Naboo Lake Retreat, 3 days later
Padmé and Leia Skywalker have spent the better part of the past three days talking, bonding and debating over several topics, they had elected to keep it light-hearted as they wanted a good foundation for their growing mother-daughter relationship and they wanted it soon, in the mist of arguing over which planet is better to live on, Naboo or Alderaan, Padmé's smile faded and the beginnings of anger were starting to show in her face, eyes and posture.
"Mother? You okay?" Leia asked timidly, she had been shopping with her mother and was wearing some of the clothes that they'd bought together, Padmé had a frown on her face and nodded her head.
"I'm curious Leia, about what your life was like growing up on Alderaan," Padmé mentioned to her grown up daughter, Leia could detect bitterness in her tone and decided to risk it.
"Obi Wan and my adopted father made you give me and Luke, away didn't they?" Leia asked tentatively, Padmé shook her head and snorted in disgust.
"Actually, no. I was walking with you in my arms trying to feed you, you weren't eating so I thought to get you a bottle since you weren't eating my milk, when I went to get the bottles I found them, fed you and put you to sleep but then I'd been hit with a stun blast, and when I came to, I was frantic, I searched all over the outpost for you and Luke but couldn't find you and that was when I saw Master Yoda, to be kind raging like a caged animal, I'd never seen him so angry before but when he saw me his anger changed to sadness and disgust, I asked what happened as I'd been stunned for the better part of six hours, he warned me that I'd be angry and boy I was livid with both Obi Wan and Bail Organa, which is why I was so annoyed with Obi Wan earlier if you were curious, I was even angrier when I found out it was Bail of all people who stunned me in order to take you, I planned to raise you here alongside Ani and your siblings but apparently I cannot raise you and your brother with a "Sith" for a husband and my love for him when I asked why, according to our illustrious General clouded my judgement was the problem." Padmé explained, anger all over her face and it was in her tone of voice as well, Leia was stunned.
"So, that's why you were so annoyed when you saw Obi Wan again," Leia deduced, Padmé nodded.
"According to him, having another Skywalker fall into the "trap" and "dangers" of attachment would spell doom for the galaxy and so…" she trailed off, unable to finish without tears filling her eyes.
"He took matters into his own hands," Leia concluded, anger now in her tone of voice and face, as well as her force signature.
"What's going on? Why are you two so angry?"
Both Padmé and Leia turned to see Anakin leaning on the doorway, eyes of concern on them both, Padmé glanced at him.
"Just recounting a painful tale that I still hold a grudge for," she replied nonchalantly, trying to get her husband off her scent. She'd refused to tell him what really happened all those years ago on Polis Massa saying it was a sensitive topic, but the fact of the matter was clear, their children had been taken from them and they had no one but each other left. He never brought it up thankfully but now she had his attention, his eyebrows raised.
"Oh? And what story is that?" he asked, she looked at Leia who nodded.
"It's the story you've wanted to hear for years, the full story of what happened on Polis Massa all those years back," Padmé explained, Anakin was intrigued.
"I want all the details, no less angel," he replied sternly, Padmé nodded and began the story.
Needless to say, Anakin was stunned, horrified and incensed when it was over, and his tone of voice showed his anger well enough.
"Those insensitive, child stealing pricks!" Anakin roared, Padmé winced.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Ani," she replied weakly, Anakin softened considerably and took her in an embrace, letting her cry as much as she needs to.
"I'm not angry with you for not telling me, if I'd found out back then I would've done something horrible, like killing either of them and potentially leaving them open for abduction. Also, do I really need to ask if you guys have planned a trap to lure Organa here?" Anakin asked mildly, Padmé pulled back slightly and she had an almost evil grin on her face, Leia did too, and Anakin looked between them both.
"There something I should know?" he asked, Padmé shook her head.
"You'll see what we plan soon enough darling," Padmé replied mysteriously, Anakin smirked.
"Just want a front row seat to his humiliation if you don't mind," he replied. Anakin became more serious and sighed deeply.
"Myself and Solo are planning to destroy the Death Star, Leia I had a look at the plans and I have found a glaring weakness in the station, I will exploit that while Solo has my back," he said, Leia nodded but looked surprised.
"Why not wait on the Rebels to join you?" she asked, Anakin shook his head.
"I'm trying to keep the death toll to a minimum Leia, not to mention four of Black 5's Star Destroyers have mutinied and one of them, I've commanded for over two decades meaning I know his strategy and he is one of the best, his name is Admiral Wulf Yularen and he'll gladly join the fight against the Empire," Anakin explained, Leia nodded.
"Can I speak to him?" she asked, Anakin smirked.
"Of course, we all can," he replied, as he keyed in the frequency for the holocom in Admiral Yularen's office, it worked, and a slightly dishevelled Yularen answered, he was shocked though to see Tagge there as well.
"Admiral, I trust things are going well on the Resolute?" Anakin asked, Yularen and Tagge were stunned.
"G…General Skywalker?" Yularen asked incredulously, Anakin smiled.
"Surprised?" he asked mildly, Yularen and Tagge rolled their eyes.
"Understatement of the millennium," Tagge muttered, Anakin heard it but didn't comment.
"Where exactly have you been General?" Yularen asked, Anakin narrowed his eyes.
"Don't play coy with me Admiral, you knew full well I was behind the mask of Darth Vader, I overheard that conversation with Tarkin all those years ago, I wasn't sure what you thought which I is why tried acting slightly different to how I was beforehand," Anakin explained evenly, Yularen smiled knowingly, his General was back.
"So, you are the Angel that the Emperor's placed bounties on are you General?" Yularen asked, Anakin rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I am Admiral, have been for twenty long years," he replied, Yularen smiled knowingly again, causing Anakin to raise an eyebrow.
"What?" he asked, Yularen's smile went grim.
