Please see the first chapter for disclaimer & other info

A/N: Ah! Look, an update! Sorry it's been such a long time, my faithful readers. Life's been kinda hectic lately and I didn't think I'd even have another chapter up until October! Blame my boss, who has just gone on holidays AGAIN for that one. But I do have some great news, my story Candle in the Wind, has won an award! Check it out here- http/www.nicole(dot)littlevampirebites(dot)com/unchained/romanceaugust.jpg.Big thanks to Shannon for the nomination.

I can confirm that Mara will not be in this story. Sorry to disappoint you guys! Oh, and just a note to Garowyn: For the use of humour, that scenario seemed to fit. I think the issue of whether Han and Leia were intimate during the trip to Bespin in the film or before they married is big enough already :D So sorry for the ridiculously long note, on with the story!

Chapter Four

The room was silent for a few more moments. "Did you just say marriage?" demanded Anakin.

Obi-Wan and Padme exchanged a worried look. This was not going to go well. Bail noticed the interchange and diverted his eyes back to Anakin. He knew this would be difficult. He couldn't even imagine if someone told him that they wanted to marry off his only daughter. But there was Anakin, waiting for an answer, waiting for confirmation that what he had heard was true. Oh boy.

"Yes, Master Skywalker. Marriage."

Anakin kept his focus. He needed to hear it again. "Marriage?" he repeated, his knuckles turning white from gripping the armrest.

Bail sighed. "Yes, marriage. He wants to marry Leia and make her the Queen of Hapes and ascend his mother's position. He wants her as his wife."

Marriage.

Leia.

Married.

Leia, his baby girl.

Married!

Words coursed through Anakin's mind. He couldn't even stop staring. Never in a million years had he expected this. He had only just caught Leia making smooches (he refused to call it anything else) with Han and now she was supposed to be getting married to some ostentatious prince who was a Momma's boy? And she was to become a Queen?

"Forgive our abruptness on this matter," apologised Breha, assuming her regal stance. "We can imagine the shock you must be feeling. But we thought it would be best to bring this matter directly to you. We didn't think Leia would appreciate the situation entirely."

You bet she wouldn't, Anakin thought. She would probably tell the guy to go and get…

"The marriage would firm a great alliance between Alderaan and Hapes," commented Padme.

A smile formed on Bail's lips. "Precisely. One of Breha's nieces even volunteered to become his wife, but I'm afraid he is smitten with our spirited princess."

"The Trade Alliance between your planets would solve many problems in other worlds too," reasoned Obi-Wan. "You could even stop the blaster dispute in the Yultanel System."

"But nobody has spoken to Leia about this?" asked Padme, concerned for her daughter.

Both Bail and Breha shook their heads. "We were hoping the three of you could speak to her about it. We know she's a sensible young woman. She will make the right decision. There's just a few…sensitive issues we don't really want to bring up with her right now."

By sensitive issues, they all knew they meant Han. Since when had the space pirate become a sensitive issue?

"How long do we have before the Prince wants his answer?" asked Padme.

"Isolder wants his answer by this weekend. He's hoping to announce their engagement at the function," Breha answered.

Anakin sighed. Nothing had ever run smoothly when it came to his daughter and men. And now she was going to be possibly engaged at the end of the weekend. But that meant if Leia was going to become engaged to Prince Isolder of Hapes then Han Solo would be out of the picture for good. Brightening at this idea, Anakin smiled.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," spoke a soft voice from the door. Everybody turned to face the young Alderaanian handmaiden. She bowed respectfully.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've been asked to inform you that the Prince has just arrived at the spaceport. He'll be here shortly."

Perfect, Anakin thought, mentally rubbing his hands together in a conniving way. But what Anakin did not know was that the Force had a strange and twisted way of showing the lesson better the devil you know.

Halfway across the galaxy, a very nervous Han Solo stood in front of the door of Jedi Luke Skywalker. He shifted and cursed a little too loudly, causing the two young padawans across the hall to glare at him. Shooting them a death glare, he refocused his attention back to the door.

Luke isn't prone to Dark Side tantrums, he reasoned. Calm down, Solo. You've beaten the old man at Sabacc with naked ladies on them before. This is nothing.

Grateful that Leia had left the day before, he had managed to fly to Coruscant in record time. He had made the Kessel run in 12 parsecs before, after all. He finally took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Luke answered the door, a grin plastered on his face. "Han. I was wondering when you'd finally knock."

Han shot him a death glare. "I told you, kid, to keep that Jedi hocus pocus crap outta my head!"

Luke laughed. "No, Han. I heard you talking to yourself. What can I do for you?"

Suddenly, the patch on the wall where Luke had once accidentally hit with his lightsaber looked mighty interesting. Luke followed Han's gaze and not seeing anything of interest, raised his eyebrow.

"Han?"

He was welcomed with an incoherent mumble.

"Repeat that please, Han."

A barely audible mumble followed, but Luke managed to pick up a few key words. Namely "marry" and "sister".

Trying to keep a straight face, Luke put on his most menacing look and looked Han directly in the eye.

"Han Solo, are you asking permission to marry my sister?"

"Dammit Luke! YES! I want to ask Leia Skywalker-Organa to become Leia Skywalker-Organa-Solo!"

Silence filled the room.

Luke slapped Han affectionately on the back. "Welcome to the family."

A sigh of relief passed through Han. However, his relief was only fleeting. He had forgotten the most important part of the task of asking the woman he loved to marry him.

Her father.

He groaned and put his head in his hands. This was going to be a long weekend.