A/N: I'm going to dedicate this to YouTube. Is that okay? Can I dedicate this to YouTube for its wonderful ship videos? Its videos inspired me just enough to get through Chapter 9 a couple nights ago after hours of writer's block. Alright, here's to you, YouTube.

P.S. for the last few chapters, I tried using those dashed lines to separate scenes, but they didn't translate. Nor did my asterisks. That means we're back to dumb O's. Sorry, guys.

OoO

"Might I say, Queen Mother, it is quite the honor to be speaking with you!" Rouge Organa practically exploded, falling to the floor in her deepest, most regal bow she could manage. "Welcome to our home. The palace of the House of Organa is at your disposal, Queen Mother."

The exquisite queen didn't so much as acknowledge the bow as she stepped around the woman to meet with the others of the Organa House. Her hands folded just below her chest and her warps hanging off her shoulders, gathered in her arms, she took steady, measured steps until she was a few feet away from the Alderaanian viceroy and queen. Her female guards, all dressed in dark blue, figure-hugging uniforms with blasters, pistols and snipers hanging in dozens of pockets all over their outfit, reached the Alderaanians closer, though. They came flanking their own queen, but several closed the distance, surrounding the whole assemblage. Upon reaching a foot in distance to the Alderaanian queen, one of the Hapan queen's tallest, most built guards held up her smallest pistol at level with Breha's neck.

Queen Breha Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan didn't dare flinch under the notion. She forced herself to keep her gaze on the queen and not let anything her guards did disturb her, no matter how displeased it made her feel. She had to remind herself who she was dealing with. The Hapans were tricky people to deal with. Reclusive, rich and touchy, they stuck to themselves unless word of something worth their money reached ear. Breha knew that they needed whatever the Hapans were about to offer. The Rebellion, while impressive and growing, had great needs and Alderaan couldn't afford to make any moves on the Empire until the chances looked decent.

In addition to their wealth and reclusiveness, the Hapan system was exclusively known for their striking beauty. Mnay different systems had a different look to their people, a uniqueness that picked them out in a crowd, but the Hapans, mostly humans with a few other species, always had sharp features, long, thick, glossy hair and a seductive something to them that told them apart from, say, Alderaanians or any other human, really. They took deep pride in their beauty, tended to their makeup oh so carefully and dressed in the most expensive cloths the galaxy wove. But, there was one thing that the Hapans treasured more than their beauty, one thing they would die in a heartbeat for, one thing they worshiped like a god. Their queen.

Mostly going by the title 'Queen Mother', the Hapan Queen was highly respected and came with a whole list of protocol on how to greet her, speak about her, and many other things. If anyone were to improperly title her or refer to her as an equal of her people . . . Breha barely stopped herself from shivering at the thought of messing up this meeting. Public humiliation, a lost opportunity, no special resources for the Rebellion. She straightened her posture to be sure she was standing tall enough and bowed how she and Tia had practiced all evening, muttering a Hapan phrase that claimed the Queen Mother to be the one with no equal. "Ereneda," Breha said. Beside her, Bail bowed just as deeply ans repeated the phrase, using his clearest, proudest voice. And behind them, the palace's full staff fell to a bow before the Queen Mother who had just departed her own personal ship. Looking down on the Aleraanian rulers, she spoke for the first time to them. "Rise!" she directed in a sharp, Hapan accent-plagued voice and Breha and Bail rose. "Take me to your place of meeting that I may meet your princess."

"Yes, Queen Mother," Bail agreed, turning to head for the palace's backyard court. "This way, please." Bail led the queen and his own wife for the courtyard, his sisters slowly following behind the Queen Mother, Ta'a Chume, and her flock of guards. In the courtyard behind the palace was a long table set for the Queen Mother, her son, one retainer, one guard, the viceroy and his wife and several other Organas, the rest of the table reserved for members of the other Alderaanian Houses.