"Only you would ever think of getting into Palpatine's inner circle to betray him this way and had you screwed up, the galaxy would be dead meat," he replied gravely, Anakin shook his head.
"Not exactly Admiral," he replied, Yularen raised an eyebrow.
"Who else could fight this Empire only how you do?" he asked, Anakin smiled.
"My eldest children have just turned 20 years old, they've inherited my boldness and stubbornness," Anakin explained proudly, Yularen groaned.
"Great, now there are three of them, one of you is more than enough General," he replied playfully, Anakin chuckled but became serious as he motioned Leia forward.
"Admiral, this is Leia Skywalker, my eldest daughter, Leia, this is Admiral Wulf Yularen, he served with me in the Clone Wars," Anakin introduced, Leia stepped forward.
"Good to meet you Admiral," Leia greeted, Yularen noticed similarities between her and the late Senator Amidala, he raised an eyebrow at his General.
"Where is your mother, Miss Skywalker? I'd like to meet her," he replied without preamble, Leia was surprised.
"Mom, there's someone on the comm for you," she said, and Padmé Skywalker approached the screen, shocking Yularen and Tagge to the point where they had to grab something to stabilise themselves, Padmé chuckled.
"Surprised, Gentlemen?" she asked mildly, Yularen looked directly at her.
"Yes, but that is hardly the point, since your husband has been reporting to the Rebellion for years, can either of you direct us to where they are?" he asked, Anakin nodded at Padmé and Leia.
"Admiral, my parents obviously trust you, I have yet to think similarly but I think I can trust you, Yavin 4, the Rebels are at Yavin 4," Leia said to the surprise of Yularen, who nodded.
"As you wish Miss Skywalker," he replied as he closed the transmission, Leia looked up at the smiling faces of her birth parents, Leia herself smiled back.
"He called me Skywalker, did you hear that?" Leia asked happily, both Anakin and Padmé had tears of joy in their eyes as they embraced their eldest daughter.
"We love you Leia," Padmé whispered lovingly, Leia was crying herself now.
"I love you too Mom, and you too Dad," she replied, Anakin embraced her tightly.
"I love you too sweetheart," he replied, the door opened revealing Grace walking in with a bag carrying some clothes and lightsaber equipment.
"Dad, you asked for these?" she asked, Leia jumped slightly at her younger sister's voice, but her father smiled and took the bag from Grace, presenting it to Leia.
"What's this?" she asked, Anakin smiled.
"Parts for your lightsaber and Jedi Robes, it's in your heritage Leia, and if you're interested, join us in the training room next time to watch what you can do if we trained together," he offered, Leia was stunned. Anakin Skywalker, greatest force user in the galaxy, deceiving Emperor Palpatine for two decades praising her, an untrained girl based on what she could be.
"I'm honoured Dad, but it's a big commitment and I'll need time to think for myself," Leia replied honestly, Anakin nodded in understanding.
"I agree, and I won't force you if you don't want to pursue the path of a Jedi," he replied as he walked out leaving the eldest Skywalker women together, Grace smiled knowingly at her older sister.
"I know what you're thinking Leia, but he made the same offer to us as well and after a while, we all decided that being a Jedi was in our blood and it was a particularly good way to bond with Dad and Aunt Ahsoka, as well as trying to best our siblings during the mock duels was fun as well," Grace explained, a sheepish smile on her face, Leia was surprised though by one thing.
"Aunt Ahsoka?" she questioned in surprise, Padmé and Grace both groaned, very annoyed.
"You're telling us that pompous Senator didn't tell you about anyone Dad loves in 20 years?" she asked in annoyance, Padmé bit back laughter at Grace's insult towards Bail Organa while Leia looked on blankly. Grace sighed.
"When Aunt was fourteen, she became Dad's padawan learner, it was at the battle of Christophsis and Dad hated her at first, but that only ended up amusing her to no end and even Dad's men found it funny. He warmed up to her though as he saw a lot of himself within her, the Jedi Council hated them both though as they defied them constantly and were viewed as reckless, however they were both revered as war heroes and Dad hated that as the war was hell for him, also he had to spend a lot of time sometimes months away from Mom and to keep up the deceit, he put up with it and acted as if Mom was only a friend, Aunt Ahsoka saw through this but never confronted him as it wasn't her business. However, the end is just horrible, Aunt had been framed for murdering clones and Jedi alike in the bombing of the Jedi Temple and the Council, including that old hag we met earlier sentenced her to death, Dad found the real killer and had her tried and imprisoned for the deaths of so many and framing her best friend, Aunt decided that she couldn't be a Jedi anymore, Dad revealed that he was very tempted to follow her as he hated the Council." Grace explained, Leia was stunned yet again and almost commented when another female voice growled.
"I am no Jedi."
Leia jumped at the angry growl she heard and nervously turned to the doorway where she saw a female Togruta who looked to be about 37 in age, she was 6'3 in height, she had 2 lightsabers attached to her belt and from what Leia could tell, was very angry being compared to the Jedi.
"Aunt, don't kill her please I was just telling her your story," Grace said, Ahsoka Tano softened at her middle niece's tone and explanation.
"I take it you are the oldest niece I have considering how you and Luke have been told to be born 20 years ago?" Ahsoka questioned, Leia nodded.
"I am, Leia Skywalker and my Aunt Ahsoka you are?" she questioned back, Ahsoka smiled and nodded.
"That I am, I hope I can get on well with you since we both have elements of Anakin Skywalker within us," she replied, Leia raised an eyebrow.
"And what are those elements?" she questioned, Ahsoka smirked.
"We both are unruly stubborn, we are both very strong with the force, we have very low tempers and when called upon, we can both be fantastic leaders," she explained, Leia smiled and moved to embrace her newfound Aunt.