intimate knowledge of the planet's laws. All of them now realized they were doing nothing wrong.
The others seemed to have become convinced that he was going to be arrested himself. None believed he could give them anything anymore.
Alone, he sat on his bed in shock as his well conceived plans began to collapse around him. His hired help was still there, of course, but most of them he had sent away on other tasks.
Somehow, he knew, this was Amidala's fault. She and those kids of hers. Desperation was new to him and he was beginning to enjoy the feeling of having nothing left to lose. He tucked a blaster under his robe and set his face with a smile. One way or another, he was going to win.