Without even asking, which was fine to Bail at the moment, the Queen Mother's top retainer presented her to her chair at the head of the table and took the seat at her left, leaving Bail and Breha to seat themselves across from each other, Bail two seats over from Ta'a Chume's right. One Hapan Royal Guard occupied the awkwardly empty seat and the other seats slowly began to fill in.

Now seated with most of the party, Ta'a Chume introduced her retainer to the Organas and told them, "This is Trisdin. He is my most trusted retainer and he shall bear full witness to this meeting. He acts as a high dignitary or, perhaps, a representative of myself. We share thoughts and none of your party is to interrupt him. Is that much understood, Viceroy?"

"Of course," Bail smiled pleasantly, folding his linen napkin over his lap. "We have studied and are already familiar with many of the traditional Hapan customs. Your way of life is understood by us."

"Good," the Queen Mother said. Over her face was a black veil and she kept it there. This was only one of the ways in which Alderaanian and Hapan ways differed. Typically, if one were to be seated at another's table, wearing a hat or anything that covered their face, it would be considered horribly rude and they would have been lectured or dismissed from the table. However, this was a queen they were dealing with; another planet with different customs and Bail didn't dare point out that little difference to Ta'a Chume.

"Now," she spoke up again spreading her own napkin across her lap. "Where might your daughter be? My son is waiting for her arrival."

Breha hadn't caught glimpse of anyone she thought could possibly be the queen's son and he surely would have been accompanied to the head of the table, but she followed along and answered anyway. "Leia is almost ready. She was dealing with some . . . negotiations that kept her. She should be down very soon." Her gaze shot to Tia and the woman nodded, hurrying to check on Leia inside the palace.

OoO

Tia hurried up the stairs and into Leia's room where her niece stood before her vanity, holding up her top while Sabé was, in quite the rush, pinning up Leia's skirt of her dress and finishing her hair and makeup. Her hair was nearly done, several sections of it braided into separate braids, pulled back a single bun the nape of Leia's neck. Tia gasped at the sight of her niece looking so exquisite. "Oh, Lelila! You look wonderful!"

"Thanks, Aunt Tia, but we're done yet."

Sabé hands flying wildly across Leia's skirt, she spoke with little breath to Tia. "If you could help us, please?"

"Oh, of course."

"I wasn't expecting them so early! I wish we'd got a little more of a warning."

"I agree, but we don't have much say, now do we?"

Leia heaved a heavy sigh, pulling up her top higher. "Do I really have to do this? I don't think I even want to consider any proposal the Hapes Consortium is offering."

"I know, Leia, but your parents are well aware of how much this would help the Rebel Alliance. They're looking for resources and funds, not your life partner."

Tia grabbed a tiny bin of pins and pulled up Leia's skirt to pin the train up. The dress was cream-colored, the skirt bearing two layers. The first layer was made up of short ruffles, so short they nearly stuck straight out. The second layer consisted of more subtle ruffles that flowed straight down to the floor. The laced top was a series of fake peals overlapping each other in an organized mess with two-inch sleeves and a V-neck to complete the look.

While Tia finished with Leia's dress, Sabé got to work on her makeup, which she always used so little on Leia to bring out her natural beauty, and grabbed a small pack of sequins, pinning them into her hair along her braids. When she was satisfied with Leia's hair, she went back to highlight her eyelashes with a brush then stepped back to take a look. "Okay," she beamed at her and Tia's work. "I think we did pretty well."

Leia held out her hands and spun around. "You sure it's good enough to meet the Queen Mother?"

"Oh, yes, my dear. You look so splendid," Tia took Leia's hand and started for the courtyard with her. "I think Raal and Gram might get a little worried."

Leia blushed at the compliment, hurrying down the steps with her aunt and mentor in tow. They made it to the courtyard where, standing in the thick, bright green grass was a long wood table covered with a thin white sheet. Hapan and Alderaanian representatives lined all sides of the table, leaving a couple seats open for Leia to choose from, both between the Queen Mother and Leia's parents. "Queen Mother," Leia's mother stood and motioned for Leia to come. "I present to you my daughter, Princess Leia Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan."

