CHAPTER 8

It was early in the morning. The sand on Tatooine turned gold as the sun which was rising. Behind it in few hours the second one would rise. Leia stood and admired the view she got from the top of the hut. A golden sea of sand surrounding her made her feel royal. The sandy outcrops shone in the sunlight. The beauty was not found everywhere. Leia wanted the beauty to remain the same; she didn't want it to change. The beauty was enchanting. She exhaled deeply as she sat to meditate. She felt through her body the force give her peace. Wave after wave she felt the peace settle in her. She proceeded to feel her body and the surrounding. In her body she felt warmth with a bit of coldness inside. In her surrounding she felt the light side's warmth along with the coldness of the dark side. She continued to meditate and expanded her reach. She felt life forms, which she felt were lukewarm. As she proceeded, she had a vision in her mind. She heard voices, cries. She concentrated and saw a lady. By the time she recognized who it was she was disturbed by a familiar presence. She opened her eyes and met with the eyes of her mentor.

"You are up early."

"Well I couldn't miss such scenery."

"Hmm, slept well yesterday?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"I too had a good sleep."

The two ladies got up and got down. "Breakfast is ready. Let me serve you." Obi-wan said cheerfully.

"Well let us see what we have because I am starving." Leia replied with the same cheer. The three sat down to have their breakfast.

"You know when I was fighting in the clone wars besides your father. There was a time where he almost lost it. It was the time Ahsoka had come. It was the Battle of Christophsis. We had a tough time. I was in a tower which was suddenly overrun with battle droids. If it weren't for your father I wouldn't be here. Oh the time when we tried to tell the Jedi council that we needed reinforcements, the communication got cut down. A few hours later a ship came. We were relieved that we received some reinforcements. But we got slapped on our faces by the appearance of Ahsoka here." He said pointing to Ahsoka.

"Oh I yet remember your faces. Especially the time when I told Anakin that I was his apprentice. He looked as though someone had slammed a rock into his face."

"Oh yes, to say he was shocked was the understatement of the century."

"Oh the times we had together. Those beautiful memories."

"Memories are a powerful weapon. They are more powerful than any weapon. Love and memories are two weapons which can even bend the force."

The three completed their breakfast and were to get up from the table when they heard a knock on the door. Obi-wan went to check who it was with the two tailing him. He opened the door and froze on spot. Ahsoka moved forward and saw who it was, she too froze. Leia moved forward to check who it was. She was surprised too. She found herself freezing too.

"Are you going let me in or what?" the person asked. At this the three moved apart to let the person inside. "Oh don't ask me how I got to make my father accept to let me go. Now tell me what is it that you want from me?"

"Luke, they let you go." Ahsoka said.

"That is what I said. Now look I am ready to be trained or whatever but there are rules."

"Yeah I know, you are to be sent before it is dark." Obi-wan replied.

"That is right."

As Luke sat to catch his breath, he looked around the three. "So do you want to begin?"

"Of course." Ahsoka replied.

"First things first hold this lightsaber." Leia said as she handed him the lightsaber which she used. Luke took it and stared at it as though it were something he never saw. He pointed it towards his face as he continued to stare at the inside. He then looked up at the three.

"Ignite it." Obi-wan said.

Luke kept the lightsaber pointed away from him and ignited the lightsaber. The cyan color lighted his face of joy and excitement.

"Okay what do I do with it now?" Luke said in excitement. Leia just stared blank at him. Luke looked up at them in confusion.

"Switch it off." Ahsoka said silently.

Luke did as said. He then looked up at the three. Obi-wan then moved towards him and told. "Close your eyes and feel your surroundings." Luke then closed his eyes and started feeling. He felt it was stupid as no one could feel their surroundings. He was surprised when he felt a warm wave go through him. Wave by wave he felt warmth; he felt it fuel him with an energy he never knew. He then opened his eyes. He saw a bright light come from Ahsoka and Obi-wan, but from Leia he felt a normal radiance. He then shook his head and saw them as they were. Ahsoka exchanged glances with Obi-wan. He nodded as he moved towards the door. Ahsoka followed him. The two were discussing something. Leia moved towards Luke and sat beside him.

"What are they talking about?"

"I don't know."

"Can't you use the magic and hear what they are saying?"

"It's called the force. And I don't sneak upon Ahsoka."

"Yeah, yeah. Why were they looking at me like that?"

"You have the ability to identify the aura of a person."

"I thought that was general to all Jedi."

