It was official, Han decided. He had finally come to terms with what Chewie had tried explaining to him for years. He was an idiot. First of all, just landing on Alderaan . . . bad choice. Watching the princess whenever they coincidentally were in the same building or place . . . plain stupid. Going to her bedroom . . . idiotic. Thinking of visiting again . . . where were Jabba's bounty hunters, anyway?
Going to meet a princess, Han had not expected her to be a quick-witted, sharp-tongued, fierce fighter. Sure, it was a huge stereotype of general royalty, but Han was pretty sure they were supposed to be a bit more regal than that. Her fierceness intrigued Han, her dare to put up her own fight against him. It had caught Han off guard, like a blow to the chest. And she hadn't called her security to kill him on sight . . .
Trying to figure the chick out, Han worked on the Falcon's turret guns and their computers, trying to find the source of their glitch. After testing the system out by switching one of the wires, he turned the computer on to watch the lifeforms outside the Falcon erupt into a beautiful display of sizzling, red and orange, glitching figures. "Kriff!" he muttered under his breath, plucking the tested wire free. He tried another one only to hear Chewie howling from the cockpit. "What?! What is it, Chewie?"
Chewie went into a very vulgar, angered explanation to tell Han that, while working on the controls' board, he had been electrocuted. Whoops. He played some more with the wires until he got the graphics on the computers to look better, than he began working out the depth and distance controls. Intertwining red, blue, and green wires this way and that, Han slowly worked out the computers' issues into, one by one, they began to resolve themselves. It helped ease Han's mind of the stress and intrigue the princess had plagued him with, working on his baby. And Han tried not to think about going back to talk to the princess again.
She was an interesting one, alright. A princess who didn't want the prince . . . Han had to sit on that one awhile. Han figured it would take quite a long time to understand the girl, but he was curious as to why she was less than pleased with all the wealth and marriage proposals she was being offered. Han had noted, while outside her bedroom window, that on her dresser sat several engagement rings, all sparkling, dazzling jewels in the daylight, smudge-less in perfect glory. But, the princess didn't care. No ring nor man nor dress seemed to feed her longing for more and Han felt like he was hanging onto a string of suspense, trying to understand why. He suspected there was much more to her than met the eye and decided it would take time rather than questions to figure it out.
Just as Leia was pulling on her boots for another daily marksman lesson with Sabé, Rouge swept her aside and gasped at the sight of her niece dressed in training clothes, her hair up in a sloppy pony tail. "Leia!"
"What are you doing? I'm going to my lessons with Sabé right now." She gestured back to the gym with a thumb, stomping a foot on the ground so her heel sunk back into the boot. "Sorry, Aunt Rouge, but I'm busy."
"Busy? You can't be busy." She grabbed Leia's arm and started for her room. Sabé, who had just come out from the gym, waiting for Leia, called out to Rouge. "Where are you taking her? Lessons are now and Bail only gave me so much time to practice with her."
"I'm sorry, Sabé! I suppose it'll just have to wait." Turning to Leia, the Organa sister said excitedly, "Prince Gram has come here! He has just ordered us to see you. Leia, isn't this wonderful? Oh! But, look at you. No, no. This won't do at all. I think I know the perfect dress for the occasion."
"But, Aunty, I don't want to go."
"Nonsense, dear. Now, would you please your manners for once and stop whining like a toddler? Goodness, child, if you weren't my brother's daughter, I would have slapped you by now. Now, come! We shan't keep the prince waiting."
One look in the mirror and both father and daughter were horrified. Celly and Rouge had picked out a dark purple evening gown with a straight across neckline and a long slit in the fabric nearing her thigh. "Absolutely not," Bail spat, grabbing Leia's wrap from where it rested on her bed. "I demand you change now! There is no way in all nine Corellian-"
"But, Bail! She looks wonderful! If she is expected to marry him-"
"That I'm letting my little girl go out dressed like that!"
"I thought I'm expected to marry Raal," Leia added to the heated rumble of conversations, exchanging back and forth between all four people. From where she stood back, apart from the rest by the bed, Breha shook her head and, in a gentle tone, told her daughter, "Leia, go find something else to wear, something more suitable and comfortable." Leia quickly left and Breha went right up to Rouge and Celly and made this much very clear to the sisters. "Whether you realize it or not, whether you think so or not, Leia is still young. She is still growing up and the way that you two have been pushing her headlong into marriage like she has no choice is pathetic and vain of you both."
"Breha," her husband's warm voice cut in, sternly.
"That is still my daughter. I will not tolerate you two dressing her like a play doll or, or . . . or a prince's plaything. She needs to have time to think, to speak for herself and make her own decisions. If you two can't back off and let her grow up herself, I will personally remove you both from this home."