Leia choked down her displeasure and bowed to the Hapan Queen Mother, her long skirts pooling at her feet. She quickly swallowed over slight fear and said in an elegant, smooth voice to the foreign queen, "Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium, it is an honor to meet you at last. Alderaan and its houses have been very excited for this meeting. I myself have been preparing to speak with you, Ereneda, Queen of the 63 worlds of the Hapes Consortium."

"Rise, my dear," the queen spoke in her rich, but sharp and deadly voice. Leia knew the Hapan Queen Mother to be a woman of power and extreme self-respect, but she also had a track-record of getting what she wanted at the expense of many nobles and others who refused to recall their scenarios. Leia tried to keep her strength and wits about her as Ta'a Chume responded back. "And allow me to introduce my own son, Prince Isolder. He is too polite, I ought to tell you myself that he has been very anxious to meet you as well." She stepped aside and from a small transport just behind the table came a dozen stunning women in skirts of the finest silks and tops sequined in a hundred colors. Jewels and gems of a vast variety adorned their heads and they came dancing around Leia, light on their bare feet. "Hapes! Hapes! Hapes!" they sang until the last one danced off the boarding ramp with the Hapan prince following. Impeccably dresses in navy pants with a tan tunic ripped open to reveal his strong, eight-packed body. Like the queen, a veil hid his face, but, after kneeling at Leia's feet, he took it off, turning his gaze to meet hers. "Princess Leia of Alderaan," he smiled, his eyes dancing with all the colors of his home world.

"Prince Isolder of Hapes."

"Well, I must say it is wonderful meeting you finally. And you do look so stunning." Leia nodded her thanks and Isolder took her hand, brought it to his mouth and planted a delicate kiss on her knuckles. "So exquisite. Do you always dress so nicely?"

"Thank you, Prince Isolder." The two sat beside Leia's parents and Memily was quick to come with the party's first course.

"Ah, Queen Mother," Bail smiled upon seeing the cook come. "Allow me to introduce to you Memily, our palace's finest cook. She will be serving tonight's meal and all its courses."

"Yes," Memily took a deep breath and spoke to Ta'a Chume. "For tonight, I have prepared pulled nerf steak with a traditional Alderan sauce of coút laimen with a siding of typical Alderaanian greens. This appetizer is a light salad with mónjure bread crumbs and varied fruits. And, in conclusion, tonight's dessert will consist of a small, soft joisver cake drizzled over with some aralute juice. Of our wines, which would you prefer?"

She handed the Queen Mother a menu, but the woman quickly answered, "Sharp, red wine. Atkeece."

"Coming right up!" Memily smiled at the queen before taking off. She looked to Queen Breha and the older woman nodded with a bright smile. Memily smiled in relief, hurrying off for everyone's wine orders.

Once the main course was served, Isolder and the Queen Mother began to talk more openly, more freely and it thrilled the other houses. Elsie Cortess was knee-deep in some pointless conversation with the Queen concerning makeup tips and Leia had to stifle a laugh at the sight of the Hapan barely tolerating it. Isolder spoke first with Leia's father, smiling, making small talk and cracking jokes. Just when Leia was starting to feel a bit left out, Isolder turned to her and began. "I'm sure you're wondering why the Hapes Consortium is suddenly coming out of its common reclusive behavior?"

"Well, considering the time of the year here on Alderaan and intergalactic expectations, I suppose I'd have to presume you're here to offer me a marriage proposal."

"Leia!" She didn't have to look to know the admonishment came from her Aunt Celly.

