Less than an hour later, Han and Leia were strolling through the spaceport on the way to their hotel. His "wife's" bag slung over his shoulder, Han carried his own bag in one hand and wrapped Leia in a tight embrace with the other.

Despite herself, Leia was greatly delighted to have the excuse to touch her "husband." She explored the muscles of his back and chest with her hands and looked at him lovingly from time to time in order to keep her "cover" intact. Somehow, this felt right, felt safe.

Han, meanwhile, could not believe how easily Leia had adapted to her role. It was almost as if she truly loved him. Nah, he reminded himself. She's just doing her part for the Rebellion. She's just playing a role. Besides, you can't afford to get distracted. You're here to protect the princess…that's all that is important.

Eventually, they reached the hotel and checked in as man and wife. As Han proudly introduced his bride to the desk clerk, a sleazy guy took the opportunity to hit on Leia. The princess fended him off gracefully, but Han became upset.

"Hey Buddy," Han said, jabbing his finger into the man's chest. "That's my WIFE you're hitting on. You might wanna leave now before I get really angry." No one messed with HIS Leia. His Leia? When had she become his? he wondered.

"Sorry mister, I was just engaging her in some harmless conversation. I'll be on my way now."

"You do that," Han replied with an angry glare.

Though Han was proud of himself for defending her honor, Leia wasn't quite so pleased. On their way to the room, she read him the riot act. "Han, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. There was no need to make a scene."

"I did not make a scene…I was defending my wife." He couldn't believe how easily he associated that word with Leia.

"I may be your wife, but I did not need defending. I'm not helpless." Why did being Han's wife seem so right?

"Fine," he said coolly, though his anger was rising. "Just don't expect my help from now on."

"Fine," she countered.

As they continued their journey to the honeymoon suite, her attitude softened a bit. Reaching the room, Leia touched his shoulder and said, "Han, I'm sorry. I appreciate you looking out for me, but I've had too many people fail to take me seriously because I'm a woman. I constantly have to prove myself again and again."

"Sweetheart," he said softly. "I know you can take care of yourself, but you shouldn't always have to do it alone."

With that he lifted her over his shoulder and carried her over the threshold of the room. As the door closed, Leia shouted, "What are you doing? Put me down!"

"Sorry, Your Worship," he said, his eyes dancing. "I was just following an old Corellian marriage custom. The bride is carried to the marriage bed by her new husband."

The thought of going to bed with him made her flush bright red. "But we aren't really married. Put me down, now!"

"Could've fooled me, the way you were plastered all over me," he said as he set her on the floor.

"Solo, you know perfectly well that I'm only doing my job," she said, before making a hasty retreat to her room.

"Anything for the cause, huh, Sweetheart?" he called after her.

Greeted by the hiss of her door closing, Han could only shake his head in frustration.

A princess and a guy like me? What was I thinking?


The next few hours were spent in silence as Solo poured over star system and planetary maps, and Leia reviewed the details of the mission. Solo's stomach soon got the better of him, and he ordered room service. He took special care with the plans, however, making sure to order Leia's favorite food and a floral arrangement as well. He was tired of arguing with her and decided to try to make things right.

"Princess," he called. "Our dinner is here."

"I'm not hungry," she answered from the other room.

In truth, she was quite hungry, but she did not have the stomach for another fight. Besides, she had acted foolishly by overreacting to his teasing, and she had no desire to face Han. As it turned out, however, she didn't get to make that choice.

"C'mon, Princess. You need to eat. Truce?" he said, walking into her room and flashing his patented lopsided grin.

Somehow, she couldn't resist that smile, replying playfully, "That all depends."

Catching her lightened tone, he said, "Depends on what?"

"On what you ordered for dinner. If it's anything like Solo Stew, I'll lock myself in here indefinitely."

"Listen Miss I-only-cook-ration-bars, my culinary artistry is legendary throughout the galaxy."

"Sure…that must be why Jabba the Hutt really put a price on your head. You cooked him dinner, and he got food poisoning." Leia immediately regretted mentioning Jabba, as it reminded her that Han would be leaving her soon. Leaving ME?

Han caught the subtle change in mood, but bantered on. "Hey sister, if I'm going to do a job, I'll do it right. Besides, Jabba never accepted my dinner invitations…he said I wasn't his type."

Leia laughed in spite of herself. "Oh really…and whose type are you?" Why did I ask him that?

Han considered the question for a minute, steadily holding her gaze."Well, sweetheart, princesses seem to love me…especially when I order them poseimia with white sauce."

"Han," she said in an annoyed tone before registering surprise at his statement. "How did you know my favorite food?" she asked as she rushed into the other room.

"I do my homework, Sweetheart. Besides, shouldn't a husband know his wife's favorite food?"

"If we were actually married, yes. How did you really know?"

"I told ya, I have my sources." A mischievous smile crossed his lips as he added, "Maybe I saw it the Princess Leia special issue of Royalty magazine. You were a cute kid, by the way."

Truth be told, a couple of months back he had picked up an old issue of an entertainment magazine with Leia on the cover. Unfortunately, the only information he learned about the princess was the fact that she was quiet and shy as a child (Sure), and that she did her own hair. He kept the magazine anyway, because she really was cute as a child (and beautiful as a young woman).

"Oh, Han, please…there is no Royalty magazine. Do you ever reveal anything about yourself?"

"I'm a Sabacc player and smuggler, Leia. In my business, the less someone knows about you, the better. Now let's eat. I'm starving."

"I have to agree with you there, but I don't think you are as mysterious as you pretend to be."

"And you, Princess…I don't think you are as, um, single-minded as you seem," he replied.

For once, the princess didn't balk at hearing any hint of a character flaw. Instead, she raised her wine glass, smiled an almost mischievous smile, and said, "A toast then. To mystery and…open-mindedness."

Han looked directly into her eyes, holding her gaze with an uncharacteristic seriousness. "To mystery and open-mindedness."