Authors Note: I do NOT own star wars. Disney and Lucas film do , along with some other people . theres a list.
Hope you enjoy this chapter. Its more like Part two of the last one. Now, a Lullaby was mentioned in this chapter. To anyone curious it is Mordreds Lullaby by Heather Dale. She has amazing vocals and i just love that song, haunting and lovely but a bit dark. And the authurian nut in me loves it. this was supposed to be up yesterday, but to any new readers I had spinal surgery back in July. I'm doing better now but every now and then I get days were I have bad back spasms. I couldn't do a darn thing. So sorry about that.
Luke yawned, and stretched out some of the kinks he got in his sleep. It was before dawn. Being a farmer , it was automatic for him to get up as the sun rose or a bit before. Seeing as he had time before he was supposed to meet Han. He went to the showers, It still bugged him using water to get clean. He did work on a moisture farm. It was so precious in some systems and planets. Though Naboo was mostly water both fresh and salt. He tried not to think about it.
It didn't take him long to finish and get dressed into his usual white cloths. By now the sun was peaking out from the horizon. It was the agreed time. He was curious why Han wanted to go so early. After all his sister was supposed to get out of hospital today. He had actually been looking forward to getting to know her more.
Shaking his head he made his way to the entrance of capital by the fountain. Han was already waiting there. his arms folded and looking half awake clearly he wasn't used to getting up at this hour of the day.
"So, what's with the hour?"
"Trust me I wish I was still asleep. Why are you so cheery?" He grunted taking a sip of the coffee Luke hadn't noticed he had been holding.
"Grew up on a farm remember. I'm used to getting up early."
"oh, well. Today is Lalia's seventeenth Birthday, with everything going on I forgot about it. So we are going into town see if we can't find something to get her."
"And you needed my help for this?" He was confused now.
"No, your getting her something too. So come on kid we got a lot of ground to cover."
Han headed out of the streets, heading toward the other side of Naboo. Han had been there before since he seemed to move the streets with familiarity. Leaviing Luke to sometimes run after him. The smuggler moved swift. Though the journey gave Luke time to Ponder. What do you get a girl you barely knew but had some sort of odd connection too. He had nothing to go on.
He would have to keep his eyes open today, surely something would come up. He didn't notice Han's triumphant grin like he won a battle.
Han looked back at the kid, glad he was following. He already knew what he was getting her, he just used this as an excuse to keep the two apart for now. Course he knew he couldn't keep them apart forever. But the weird energy they had when they were in the same room. The way she always scooted closer and the way Luke's pupils dilated subtly whenever he glanced her way made him extremely uncomfortable. He liked luke he did and he would love to have him as a future brother in law. VERY future brother in law. But this was his sister Luke had to get through him first.
So he was doing Big brother plan B. since plan A was coming to an end. Which was keep all visitors from her room. Plan B Distraction.
"Any Idea's kid?"
"I don't know much about Teenage girls. On tatooine the few female friends I had or my buddies girlfriends were all into mechanics. I know your sister likes ships and flying. Other than that I don't know much about her yet. Also she tends to hum a lullaby when she thinks no ones listening. Neither of those help us"
Wow, Han was impressed, and disturbed that he had already figured out that twitch of hers.
"Well. I have a couple. She needs a new weapon. We can't go off continuing to do alliance work and tangling with the empire without being prepared. "
"Sound's Impersonal."
"Not with what I have in mind kid.
"If you say so she's your sister. "
"I did say so"
They continued to semi argue as they entered the shopping district by now the sun was up and people were up and around. It would be a long day.
Lalia yawned and rubbed sleep from her eyes she had ended up taking a nap on the beach. Yet hadn't got sunburned which was odd, stretching she pushed off the ground and headed to the boat. Pushing her bangs from her eyes she waited for Noctis to climb in before starting to paddle back to the city.
When she got back to the canal she rowed over to where she originally got the boat. Giving it back to its owner. Before heading back to the courtyard she stopped by the little shop to give back the glass and promising to visit again tomorrow.
Now back at the courtyard she looked around. Trying to find Han. After all now that she was better, she assumed they'd find a different place to stay until they knew what their next step would be. She didn't see him , but she did see Chewie. Grinning she ran up behind him and jumped so that she could wrap her arms around his neck and shoulders. having to use her legs to keep herself up, Chewie was tall.
