AN: For those who read the first story in this collection, To the Past, it is now a longer fic. Check out my profile. Though it is now called In the Past. The following story is much more a Leia and Vader story, but originally when I first created it, it was a Luke and Vader story. I had built a lot around this AU, but didn't quite have an actual story. I decided on this story for the one-shot.

The Story of the Sith Dragon

Summary: Leia, the young princess of Alderaan, finds a storyteller at a banquet to tell her the tale the of Vader, the Sith Dragon. It is a story she's heard hundred of times, but no matter what she longs to hear it again. There is just something about the story that draws her in.

Leia moved quickly through the great room. The young girl was small and few noticed her slip amongst the crowd. The tables were completely filled. The noise was loud. It was filled with people talking and laughing and clanking plates and cups. There were a few drunken tunes being sung here and there. Every now and then she could make out the sound of a fiddle or flute.

She carefully eyed the travelers as she made her way through the room. The soldiers of Alderaan wore the blue and white of her house. Plus she knew many of their faces. Instead she focused on the many visitors who had come into the palace with a visiting delegation from Chandrila.

She finally spotted what she was looking for. He was a dark skinned man in a patch quilt cloak. A small group of drunks gathered around him as told some lewd tale of a fair maid and a stupid knight. He finished his tale and the crowd dispatched. Most likely off to get more drinks and food. Leia at once placed herself in front of the storyteller.

"I'd like a story please," Leia said.

The storyteller looked at her. He looked annoyed. He was most likely looking for a drink and a rest before he rounded up the next crowd. But he smiled when Leia held up a gold coin. The man quickly pocketed it.

"What kind of story do you want milady?" he asked. "One of dashing knights and evil fairies? Perhaps you would like to hear of the great forests of Kashyyyk and the giant Wookies?"

"I want a story about the dragon," Leia said.

"I know many stories about dragons!" the storyteller said. "The great krayt that swallowed an ocean whole!"

"No," Leia said a bit sternly. "I want to hear about the dragon."

The storyteller paused. "Surely . . . you don't want to hear about the Sith dragon."

Leia smiled and nodded. She had always been fascinated about the story about the Sith dragon. Her father and mother hated her fascination. They banned all stories and books about the subject. Official minstrels and visiting acts were warned beforehand. As such Leia had to wait for moments like these when storytellers and jesters got swept in with a large crowd.

"Very well," the storyteller said. "But this it not a happy tale."

"I know," Leia said. She had heard the story a hundred times and a hundred different ways. Each story was different. There was always something added or taken away, but she loved hearing them all.

"Ages ago, in the time of early man," the teller started, "was the time of dragons."

Ages ago, in the time of early man, was the time of dragons. Skywalkers as they were called. Great beasts who took to the sky. They were able to harness the magic of the earth. The Force. They taught their secrets to man, to the Jedi Knights. But some knights grew jealous. They thought the skywalkers were keeping secrets from them. Withholding techniques of the Force. These knights turned the world of man against the dragons and thus the dragon hunts began.

It was thought that all the true and proper skywalkers were killed off. There were still dragons. The krayts of the desert. The sandos of the lakes and oceans. But none of these could fly. None of them were smart. None of them could use the Force. And time continued. Only the Jedi Knights knew the secrets of the Force. The great dragon skywalkers were a thing of stories and myths.

Now out in the east, there was a beautiful and peaceful country of Naboo. It was known as the land of hundred lakes and waterfalls. It was a rich and bountiful land. At the time, a girl had ascended the throne. She was Queen Amidala. However shortly upon her crowning, her country was invaded by Neimoidia. The young queen fled for her life, but the Neimoidians gave chase.

The queen had a four handmaids that were chosen due to the likeness to the queen. The queen and the handmaids each dressed in the same outfit. Then they split into five separate groups to confuse the pursuing enemy. The real queen fled into the Tatooine desert, but the Neimodians sent a fierce Dathomirian assassin who was not tricked by the queen's ruse. He chased after her into the canyons of the desert. Right when she thought she would die by the assassin's blade, a beast swooped down and killed the assassin.

The beast was like none the young queen knew to exist, but had seen in plenty of paintings. It was a skywalker dragon. He had gold scales and blue eyes the color of the sky. Then she noticed a shackle around his leg with a long chain connected to it. The skywalker was trapped in the canyon by a cruel Toydarian peddler. The young queen freed the dragon from his chains and the two flew to great island city of Coruscant.

Now in Coruscant there meets the Great Assembly. They say 2,000 nations and tribes meet in the great rotunda there. Queen Amidala pleaded her case to the Assembly, but the Neimoidians had representatives there. They said the queen was lying for she had no proof of an invasion. Behind the queen stood a boy with gold hair and blue eyes, and suddenly he transformed into a dragon. He said he knew the queen was not lying and would accompany her back to her nation.