"Breha!" Bail, gently pulled her back, but the queen continued to glare at the dowagers, so fierce and angry with them both, she was holding in tears.
"Come, now, Breha," Celly flicked her hand as though to dismiss Breha's fears and concerns. "We are only trying to help her. Leia will make a fine queen. She has been groomed well, trained well, all the other houses are anxious to see who she marries. Breha, we understand your view. Dear sister, we share that view. We are protecting her, as well. We are showing her who to trust, what is best for her. We know this isn't just about marrying her off for the sake of a new queen and king. Breha! We're looking out for her, too." Then, Celly finished with a reassuring pat on Breha's shoulder and a sympathetic smile before leaving the room with her sister. "Don't worry."
Leia heard it all from her refresher, watched it through the tiny crack between the wall and the door as her mother fell into her father's embrace, begging him to consider Leia's wishes and wait until Leia could present herself in her own rights. He shook his head, explaining to her that this was the way it had always been and they'd always known it would be, that Leia was mature, strong, and beautiful and she would be just fine, do just fine and pick a wonderful prince to marry by her twenty-first birthday.
"Breha, we can't just break tradition. Trust me, Leia is prepared. She's ready. She's been begging to start her own work for Alderaan, to take the throne soon. This is just a step of what she's asking for. Then, she'll be where she wants to and this whole mess will be over with. Don't fret over something so small, Breha. Leia will be just fine."
Nearly overwhelmed, Leia slid against the refresher door and internally screamed at herself to not cry. She slapped her own cheek, grabbed her wrap, and left for her second suitor date, this time with Gram.
Gram was very different than Raal in several aspects, specifically his empathy levels and respect. When it came to Gram and Raal, there was quite a difference only too easy to see and Gram's high ego shone through their date even before it started.
"Princess Leia," Valden, her family's private driver, opened the door to the speeder and helped her inside. "Prince Gram of House Cortess has requested that I drive you myself to your date. You are to meet him outside the entry way of the restaurant." Even Leia could tell the the Organas' chauffeur was not at all pleased with Gram's decency, but somehow Leia knew it was going to get much worse. However, at Valden's words, Leia froze, knew exactly what card Gram was playing. And Rouge and Celly could hardly care. He wanted to pressure Leia into marrying him by getting Alderaan's hopes up. He wanted to get some publicity for the date, have pictures of his arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding a glistening jewel of a ring to her and make it official through the HoloNet. And Leia knew fully well, knowing herself, that Gram had a grand scheme going, it was nearly foolproof.
Valden drove Leia to the most expensive restaurant on Alderaan which served mostly Mon Cal delicacy exports such as fish, cream-filled oysters, and a whole four-paged menu of other Mon Calamari cuisine items. Valden dropped her off at the entry way and she met Gram who immediately took her jacket and ushered her inside. "Finally, you're here!" He took her hand kissed it as they walked. "My parents are waiting for us at our table."
"Your parents are here?"
"Of course," he smiled at her, taking her hand and squeezing it so hard, her knuckles hurt. "They said they simply couldn't wait to see you again. You know, Princess, they really like you. You'd have the smoothest of transitions into our house."
Shaking her head as she was rushed to a table nearly in the center of the dining room, Leia told him, fearfully, "Gram, I don't think that right now is the most appropriate time to talk about me marrying into your house-"
"Well, of course it is! Relax, Leia. It's not like Raal's here. You don't have to worry about offending him."
"Well, I can hardly see why that would matter, of course, that is, assuming I was one to offend people."
"Oh! Leia, you sure do make me laugh, my dearest."
"Besides, I'm not marrying Raal. I've already turned down his proposal. A few times."
"I have heard you and Prince Raal are at odds with each other. I'm sorry to hear that. It is such a shame. I suppose it was something the Alderaanians were looking forward to, Houses Organa and Panteer uniting. Much like when your father and mother united Houses Antilles and Organa, I suppose."
"And I suppose you expect me to help you unite Houses Organa and Cortess?" Leia responded quickly, casting an expectant look towards Gram. Only a bit surprised by Leia's quick sharpness, he nodded. "Ah! Here we are." In a sudden change in mood, he gestured to the table with his hand and went straight for his seat beside his father. Leia took the empty seat beside him and smiled in greeting to Gram's parents, as was expected.
"Hiii, dear!" Elsie took her hand and squeezed it between both of hers. "It's great to see you again. How are you?"
"Good, Elsie. Good, thank you."
A waitress buzzed by with another menu for Leia and gram's father Prince Thieron signaled for her over. "Get us another bottle of fine, Algarine white wine, please and thank you. The waitress nodded and hurried off to fetch a bottle while Thieron relaxed in his seat and said to Leia, "I'm glad you could join our family tonight. We do enjoy seeing you."
