Chapter 4
"Where did you dig up these things?" Han grumbled that evening as he donned formal wear for Queen Atalya's celebration in one of the tiny crew quarters of the Millennium Falcon. Leia smoothed the soft fabric of the white shirt over his shoulders and stretched her petite frame to kiss the back of his neck.
"This is a dress occasion," she repeated for the third time. "Scruffy looking nerf-herders not invited."
"I can only think of one good reason to dress up this much," Han said and Leia blushed at the implication. She had firmly deflected any hints that direction in the past. Of course she wanted that, didn't she? Why couldn't she allow him to ask? The timing...she thought. He smiled, unaware of her tumultuous thoughts.
"And besides, who's scruffy looking?"
"You look quite handsome," she conceded. He pulled her into his arms and she relaxed in his embrace. "You make me feel safe," she said, willfully pushing the oft skirted but never truly discussed issue away.
"You make me feel a lot of things," he smiled. She struggled out of his arms.
"You're going to ruin this dress," she warned. She peered into the less than adequate mirror. "Someday I would like a reflective device that shows my entire person at one time," she grumbled, attempting to fix several new wrinkles in the dark blue dress.
"Every part of your entire person looks beautiful," Han replied. "Leia..."
"Don't say it," Leia interrupted. "Fasten this, please."
The entire group looked very nice, Leia decided, as they walked toward the palace in the twilight. Lando still favored the dashing uniforms befitting a General of the New Republic and Luke naturally wore his Jedi garments that seemed elegant in their very simplicity. She had spent a small fortune buying Han's clothes but she would not be informing him of that. Her purchasing anything for him remained a sore subject between them. As Naboo's ration system had only just begun to recover, Leia could only imagine the cost of the night's festivities when she thought of the cost of the clothes.
"These waterfalls are amazing," Luke said as he walked beside his sister. "I used to imagine a lot of places from Tatooine, but I never dreamed up anything as beautiful as this.
"Aunt Beru used to tell me stories..." he hesitated and Leia and Han looked at him with concern etched on their faces. Chewie and Lando, walking ahead seemed not to notice and Artoo was actually chirping so much that Threepio couldn't get a word in.
"Aunt Beru," Leia mused. "I'm sorry I'll never meet her."
"She was good to me," Luke smiled. "Of course Uncle Owen was too, but Aunt Beru was special. She told me," he hesitated. Leia pressed his hand, realizing she truly wanted to hear these stories and she was pleased that Luke was somehow finding the ability to tell them now.
"She told me my...our grandmother Shmi was a beautiful woman. That she belonged somewhere other than a lonely moisture farm." Luke looked at the sky. "She was buried near our home. Uncle Owen told me that the Sand People killed her. Aunt Beru told me that Uncle Owen's father was devastated and my father... But Uncle Owen said for us never to talk about it again." Luke shook his head, as if shaking the memories away. "He said that a lot." Leia started to respond but they were at the palace and the sight stifled idle words. Our grandmother?
Thousands of people milled about in the palace and the palace courtyards, everyone dressed in what must be their finest apparel. Jewels glistened in the sparkling lights of the palace and elaborate cosmetics and intricate hairstyles seemed the order of the day, for human women at least. Leia noticed several non-human beings in the crowd but those were certainly outnumbered. Music played around them and though Leia did not recognize the melody she felt she had heard it before. Han felt distinctly uncomfortable but Lando seemed to adapt to the party quickly.
"You old smoothy," Han whispered to Lando as they passed by him and heard as he started sweet-talking the nearest female. Lando smiled in agreement.
"Who knew there was a planet with so many beautiful women?" He murmured. Han's guffaw forced Leia to squeeze his arm slightly.
"Could we please all behave like we weren't raised by Rancors?"
"Sorry, your highnessness," Han smiled his familiar half-smile. Luke wandered away and Leia quite easily began speaking with people she had never met. Her nearly forgotten upbringing on Alderaan rose to the surface and Han watched his princess in awe. He hadn't seen her like this since the celebration following the first Death Star destruction: royal, aloof, and extremely self-sufficient. In the past he might have run away from that but now he just maintained his grip on her arm and smiled through his teeth at any man daring to look her direction, his very posture proclaiming, "She's mine fellas, hands off."
Luke walked into a larger room. He caught his breath as he saw the revolving holo-vid screens of what must be former queens and kings of Naboo. The queens all wore elegant, complicated dresses and hair styles with the now familiar white make up including very distinctive markings on their cheeks and lips. Artoo rolled beside him and if Luke had not known better he would have suspected Artoo was looking for someone.
"Our former queens," Cliaé informed as she came along side him.
"Yes," Luke bowed slightly. The handmaiden smiled lightly.