"Well," Isolder still looked pleased. He offered Leia a bright smile and clapped his hands twice. "You'd be correct in your guessing." A female guard with dark, ruby eyes and navy blue eyes of his own came forward. In her hands she held a small velvet draw string bag. She handed it to Isolder who opened it and presented Leia with a diamond ring, the biggest Leia had ever seen, sparkling in the light of night. The other Alderaanians at the table besides Breha, Bail and Sabé gasped at the sight. Isolder knelt before Leia and showed her the ring up closer. He took her hand and kissed it softly, over and over again. "Leia, my beloved, I have been watching you, your political moves, the way you present yourself, the kind of person you are. The Hapes Consortium is facing a turning generation and they need a new Queen Mother who understands their needs. I trust you, my Princess, with all my guards, with all my wealth and riches and army. I trust you with my people. With this in mind, I am aware that your own people have their needs, too. I have considered this. It is my understanding that Alderaan wishes to oppose the Empire. Assuming you do accept my proposal, I shall offer the Rebel Alliance and Alderaan itself all the money, resources and fighters they need to overthrow the Galactic Empire, Lord Vader, Emperor Palpatine. I offer all this to you . . . with my hand. Princess Leia Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan, will you marry me?"

OoO

Time to think. That was exactly what Leia needed, but she feared it was little to no help at all. She knew what everyone expected of her, what nearly everyone at that table had been hoping her answer would be. She had known, and been careful, to answer with the utmost respect, careful with what words she chose and how they spoke them. And with those words, Leia had asked for time to think. If nothing else, Prince Isolder had at least shown her respect back at her request and nodded, telling her, "My days and nights are yours, Princess," and planted another delicate kiss on her palm.

Lying on her bed, she discussed the scenario with Han.

"Are you really considering any of these proposals, though?" Leia hated herself for liking anything about him, but she couldn't ignore that fact that, for some reason, Han cared. Upon seeing him outside her window again, Leia had started right off the bat with a rant. And Han had listened. Sensing her frustration, Han had told but a single joke, all serious so suddenly, listening to her every word. She drew her hands down her face with a long sigh and told him, "No. Not really. Not until now. It's so overwhelming to have all these offers and a whole world waiting for your answer, breathing down your neck the whole time. I wasn't even planning on considering any of them. I mean, I've listened, but . . ." she trailed off, staring into space, leaving the rest for Han to fill in himself.

"But these guys could really help the Alliance," Han finished for her, watching her where she lay on her bed. "So, you really believe in this rebellion, huh?"

"It's my life," Leia nodded with a hopeful smile. "Or, at least, what I want my life to be."

Han took her words into consideration before reaching a thought he then related to her. "Isn't this the life they want for you, though? I mean, this whole political marriage setup? Is this really what you want?"

Flipping to lie on her side, Leia stared at Han a moment, turning his words over in her head. "You know, you're a lot smarter than I first took you for, Solo." She turned away, staring at her ceiling. She didn't say anything more, just stared like that, all silent. Han watched her, flipped onto his back and stared at the ceiling like her. "I'm looking," he told her.

"For what?"

"For what you find so enthralling about this white ceiling."

Han's stab at breaking the silence resulted in a long laugh coming from Leia. Doubling over with laughter, Han got a glimpse at what she must have been trying to conceal beneath all of her 'princess' veneers. She pointed at the ceiling, explaining, "I like to look at the ceiling, at all the tiny bumps of paint, and look for pictures. Like there. You know what I see? I see a girl, screaming. And there's all these other tiny bumps around her and they're crowding her. There are so many and they're so close to her, she feels like she can't breathe. She's suffocating in all their company."

"Is that what you hate most about this? The attention?"

"I hate not having a choice. I wish, somewhere in the huge crowd, there was a dashing, rogue prince who listened. And I wish he listened to me. And actually cared about me."

Han, with his hands resting under his head, turned his head to look at Leia and he just smiled. "That would be really great for you, wouldn't it?"

"Just one guy I could talk to that didn't make me feel like retching."