Leia tried to appear excited, smiled and nodded back until Gram spoke, taking Leia's elbow. "Look at that! The family already considers you family."
Leia shook her elbow away and whispered to him, "Please, Gram. Could you stop that? I haven't said anything to your proposal yet."
"Oh, you don't have to think of this as anything serious, Leia. I just thought it would be nice for you to get away while you have all these suitors at your heels." Leia bit her tongue to prevent herself from saying anything back, but struggled when Gram leaned in, his breath hot on the side of her face, and kissed her cheek, trying to turn her chin so he could kiss her mouth. Completely uncomfortable, Leia scooted her chair to the side, closer to Gram's sister Frenéa. The younger Cortess child laughed, elbowing Leia. She flipped her hair so her braids fell behind her shoulders and told the older princess, "It's okay, Princess Organa. It's what they're expecting."
"Are there holo recorders here?" she quietly asked.
"Not that I know of, but I'm sure there will be. Soon enough."
Leia sighed, accepting a glass of wine as Thieron poured it and handed it to her. Desperate for an outlet, Leia quickly downed half the glass and wiped her mouth on her napkin. She placed her order and told Gram, "Tell me now. Admit it already. Why did you ask me for a date tonight?"
Gram looked to her and just stared a long moment. Probably, as Leia chose to assume, thinking up a poetic line of rhyme, claiming to have missed her so he simply could not wait any longer to talk with her again. He found her small hand beneath the table and stroked it with a thumb. "Must you always concern yourself in every affair you catch whiff of?"
"Prince Gram, I have very little time for leisurely dates and whatever other plans you may have. Taking me out to expensive restaurants isn't going to help you buy my hand. My hand can't be bought."
"Well," Gram grinned, whistling a high note in surprise. "Those are some sharp words, my Princess. I don't suppose you could soften that blow with a kiss, perhaps?"
Leia wanted to slap him. Gritting her teeth, she glared at him and quite likely would have, but they were in public and she knew that Gram was trying to get something out of her that would look good on HoloNet. Just then, the waitress came back with a tray of appetizers and Gram turned to her to place his order. Her anger rising when Gram spoke not one more word to her, Leia lost control. With a flick of her hand, she snatched her own night wrap from Gram's chair when suddenly-
"Gah!" Gram screamed, jumping from his seat, covered in white wine, fish eggs (an expensive Mon Cal delicacy) and appetizers.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" the waitress cried, watching in horror as Gram turned an angry glare her way. Leia felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Frenéa pointing towards a swarm of holo journalists. Smiling, the young girl said, "They're here." Leia choked back a laugh before taking the chance to dart away while everyone's attention was on the infuriated prince.
Freshly furious, Leia was careful to shut her door gently behind her, but jumped into bed, screaming into her pillow. She suddenly stopped, eyed the door handle to be sure it was locked and thrashed her legs and arms for a minute. Leia was fully aware of what everyone expected of her, understood that all the other nobles, Rebels and Alderaanians alike had high expectations of her, regarding her as a proper, sovereign princess that was to one day gracefully guide her home planet under her wing. As well as she may have always played the part, Leia wanted to have a moment to really break down, cry on an understanding shoulder and forget that this was happening, but so went the life of Alderaan's most respected politician. So, this is what I get for being the most trusted? Leia silently grumbled. The most respected? Everyone else just gets to push me around, show me back to where my place is when I wander? She finally sat up in her bed, fixing the wall opposite her bed with a death glare so fierce she could imagine paint smears to start running down the wall's face in fear.
"Stupid," Leia muttered, allowing her own anger and frustration to build. "It's not fair! It's not fair!" she growled, twisting a pillow with her hands.
Tha-bump! she heard lightly, ascending the staircase, nearing the hallway. Tha-bump! In a rush, Leia tossed the pillow back where it belonged, unlocked her door and hurried into her room's fresher. "Lelila?" Aunt Tia's voice called through the door. She knocked once and opened it. "Lelila, are you alright, dear?"
"Fine, Aunty," Leia called back to her, dragging a towel down her face, trying to wipe away her messy makeup and the tears. "I'm just washing up before bed."
"Alright." She trailed off for a moment. "How did your date with Gram go?"
Leia hesitated, though she'd already decided to tell the blunt truth. "Watch HoloNet tomorrow. You'll see."
Inexplicable horror rose in their throats as they watched the next morning's HoloNet broadcast with Perre Needmo, standing shoulder to shoulder before the screen, nearly on the verge of tears. "Baaaail!" Rouge called in a strangled cry, her face red in raw, pure anger.