Seeing a real dragon, the great Jedi Knights sent two of their own with the queen and the dragon. The company returned to Naboo, and with the aid of the dragon and the knights, the queen was able to liberate her country from the Neimoidians. With peace restored, the Jedi asked the young dragon if he would return to their temple back in Coruscant. In his human form, he could learn to be a Jedi Knight. The boy agreed and bid farewell to Naboo and the lovely queen.

Time went on. Skywalker grew older into a Jedi Knight. Eventually he crossed paths with Queen Amidala again. The two fell in love, but such a thing was forbidden for a Jedi Knight. They were sworn to their Order and weren't allowed to marry, but Skywalker and the queen married in secret. However soon the Great Trade Wars spread across the land. Skywalker became a great general and was known as the Hero With No Fear. Whenever he could, he would sneak off and spend time with his wife.

The storyteller paused. A few others had gathered around during his story, but he eyed Leia. "Girl," he said, "Are you sure you wish to hear this story? It's not one for young maids."

"I already know how it ends," Leia said. "Everyone does."

The storyteller nodded. A sad look crossed his face. He took a deep breath and continued.

Queen Amidala grew pregnant with Skywalker's child, but since their marriage was forbidden she hid all signs of it the best she could. However, eventually the Jedi Order found out the truth. They confronted the queen. There was an argument, which led to a fight. In the end, the lovely Queen Amidala of Naboo was dead. Her child with her.

When Skywalker saw his dead wife, he was overcome with grief and rage. His once golden scales turned black. His blue eyes turned a red gold color. No longer was he a skywalker, but a Sith dragon who they called Vader. Vader flew to Coruscant and attacked the Jedi temple. His mighty roar brought flames that towered into the sky. Boats said they could see the glow from Kuat and Corellia. All within the temple perished. No one survived, not even the younglings.

But Vader was not finished. As you may recall, the dragons were the original users of the Force. Skywalker and thus Vader had abilities beyond any other Jedi Knight. Somehow the mighty Sith infected the minds of the soldiers serving under the Jedi generals. A single order filled their minds: to kill the Jedi. The soldiers carried this order out without hesitation. It was only after the Jedi lay dead, did the soldiers realize what had happened.

With the majority of the Jedi dead, Vader returned to Naboo. There he mourned his wife. His grief created a poison across the land. His rage turned the hundred lakes and waterfalls into boiling lava. The land became blackened and barren. The beautiful palace in Theed transformed into a tall towering black fortress where Vader lives to this day. No longer do they call the land Naboo. It is now Mustafar, land of the Sith dragon. Home of Vader.

"To this day the dragon still flies from his fortress," the storyteller said. "Sometimes he attacks places where there are rumored to be hiding Jedi. Sometimes no one knows why the horrible creature descends upon a town or city. Many brave knights and hunters have set forth to Mustafar to slay the beast, but none have been successful. None have returned. It is said that only a Jedi Knight's crystal saber could pierce a dragon's scales. Now that there are no Jedi, there is no one to craft the kyber crystals into glowing swords."

The storyteller sighed. "We can only hope that one day the dragon's anger will finally die out."

The storyteller nodded at Leia and moved off to get a drink. The small crowd that had gathered went back to their own food and drinks, expect for one man in a hooded cloak who seemed lost in thought. Leia was losing herself in her own thoughts. She was comparing and contrasting the story she had just heard to all the others stories about Vader.

There were many different variations. There were some that said the Jedi Knights were already in Naboo when the Neimoidians attacked and were with Amidala when she was in the desert. Some stories included Skywalker's mother, who was a human slave who had to be left behind. There were also sometimes tales of how Skywalker was forced to compete in races against horse riders through the canyons.

There were tons of details that got added or taken away, but the core of the story remained. There was something about that story that resonated within Leia. She didn't know why, but the story of the dragon always fascinated her and annoyed her parents. They said it wasn't healthy or proper for her to focus on such things. She was a princess, and needed to focus on her studies. On her country. Her people.

The cloaked man made a grumbling noise bringing Leia out of her thoughts. She looked up at him. He was tall. His hood was deep which casted his face in shadow. His was looking at her. It set a shiver up her back. His eyes . . . were they gold in color?

"Tell me you do not believe in that fool's tale, girl," the man said to her. His voice was rich and deep.

"Some of it has to be true," Leia replied. It had to be. Her father was on the city island when Vader attacked the Jedi Temple. King Bail Organa had gone to the temple to help the Jedi, but the flames were too strong. The city guard turned him away.

"Perhaps there is a sliver of truth in there."

"Regardless it's just so sad."

". . . sad?"

"Yes, sad. That the dragon's wife and child died. He was just lonely and sad."