"Her majesty is pleased you have joined us."
"I have not yet seen her highness," Luke said, unable to tear his eyes from the larger than life screens.
"She has seen you," Cliaé smiled. "She asked that I speak with you." Luke turned to face the girl, raising his eyebrows.
"She has received reports about some Imperials hiding in the Lake country. There are indications of incursions into more populated areas, where they are causing much destruction."
"And she wishes me to find them?"
"She wishes for the provisional government to remove them," Cliaé confirmed. "These are not just storm troopers. There are supposedly some important people leading them, possibly a Grand Moff." Luke made no reply. As he listened for the guidance of the Force Artoo began whistling from across the room. Luke and Cliaé hurried to the small droid as several party attendees looked on in disapproval.
"Shh, Artoo," Luke soothed as he looked for Threepio. Whatever had excited the droid, Luke doubted his ability to translate the emphatic chirping. Leia and Han joined them and Leia looked ready to remove Artoo from the party until she glanced up. She took several steps back on unsteady feet and Han caught her in his arms.
"Who is that?" Leia demanded.
"Queen Amidala," Cliaé informed them and she looked quite dismayed about the scene being caused. "A great queen and a brave one. She led our people through very tumultuous times." Leia clutched her brother's arm.
"You feel it, don't you?" She whispered. He nodded slightly. Somehow, even through the layers of intricate clothing and make-up, this woman seemed familiar.
"Father said she was the queen of Naboo," he whispered. Leia looked at him, her brown eyes sparking with anger.
"And you didn't see the need to mention that to me?" Luke looked at the floor.
"You didn't want to hear about our conversation. When Artoo..."
"What do you know about her?" Han interjected. Cliaé looked at each person, and droid, in turn.
"You seek information about Amidala?" She seemed to debate whether to share her knowledge. Eventually her curiosity won out and she said, "She is buried near here."
"Take us there," Leia commanded. Almost as an afterthought she added, "Please."
"I must ask the Queen," Cliaé said. "You wish to go now?"
"Yes, quickly please." Only minutes later Cliaé rejoined Luke, Leia, Han, Artoo, & Threepio. Lando and Chewie remained with the revelers.
"You don't have to go with us," Leia told Han as they walked out into the night. He took her hand and she felt he was smiling but he didn't say a word. Luke worked to control his apprehension. He lost track of time as Cliaé led them away from the palace. He watched to see if Obi-Wan or Yoda would appear. They did not. He half hoped that his father would stay away and whether that influenced his father or not he did not know but no spectral forms glimmered in the night. He snapped back to attention as Cliaé spoke several words to a guard.
"There have been vandalism attempts," she said. "Queen Atalya has several of her finest troops guarding this place." As Cliaé stepped in the gate Leia walked ahead. She could not explain how she knew but the fact remained she knew exactly where to go.
"Here," she indicated. Luke and Han stood on either side of her and Artoo and Threepio remained a discreet distance away. A shimmering monument rose before them. Well cared for, Luke noted to himself.
"Padmé Naberrie Amidala," Luke whispered. He read the inscription to himself. Defender of her people, Champion of liberty, A light too soon extinguished, she reigns forever Queen in our hearts.
"Our mother," Leia confirmed. "The monument is changed but I know my father brought me here. I'm sure he did." Tears slipped out of Leia's eyes but she made no attempt to check them. "I remember begging him to let me come here. Mother said no, but Father..." Han wrapped his arms around Leia. She pulled away and knelt on the ground. Luke and Han joined her in silence.
"I saw her, Luke." Leia whispered. "I lay on the ground crying. I was very small and I had run away from Father. I closed my eyes and I, I..." she could not continue but Luke understood.
"You saw her through the Force, Leia," he smiled sadly. "The Force brought you here." He swallowed the lump in his throat, checking the emotion that threatened to spill past his defenses. Dead...
"Father told me that she had been a great senator. He told me something terrible had happened to her. I think my mother put all the pictures away and told the servants never to let me speak of my real mother again. Everyone knew I was adopted, it just wasn't discussed." Luke nodded. He remembered all too well his own similar experience.
"If you believe this is your mother," Cliaé spoke hesitantly. "There are people you should meet." Luke looked up in surprise. "The senator had one sister. I believe her children still live. I'm not sure how to find them, though. Perhaps we could ask Queen Atalya. There are records that could possibly be restored and searched. The Empire destroyed many valuable things but if you, Master Jedi could fix them..."
"There will be no need," a new voice broke through the night. A stately figure glided easily over the roughened ground to stand where they knelt. Leia, Han and Luke hurried to stand before the new arrival.
"My name is Sabé. I served Padmé as her handmaiden, many years ago. And you are Luke and Leia Skywalker."