"You don't look like you're suppressing the urge to retch around me," Han pointed out, speaking with the tone of a question. Leia didn't speak again. She stopped searching the wall for pictures and mulled over Han's words. "Don't tell me you're suggesting . . ."

"No," Han assured her. He sat up and tapped Leia's elbow to get her to sit up. "I just meant that . . . well, I've never had a friend. Not really. Besides Chewie, I mean. I've never had the comfort of someone who sat down with me and listened and helped. I'm really thankful for the job, Leia. Thanks for recommending me."

Leia smiled back at him, a little broader. She sat up and asked, "So, it's going well?"

"Yeah," Han nodded. "It's going really well. I like it. Chewie likes it. It's a nice place."

"Good. I'm glad it's working well for you. Hopefully, you can start to pay back that debt now."

"Yeah, hopefully."

Leia pointed to the bag of candy in his hands. "Could you toss me another?"

Han fished out a gummy and tossed it onto Leia's bed, grabbing another for himself. "What's your favorite flavor?" he asked her.

Her laugh, light and mellifluous, answered before actual words. Leia's round brown eyes found him and answered, giggling, "Lensool."

"You're kidding." Han's eyes had gone wide. "Mine too."

"When I was a little girl, I used to make lensool candy with my mom."

"By hand?"

"Yeah, by hand." Leia threw her legs over the edge of the bed and slid off the sheets to show Han her hands. "Took quite the work."

Han snorted. "Quite the calluses," he remarked and Leia clapped in pride. "For a princess."

Leia spun around to face him and squinted her eyes, disapproving of his judgement. Shaking her head, she crossed her bedroom to an ornate chest in her closet. Decorated in paint with random spirals and flowers. Han thought he heard her mutter and repeat his quote, 'for a princess' under her breath, but either way she seemed intent to show him she was no ordinary princess. She hauled the chest out of her closet to the foot of her bed and played with its silver lock, spinning the combination circle until it clicked open. She opened the chest and started running through its contents which included a plethora of little dolls, holo albums and . . . weapons. Weapons. "Um," Han's mouth fumbled for words as he stared at the collection. Antique and modern, Han had to admit the princess had an impressive collection. From Nabooan Royal Grade to Corellian CR-2's, her unique collection varied in, not only blaster types such as pistols and rifles, but ethnicity as well. Blaster pistols, rifles, sporting blasters, E-11's, DH-17's; she had it all. Still taking his time to admire every single one in all their splendid beauty, Han whistled, stopped in his tracks at a loss for words. "I thought Alderaanians were pacifists?"

"We are," Leia agreed. "But peace talks and attempted treaties aren't going to destroy the Empire, now are they?"

She grabbed an ion blaster and played with its handle, checking its power pack before tossing it back. She dug through the pile until she came across an E-11 and slipped a refill into its power pack and tossed it behind her. Han watched her go, checking through the weapons one by one and he asked her, "So, why are you in possession of the galaxy's greatest blaster collection?"

Leia tossed him a smirk, gesturing to tell him he could look and touch them. Han listened to her answer, playing with his personal favorite: the classic DL-44. "I'm trying to convince my father me and my friend Winter should be able to learn to defend ourselves. Thus far, he has only agreed to teaching us self-defense fighting. Without weapons. He's an old-time man, my father. I don't think he wants to admit things are so bad that Alderaanians should be using weapons."

"But you think you should?"

"I think we might have to." Leia walked back over to him, eyeing the blaster in his hands. Small, compact, but powerful, DL-44's were handy little things. If the user knew how to properly handle one, it meant certain doom for any enemy standing in the way. "Do you know how to shoot?"

"Yeah," Han nodded. He began putting the blaster away, but Leia shook her head, pushing it back into his hand. "No," she said, a smile casually growing on her face. "Keep it."

"Really?"

"Of course."

But just as Han began to reach back and tuck it safely into his holster, Leia reached out a hand for it and Han stopped, his attention on her. "If. You teach me how to fire all of these."