Chapter Seventeen

Rolling to her side, the Former Princess of Alderaan carefully propped herself up on an elbow, putting her hand under her head for support. She watched Han sleeping next to her, his expression happy and content. He was on his stomach, both arms tucked under the pillow, his face toward her with the bruised cheek showing. Leia gave a slight grimace, noting the bruise appeared darker now in the early morning light of the Hapan dawn. Then her gaze traced over Han's back and shoulders. His new body wasn't as muscular and didn't have quite the width of broad shoulders as he'd had before. This was undoubtedly due to his younger age, as well as the fact he didn't have nearly as much time to spend on physical labor now that he was an entertainer. When Solo smuggled, he would do hard labor, loading and unloading contraband, some of it quite heavy, as well as constantly making repairs to the Falcon. Leia knew from experience that some of those repairs required muscle. She pondered his chest. She always liked the amount of chest hair Han had... neither too hairy nor too smooth. This new body's chest hair situation was pretty much equal in quantity to his old body's, which pleased her more than she'd ever admit. Her wandering mind took her lower and despite the fact Han was sound asleep she felt herself blushing. Leia had no complaints about this new version, and she wasn't certain if this would make Han pleased if he knew that, or upset that she didn't consider his former manhood considerably better than his new body. She decided it would be something she would never mention in case he got offended; you could never be certain what would make Han upset. She smiled at her lover, thinking that both versions of Han were a million times better than her wandering husband.

Then she drew her eyes back to his face. His hair was a shade or two darker brown than Han's had been -neither a positive nor a negative in Leia's mind. His new eye color was blue, but unlike Luke's sky-blue, his were now a deep blue. Leia didn't mind blue eyes, but she felt a bit of a nostalgic pang knowing how much she loved and missed Han's hazel eye color, with hues that seemed to shift from light brown to green to gold depending on his mood. So, the eye color was a negative for her, even though the shape and size of his eyes, both the old and the new, were fine. The line of Han's nose was now perfect, his profile nearly flawless. That was a plus, she thought with a smile, recalling his oft-broken and off-center nose of old. Full lips for both bodies, she determined, again flushing slightly at the memory at how those lips had felt on her body last night. Han's 'old' body had a strong, masculine jaw line, and so did this new body, although this new body didn't have the chin scar that was so apparent that people would often ask, much to Han's chagrin, how he got it. Leia had found his scar made him look both dangerous and sexy. She would miss it. His teeth were fine, white and straight, so therefore Han obviously took care of those quite well, just as he'd taken care of his teeth before. All and all, if he had to end up in a different body, this one was acceptable. Judging by his millions of adoring fans, perhaps more than acceptable.

Slowly, Han became aware of being watched and studied. He opened one eye, looking up at Leia. "What are you looking at?" he said, his voice deep and slightly hoarse from sleep.

"You."

He turned his head so he could see her with both eyes and asked, quite earnestly. "Do you like what you see?" He sounded concerned that maybe she wouldn't like this 'new' Han, and there would be nothing he could do about it.

Leia smiled. "I like what I see just fine. I'm committing to my memory this new version of you."

Han gave a slow grin and propped himself up facing her in the same pose so they were nose to nose, only inches separating them. "You don't really have to memorize what I look like, ya know. All you have to do is buy the latest celebrity holo-zine gossip rag and my face is plastered all over inside them. I'm constantly havin' affairs with almost every female holo-star in the galaxy. Hells, I'm sometimes havin' affairs with male holo-stars. I really don't have time to do anything but have sex, according to the shills. Now if they find out I've been messin' around with Hapan Royalty, I'll probably end up with entire editions dedicated in my honor."

"They'd better not find out," Leia told him, keeping her tone light. "I'm a married woman, you know."

Han's face darkened at the mention of Isolder. "Why don't you divorce him? Come with me to Corellia? You don't have to keep living this kind of life. I've got a lot of credits now, Leia, if that's the problem."

"This marriage to Isolder was never how much money you had or... didn't have. It wasn't about you, at all." Leia flung herself flat, staring up at the ceiling to avoid looking into his eyes. "I can't leave Hapes, Han. I have a child that the Queen Mother rarely lets me see as it is. If I leave Isolder, I'll never see Isabell again and that would kill me inside."

Solo was quiet for so long that Leia finally looked over. His face was still and his expression grim. "Please understand," she whispered. "I love you. I've never stopped loving you. I made a mistake, a huge mistake, marrying Isolder, but this is more than just what I want now. It's what Isabell needs, and she needs me. I see how Queen Filamina treats people, how Isolder treats people. I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking that's normal. I want to teach her compassion, and she'll never get that from my mother-in-law or my husband."

"So what is it you do want from me?" he asked softly. "Is this it? A one-night stand? An occasional secret tryst when you travel to Coruscant for government business?"

I want you, she wanted to scream in frustration. I want us! Instead she said in a much calmer tone than what she was feeling inside, "I want you to make love to me again, before you leave. I want to memorize everything about you. Your body, your face, your smell..."

"Smell? I smell?"

Leia gave him a tender smile, reaching over and brushing a strand of hair from his temple. "Everyone has their own unique odor, Han. Everyone. I never forgot what you used to smell like. I loved your smell, whether you were all hot and sweaty from working on the Falcon, or whether you'd just stepped out of the shower 'fresher, I loved the scent of your skin. I want to commit your new scent to my memory, right now."

"I was pretty sweaty last night after we were finished making love," Han said thoughtfully, his mood lightning up a bit. "You could just keep these sheets as a reminder... you know, like those scarves I throw off the stage? Only this particular scarf would be really big, and it has a bit more than just my perspiration wiped on it, if you know what I'm talkin' about."

The Princess pushed Han onto his back, then crawled on top of him to make him stop talking before he had the chance to ruin the moment.

A week later, late afternoon

Queen Filamina sat on her gaudy, ornate throne, glaring down at her daughter-in-law. "Isolder has informed me that you defiled your body with that Corellian singer while he was here last week. Is this true?"

Leia gave an angry stare in Isolder's direction. He looked arrogant and smug, and she suddenly realized she hated him. "My affairs are none of your business. Both of you have lovers. Multiple lovers."

"You know our laws regarding physical contact with uncleansed bodies."

"I know your laws."

"Do you deny engaging in physical relations with Evin Daysun the night of the concert?"

"I do not deny anything."

"Did you cleanse Daysun prior?" the Queen Mother asked, eyes narrowing.

"That is also none of your business."

The older woman sighed, pretending to be upset. "But it is my business, dear child."

"Do you know the consequences for your actions?" Isolder asked, sounding pleased rather than upset. "Breaking this law means our marriage is annulled, instantly. You are disowned by all Hapans, and you must leave the Consortium by sundown. You are banished from all of Hapes for life."

Leia gasped. "I didn't know..."

"It matters not if you knew or did not know," Filamina replied. "It is the law."

"Isabell..."

"You will never see the child again," Isolder crowed happily. "You have cast shame on her, and she will grow up with nothing but contempt for you. I will tell her that you were only my broodmare, a sex-starved broodmare that was unable to resist the dubious charms of a has-been Corellian holo-star."

Six Hapan guards entered the Royal Chamber, walking up beside Leia and surrounding her. Isolder ordered them, "Take her to the space port." He glared at his now-ex-wife, whose face was pale from shock at this unexpected turn of events. "A small transport awaits, and you will leave immediately along with your annoying droid. Consider the transport your divorce settlement, for it will be all you shall receive."