"Hey.. Whats up?"
She smiled at his noises. "Thank you, I did have a good day so far. Where's my big Brother?"
"Ararara"
"In town huh. Hope he's' not harassing some poor girl again. " She jumped off the wookie.
"Luke with him?"
Chewie nodded.
"Well I guess he can't get into to much trouble then huh?"
"Lalia, there you are." Han jogged over to the two of them. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
She ran over to meet him and hugged him tight.
"Happy birthday pipsqueak. he gave her a noogie, and she struggled to get out from his grip.
"Your messing up my hair!"
He let her go and she straightened out her hair and cloths. She punched his arm hard. "Don't mess with a girls hair "
'He rubbed his arm." Please, it was a mess before I did anything to it.
She wrinkled her nose and looked around. "Where's Luke?"
"No Idea, he said he'd meet us back at the inn we are going to be staying at tell we leave in a couple days. Since your better we can leave this place"
Lalia put her hands behind her back. "Why did we come here and not to another hospital in the region"
Han hesitated, looking back at her. "It was easier." He tossed her a small package.
She opened it, falling into step beside him. Chewie trailing after them. She smiled taking out the small metal electronic boomerang. She pressed the center button electricity pulsed around the blades. It was similar to her staff weapon but smaller. Easily hidden on her person. Her initial's on the hilt.
"Thank you." She gave him a one arm hug and did a practice throw, it went fifteen feet before circling back into her hand.
Pocketing it she went back to focusing on Han. "I mean it. Why were we there. It would of been easy to go to a public hospital. Far easier than a private one. "
"Lalia Drop it, Doesn't matter which one we went to, we got you medical help. Just drop it."
"Its a simple question."
They entered an Inn just past the capital. SHe followed him up the stairs. He stopped infront of one of the rooms. "This ones yours."
She didn't move folding her arms. "What are you hiding? I can tell your hiding something and I don't like when you keep secrets from me."
"Damn it. Why can't you just for five minutes trust in the fact what I did was for your own good. It was the closest one to the landing bay for one. And for another. Its to keep you safe. Just drop it and trust i'll tell you when you ready to know"
"Know what? I'm Seventeen I can handle whatever it is your hiding.
Hand clutched a fist at his side. "Why do you always pick fights. You aren't ready and that's that." He walked away going into a different room.
Lalia growled and hit the door frame before heading into the room. The room she was taken to was dark, but a small glow in the corner caught her attention. She went over to it, a small holographic candle on top of a cupcake, and a note underneath. She grinned and took the note, reading it why she licked some of the frosting from her finger.
"Hope you like it, Luke." Something fell as she read the note. Crouching down she picked up a small keychain, something she could put on her holster that had previously been her fathers. It was a Red Rose. It was simple but at the same time it meant a lot to her that he'd try. Grinning she attached it to the loop next to her blaster and went to her window. looking down at the balcony below that she just knew was Lukes.
Seeing him there looking at the moon. She backed up and took a running jump off the balcony. grabbing the frame she swung so when she got to the balcony below she landed catlike on her feet and hands.
"Like the gift?" He asked before she could fully straighten up.
"I did, thank you. You didn't have to you know" She went to stand beside him.
"I wanted to " He smiled at her before going back to look at the moon.
She leaned against him, it felt natural to do so. She also remembered her mission from this morning. She couldn't get a thing out of Han. But, maybe she could get some closure out of Luke.
"We havn't been able to talk about what happened back on the ship. How..did you find me?" She asked slowly. Sudden fear leaping into her throat. She didn't want him pulling away and shutting her out like Han had done earlier.
He seemed to have sensed her fear. He wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her shoulder.
"Well this is going to sound absolutely crazy. "
"You met my brother, I'm used to crazy." She leaned into him for warmth. Looking out at the vast stars.
