CHAPTER-3

"Leia, heads up."

Leia Organa jumped and held the relay bat. She was playing with her friends. The eight years old Leia was the leader of her team; her friends had been pinned down by the opponent. She had to win. She had to.

Breha Organa watched as her child was running with the bat. She and few other delegates were watching the game with great interest. Somewhere in her heart she knew it. She had sent a holo-message to the Organas. It was time. She would train Leia on her eight birthday. Eight years since Padme had died, since Darth Vader had risen and Skywalker had fallen, since the Empire had risen.

The game had ended with Leia's team winning. Breha resisted the stream behind those dams. The next day she would become a Jedi Padawan. Till then she was Leia Organa, her Leia Organa.

Leia got up with great enthusiasm. She was eight years old. It was her birthday. She ran out of her room. She sprinted down the stairs greeting the maids and servants. Down in the hall she found her parents standing. She ran towards them.

"Happy birthday, Leia. My little princess." Her father wished her by carrying her and hugging her tightly. She turned towards her mother and motioned her to carry her. Carrying her, her mother sang her her favorite song.

After taking a shower, Leia came down in her new dress. It was different, a wheat tunic and a pant. She found her father talking to a person.

"Momma, why are you crying?" she asked as she saw her mother crying and her father comforting her. She turned to see a lady of another species.

"Are you a Togruta?" She asked with curiosity. The Togruta nodded her head slowly.

"Why is momma crying?" she asked her father. Breha stopped crying and wiped her face. She then carried Leia and placed her on her laps. "Momma was cutting onions, so she was crying." She replied to her daughter with a smile. Leia smiled at her back and hugged her. Breha Organa hugged her back and looked at the Togruta. She then put Leia down and then turned to her husband who was fighting back his tears.

The Togruta then sat on her knees and called Leia towards her. Leia looked at her parents and then went towards the Togruta.

"Hi Leia, happy birthday. My name is Ahsoka Tano. I have brought a gift for you." She slowly removed a box from her bag and gave it to Leia.

"What is it?"

"Why don't you open it and find out?"

The young girl opened the box and found a lightsaber. She took it out of the box and stared at it in awe.

"Is it a lightsaber? I've heard many people talk about it. Are you a Jedi?"

"I am."

"Is this yours?"

"No Leia, it was someone's who I knew. Your father's."

The young girl looked up at Ahsoka in confusion. She then turned to the senator.

"No, he is not your father Leia." Ahsoka called Artoo and showed her a picture of her birth parents.

"He is your father, Anakin Skywalker, the chosen one. She is your mother, Padme Amidala, the ex queen and senator of Naboo." She said while pointing towards them. "Your father was my master till an incident happened and I left the Jedi order."

"Can I see my parents?"

"No Leia, you can't"

"Why? Why can't I?"

"You are not yet ready Skygirl."

"I'm sorry I am an Organa."

"No you are a Skywalker."

"You are asking me to take up the surname of my father who I have never met, seen or even heard of."

"You have heard of him. You just didn't know it was him."

"Is it so?"

"Yes"

"Then how can I meet them both?"

"By accepting my training and becoming my apprentice."

"How am I supposed to do that? I don't even know who you are exactly or about the Jedi and their magic."

"Why don't you ask me about me and the Jedi?"

"Fine. What are the Jedi? What is the magic they use?"

"The Jedi are luminous beings who are the agents of the Force. The Force is the energy which flows through everything and connects us to our surroundings. This Force is called the MAGIC of the Jedi."

"I'm listening."

"There are two sides of the Force namely The Light and The Dark; called the ASHLA and the BOGAN. Their agents are called the Jedi and the Sith respectively. There are few force sensitives; ones who have greater contact with the Force; who have decided to stay in the middle and fight for the good of the galaxy, they are called the gray Jedi. I am one of them."

"My parents?"

"Your father was a Jedi knight and your mother was a senator of the galactic republic."

"Where are they now?"