"Force sensitivity is general. But the ability to sense someone's aura, that is only something experienced ones can do."

"Oh I didn't know that."

"I know."

Ahsoka was angry at Obi-wan. Her actions made it clear. She turned away and walked towards the twins. Obi-wan stood at the door, staring at the vast sand. Ahsoka stood in front of the twins. She took a deep breath and placed a hand on Leia's shoulder. She then steered Leia towards the door where Obi-wan was. There was something in her grip which made Leia worried. Ahsoka had never held Leia so tightly. She stopped at the door.

"You tell her. I can't." Ahsoka said to Obi-wan as she turned away hurt.

"Ahsoka what happened? What do you want to tell me?"

"Leia, I need you to listen to me well." Obi-wan started.

"I am listening."

"You have to give up your force sensitivity in order to protect the growing rebellion."

"WHAT?"

"Calm down, Leia. Listen to what I am saying. If you continue being a Jedi along with your brother, Vader and the emperor will come to know. They will strike at the rebellion while its foundation is building. The galaxy shall be under the tyranny of the empire for a longer time. You have to give up your force sensitivity by forgetting it."

"How am I supposed to forget the eight years I spent with my aunt? How am I supposed to forget the memories which were born out of the adventures? How am I supposed to forget my identity as a Jedi? How Obi-wan Kenobi am I supposed to forget myself?"

"By considering your master and your new identity dead." Obi-wan said while turning away from Leia. Leia gasped at this and let the stream behind those dams to flow.

"How dare you?" she gasped. "I shan't consider her dead because she is my past, present and future. But I shall forget you Obi-wan because your morale and identity is dead to me. Take the lightsaber Ahsoka. Make sure you don't give it to the bastard who failed the Skywalker family." She said as she thrust the lightsaber which belonged to her father into Ahsoka's hand. Her words contained the spite and venom which was there in Ahsoka's words when she spoke to Obi-wan sixteen years ago.

She walked away pushing Obi-wan out of her way using the force and walked towards the ship. She turned to Ahsoka and asked. "Would you need the ship?" Ahsoka shook her head as she fought back her tears. She bit her lip and bid her farewell to Leia who left for Alderaan. Luke got up as he saw Leia left. He ran towards the door and asked the two. "Why did she leave?"

"She left because I failed her like how HE failed everyone." Ahsoka said with spite. She walked inside the hut and sat on a chair. She placed her head in her hand and let the streams flow. Bastard who failed the Skywalker family. The words hit Obi-wan with much more ferocity than the I hate you of Anakin.

Luke stood there confused. The scene he was seeing was more confusing than a jigsaw puzzle. Obi-wan was on the floor looking as though the clouds fell on him, Ahsoka was clutching her head and was sobbing with Leia's lightsaber in her hand, Leia had left the planet in the ship. Luke stared after the ship which left the planet.

Inside the ship, Artoo was comforting Leia who was sobbing. She had clutched her knees and had bent her head. The ship was set to Alderaan. Artoo looked concerned. She was confused. She didn't know why Leia was crying and she didn't know where Ahsoka was. All she knew was that she had to be with Leia.

"Princess Leia you are granted the access to land in your personal platform." The stormtrooper said through the commlink. Leia landed her ship in her personal landing platform. She got down to be greeted by her foster parents. She ran towards them and hugged them tightly. She broke down and started crying. It was just too much for her to handle it. Breha was concerned when her daughter cried. She held her close. Bail Organa held her close and asked her. "Leia what happened? Where is Ahsoka? Leia?"

"Bail let us take her inside." Breha suggested. The two took Leia inside her room.

Leia hugged her foster father tightly and wept. She then slowly told everything to them. Bail Organa was angry. "How dare he say such a thing? If he weren't a known friend then I would go and hand him over to Vader personally. Leia look at me." He said as he pat her head. Leia looked up at him with her tear stained eyes. "You don't need any Obi-wan to tell you what to do. You need your heart. You might be the biological daughter of a strong senator and a Jedi. But you are our Leia, Leia Organa."

"Momma, Papa I am going to the senatorial training academy. If I can't fight as a Jedi, then I shall fight the empire as a senator."

"That is more like my girl and not some whiny tiny Jedi." Breha teased as she saw the smile on her daughter's face.

"Of course momma, after all I am an Organa too."

The three hugged each other. Leia felt the warmth which came from the love they showed. She smiled as she hugged her parents. She had decided. She would fight. If not as a Jedi, she would fight as a senator.