"It started with dreams, nightmares of you, what they did to you to try to get you to talk. I saw every wound inflicted but unable to move or help. I thought I was going crazy. It happened every night for two months before I finally figured out that they weren't just dreams. When they started to affect my waking hours as well. I couldn't figure out where you were though. Where you were being kept. It wasn't until I was training with a Jedi Master named Yoda in the Dagabaugh system that I finally had a vision of where I could find you. I got to you as soon as I could. It's why I apologized. I should of found you sooner." He looked away then. Avoiding any eye contact looking like a shy farm boy that he still was deep down somewhere.
She pondered a moment before smiling and gently nudging him. "I saw you too. Sometimes When strapped to that electric chair, or laying exhausted in bed. I could see you standing in the room. I knew you'd come for me. I could feel it, that and a voice kept telling me you were coming. So if anyone's crazy its me. Hearing voices. I think the force connects us that we are bound together, whatever fate has in store for me. I know its with you. It's why I want to go with you and Han. "
"Your brother would never allow that. I wouldn't be to comfortable with you in the line of fire either. What voice? "
"Hey, " She poked him in the temple with one finger. "Remember who had your back on that ship. You haven't seen what I'm capable of when not injured mister"
"Care to Prove that?" He challenged
"Tomorrow morning. You, me and one weapon of our choice, and witnesses. If I win, you will not complain about my presence. if you win. I'll stay behind on whatever backwater planet you stick me on. Deal? "
"Deal."
She smirked and looked back at the sky she looked forward to tomorrows match.
"The voice, is my mother. She was telling me you were coming to hold on just a little longer. I can only hear her when i'm half asleep or near passing out or dying. I think that's the only time she can commune with me. " She said finally breaking the silence.
"I never knew her. but I can feel her sometimes. Gentle, caring and kind. Papa used to say she was beautiful and strong cared a lot about her friends.
Luke rubbed his thumb over her arm to sooth her. she didn't mind as she fought back tears that threatened to pour whenever she thought about her.
"I used to have a locket with a picture of her and another woman, papa said she was her best friend and mom was her handmaiden. Which means she must of been a royal or senator. He would never tell me her name though. "
"What happened to it?" He looked at her and wiped a stray tear from her eye.
"Brother and I were on a mission to grab a few Acklay's for the Black Sun, but we ran into trouble. Some natives didn't like that we were there and we got into a fight. I had gotten backed up at a cliff edge by three of them, and one of them grabbed my necklace and it broke falling into the river. He had been aiming to crush my neck. I would of been in the river with it, Had Han not shot him first.
"At least your alive."
"I suppose..What is tatooine like?" She looked at him curiously. Desperately wanting to switch the subject off her."Brother never let me go to that planet if he had any business that needed to be held there."
"It isn't all that bad. Sure it's hot, There's a lot of sand and there is a high amount of criminal and other dangers. I lived with my aunt and uncle on a moisture farm, we harvest water to use in underground hydroponic labs which I think you know from Han. Tell they died and I got tangled up in this mess. I don't really miss it. Except the duel sunsets. Tatooine has two suns. It's amazing when they are setting.
"Are there really three moons? " She gazed at naboos' one moon. "I bet they are even more beautiful than the suns."
"Hey! what are you two doing down there!"
They both jumped. They had been to engrossed in their conversation that they forgot that her brother was an ever constant threat to the peace. they barely had time to move apart before something metal, it was to dark to see what it was. Hit just where they had been standing a second before.
"Lalia get to bed. LUKE get your ass up here right now. "
"What if I don't want to?" She challenged folding her arms.
"Do you want me to come down there and make you?"
She thought about it. Remembering the embarrassing incident back at the palace. She decided that no she didn't really want to go through that again.
Luke nudged her. "You should get to bed. You look like your going to pass out."
"Fine. I'm outnumbered. "
Han's jaw clenched and one eye twitched subtly. "LUKE!"
"oooo Your in trouble" Lalia giggled. Looked like brother bear was out. She kissed Lukes cheek. "Good night. " She climbed up onto her own balcony, but before going back to her room she looked down at him.
"Why a Rose?"
"Flowers are rare on tatooine and stand out in a crowd. You certainly stand out. In a good way.
She was glad it was dark, she could feel her cheeks flaming as she ran back into her room and shut the balcony doors. She laid down on the bed on her stomach. A grin forming on her face as she stroked notctis's scales
Authors NOte: First Romantic ish moment. How did I do?