"I told you, you will meet them when you are ready. So tell me Leia Skywalker, daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, will you accept me, Ahsoka Tano, former apprentice of your father, as your guide in the journey of an agent of the Force, defending it from the evil?" Ahsoka asked while standing up. Leia thought for a minute or so and asked, "If I accept and you train me, will I be able to see my parents?"

"Yes."

"I, Leia Organa, accept to be your apprentice."

Bail and Breha Organa watched as Leia placed her hand over Ahsoka's. They were proud of her. They were proud of Amidala's daughter.

It was hot under the twin suns. A young boy was walking in the dessert of Tatooine. It was the smallest one. He was dragging a cart along with him. He shielded his eyes with one hand from the twin suns. Few more steps and he would be at home. The boy kept on walking. He was thirsty and his bottle had no water. He felt weak and lifeless. Everything in the surrounding was too bright and was spinning, before he knew it he fell on to the ground.

"I would be lying on the ground too if I hadn't brought enough water. Here have some." A voice came. It was a young boy's. Luke Lars opened his eyes to find a boy almost his age standing over him. He was holding a bottle of water. "Thanks." Luke replied after accepting it.

"What were you doing out here? By the way I'm Anakin Skywalker. And you are?"

"Luke, Luke Lars. I was just brings some droid parts from the town."

"Oh, I see."

"What were you doing out here? You don't seem to be bringing anything."

"I was just returning after delivering an item to someone. I was given just a bag which right now has a payment. I need to go and give it to my master now."

"You, you are a slave?"

"I'm a person."

"I've lived on Tatooine for eight years to know it. I just was curious as I have not met such a young and helping slave. By the way who is your Master?"

"Watto. He owns me and my mom."

"Who is Watto?"

"A slaver."

Suddenly wind blew and there was a tiny sand storm. Luke covered his eyes. After it passed, he opened his to find the boy was nowhere. Surprised he went home.

"Why were you late?" Beru asked. "I was so afraid that something had happened to you. What took you so long? Why are your clothes so dirty?"

"Whoa, ma calm down. I just got caught in a tiny sandstorm. I met a kid called Skywalker. He said he was a slave to a slaver called Watto. He gave me water when I fainted. Then the sandstorm appeared and he disappeared just like that. Whoosh." Luke replied earnestly.

"Must be someone else not Skywalker. You must have heard wrong."

"Yeah that is possible. But who is Watto?"

"A slaver perhaps."

"Hmm."

"Go and play with your friends."

"Yipee."

There was a knock on the door of the Lars long time after Luke had gone to play. Beru opened the door saying "What happened? Why are you so early?" to find a person standing in front of her who was not Luke.

"Please go away." Beru requested Kenobi the moment she answered the door. "He is of age Beru. I must train him. He is the only hope of the galaxy." Obi-wan replied.

"He is not alone. He has a sister, train her but leave my Luke away from your religion which has orphaned him. He does not know about his parents. I don't want Owen to come here and make a scene of it. PLEASE leave before he comes and do not return."

"Beru, Luke is the son of Anakin and Padme. He must be trained. The girl is being trained by Ahsoka, Anakin's apprentice. Luke MUST train. I have promised you both that I would train him near your house. He shall return every night and leave every morning to my hut. It is nearby. It will be like a school. Beru you must understand. I am BENDING all the rules I have learnt for Luke. I must train him."

"No, you won't. Now please leave, leave. Go away. Just go and leave Luke alone."

"She is right Kenobi. Leave." A voice came from the back. Obi-wan turned to meet Owen Lars. "You won't train him. Stop pestering us. Leave now." He said while crossing him and reaching to his wife and comforting her.

"Well then I am sorry."

Obi-wan Kenobi left the Lars residence and walked towards his hut. Before entering he turned to look at the grave of Darth Maul. "I still don't know what you meant." He had to train him but how, the Lars had denied him and had showed him the way out of their house. He had to meditate to seek guidance from the force. He had to. Or did he?