Obligatory disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas; I'm just playing on his playground. Some incidental characters were made by me but no one of importance.
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Chapter 11
"What do you mean 'the queen is your sister'?" Han enunciated each word precisely. Pooja, reclining on the sofa, smiled miserably.
"Ryoo is Queen Atalya," she repeated. Han shot Luke a look that accused him of total incompetence.
"You didn't know about this?"
"I'm afraid not," Luke admitted, covering his mouth with his hand.
"I'm so sorry," Pooja whispered. "I had no idea this would happen."
"You mean it's your fault that the Imperials have Leia!" Han stomped to the door to keep himself from strangling her.
"Not exactly," Pooja protested, sitting up.
"That would be my fault," Cliaé's voice called from the other entryway.
"You're supposed to be with the Falcon," Lando observed.
"My apologies, but I will return there as soon as I can," Cliaé spoke humbly but firmly.
"How is it your fault Leia's been kidnapped?" Lando asked, since neither Han nor Luke seemed willing to speak.
"I informed the queen of your plans," the handmaiden confessed. Han and Luke locked eyes and Han's expression turned murderous.
"Han, wait," Luke murmured, stepping in front of the irate Captain.
"Wait for what?"
"When faced with a situation of this gravity it is perhaps better to be sure your information is both complete and accurate," a new voice broke in.
Everyone in the room turned to the door that Cliaé had entered moments ago. There stood the mysterious former handmaiden who had set in motion their expedition to the Lake country.
"Sabé," Luke recognized her despite her altered appearance. She wore very simple practical combat attire: black pants, burgundy shirt and a tunic that looked both expensive and of distant vintage. A blaster swung at her side and she eased a pack from her back down to the stone floor. Her hair, dark brown with only hints of gray, had been pulled back in several simple braids and twisted behind her head. She presented a dichotomy of practicality and elegance that Luke was forced to admire in spite of his irritation.
"Should we expect anyone else to come through that door?" Lando asked, as he walked over to peer out the offending entry.
"You may recall I warned you," Sabé spoke directly to Luke as she walked to the divan and laid her slim hand on Pooja's tousled curls.
"You didn't warn us that they wanted to kidnap Leia," Han interjected.
"Your failure to heed my words leaves us few options," Sabé continued, ignoring Han for the moment.
"We have options?" Luke asked wryly.
"Only one, really: We must rescue the queen and your sister from the Imperials."
"Why didn't I think of that?" Han muttered.
"I'm sure you did," Sabé conceded. "However, I know where they must be. You will follow my instructions exactly and we may be in time."
"Where do you think they are?" Pooja asked, swinging her feet to the floor and attempting to stand.
"They can only be in the catacombs," Sabé answered, offering her best friend's daughter support to stand to her feet.
"You don't think they went there," Cliaé murmured in disbelief.
"I believe they did, yes," Sabé directed her piercing gaze onto Cliaé. "Your foolishness has troubled us enough." Cliaé's eyes fell and tears dripped down her face.
"I only obeyed her majesty," she meekly attempted to protest but her guilt and grief threatened to fell her.
"Never mind," Luke stepped forward; his thoughts clear once again despite the revelations appearing so quickly around him. "Where are these catacombs?"
"They are several days journey by foot," Sabé began explaining. "A very ancient castle from time long forgotten covers what we know only as the catacombs. The Naboo, when they think of it at all, regard this place as sacred and are not likely to disturb it. There are no cities, very little human presence at all, really. We in the underground occasionally made use of the castle, during the Rebellion. Even we did not venture too far into the catacombs. It is possible some of the more careless members of our organization let slip the location to the Imperials."
"What sort of technology or defense systems does this place have?" Han asked quietly, seeming to recognize Sabé as his best chance to see Leia again.
xXx
"I had no idea," Leia murmured, having patiently waited for Ryoo's explanation. Her cousin smiled gently.
"I didn't expect you to. I never intended to deceive you so maliciously, though," her voice still held a regal tone, but the lower, more majestic, inflection Leia had heard only days ago, slipped away in the quiet cells as the queen allowed herself to become Ryoo Naberrie, instead of Ryoo Atalya, once again. She sank onto the insignificant cot. Leia followed her lead.
"I should have guessed," Leia smiled. "Pooja only mentioned you in the vaguest way. Sabé had indicated we would meet you."
"Sabé knows a great many things," Ryoo acknowledged. "She...she's like a mother to us. Our own mother died before her years."
"Pooja did mention that," Leia assured, lest Ryoo think she needed to relive the dark memories. "So much turmoil in so few years," Leia mused, more to herself than to her fellow prisoner.
"Yes," Ryoo agreed, pain creasing her face before a smile lit her face. "Your mother is the reason I am where I am today."
"Prison?" Leia laughed wryly though she knew that had not been Ryoo's meaning. Ryoo laughed too.
"Well, I suppose that too, but no, I meant my life as Queen. I admired Aunt Padmé so much. She seemed larger than life and yet so beloved. She has become a Naboo legend, but seeing you, and your brother, reminds me of how much I loved her, just for herself."
"I wish I had known her," Leia's words held immeasurable grief and regret but Ryoo simply smiled gently.
"You do know her, Leia." Leia looked up in surprise, meeting Ryoo's earnest brown eyes. "She is in you and your brother. Death is, indeed a great mystery, but you need never feel abandoned by your mother." The words took on the authority of royalty and Leia acknowledged them with a wan smile of her own.
"I think I know what my mother would do in this situation," she confessed. Ryoo's eyebrows rose in question as Leia continued, "She would not simply sit here, waiting to be rescued."