The man took a long look at Leia. "I have heard that story a great many times. Afterwards people usually curse the Sith's name. Never have I heard anyone symphansize with the dragon."

Leia shrugged. "What would you do?" she asked. "If the one you loved was killed by your own people? The people who raised you and you fought besides?"

"I do not have to wonder such things, child," the man said in a very soft voice that Leia almost didn't hear.

"Ahem," came a voice from behind her. Leia turned around and looked up at the Captain of the Royal Guard.

"Captain Antilles," Leia said. "I hope you are having a good night."

"Princess Leia. It is time to bid your guests good night," the captain said sternly.

Leia bobbed her head at the tall man and allowed herself to be lead away from the great hall. It was late, so when she got back to her room she crawled into bed. Her thoughts were of dragons and queens and knights as she drifted to sleep.

She awoke to the bright warm light of day. But as her eyes looked up at the ceiling, she noticed dark shadows still clung to the walls. It was still night, but warm light flooded in from the window. That was when she noticed the flames. That was when she heard the screams. At once she jumped from her bed and raced to the window. The palace was on fire! Flames stretched high into the night sky.

A great shadow moved through the flames. Large black wings spread out. A black head with spikes and sharp teeth reared back. A horrible roar filled the air causing Leia to flinch. The very walls and windows shook and rattled from the sound. Then fire poured out of the mouth of the great beast. It was Vader. The sith dragon. He was here!

"Princess!"

Captain Antilles barged into the room. His guard tunic was scorched and tattered. He had a large cut on his upper arm and his face was dirty and bloodied.

"Come princess!" he shouted as he marched into the room and grabbed Leia by the arm. He pulled her out of her room and down the hall. Her bare feet slapped against the stone tile of the palace hallways. The captain often had to change their path due to flames, smoke, or collapsed hallways. But eventually they made it down into one of the large cellars.

It was quiet and cool down here. The air was still nice. The cellar was currently empty. It usually held crates and barrels, but those had been given to the Chandrilans. Now the large room was bare, except for the group of people on the far end.

"Mother! Father!" Leia cried seeing her parents. At once she saw the queen and king turn to face Leia. Both of them smiled.

"Leia!" her mother called and took a step forward towards the girl. But then she stopped suddenly. The queen's eyes grew large as did the king's.

Leia looked up at Captain Antilles. He no longer was holding her by her arm. His hands were by his throat. They were grasping and clawing. His face was white. His eyes large and round. He made short choking sounds. Slowly he started to rise. His feet left the floor, but the captain didn't seem to notice. His hands still grabbed at his throat. Then suddenly a sharp snapping sound was heard. The captain's hands fell limp to his side. Then his whole body flew to the ground as if casually flung to the side.

Leia wrapped her arms around her as she stared at the captain's unmoving form. She glanced back over at her parents on the other side of the large storage room. She was going to walk over to them, but found her feet couldn't move.

"You will not go back to them, child."

She turned her head to see a man walk into the room. It was the same man who had listened to the storyteller's dragon story. Except now his hood pooled on his shoulders. She could see his long curly hair and a scar that slashed by his right eye. But most alarming were the eyes. Golden red eyes that glowed. Eyes that were focused right on Leia.

"Leia!" Queen Breha shouted.

"Vader!" King Bail shouted. "Let go of my daughter!"

"She is not yours!" Vader roared. His voice seemed much louder than a man's should be. It shook the air. "You stole her! She is mine!" Vader came to a stop besides Leia. His gold eyes looked down at her. As her eyes met his, his eyes softened. She could see it. She could feel it. There was a deep sadness in those eyes, but also a deep love. A black gloved hand came out of Vader's cloak and rested on her shoulder.

"She is a daughter of Alderaan," King Bail said as he took two steps forward. "She is my daughter despite whatever you may claim."

The softness in Vader's eyes instantly disappeared. His pupils turned into slits. His lips curled in a snarl and Leia noticed sharp teeth.

"She is a dragon," Vader hissed. "A skywalker. A creature of the air. Let me show you."

"No!" Queen Breha shouted.

But Vader ignored the cry. He looked down at Leia again. Her brown eyes were wide as she looked up at the silted eyes of the Sith dragon. Slowly his gloved hand rose, and he gently pressed a finger right in the middle of Leia's forehead. She took a deep breath and her eyes slid shut. There was something ringing inside of her. Like a large bell. She could feel the vibrations humming inside of her. They were growing louder and louder.

Change, came a dark deep voice.

Her body grew warmer and warmer. It felt like she was in a really hot bath. As if she was melting into the water. Her body was moving, changing. The ringing in her mind continued to grow louder and louder. Then it faded away. The heat cooled. When she opened her eyes she noticed she was now on the floor. She felt the cool stones against her belly.

She looked up to see Vader staring wide eyed at her. There was a look of shock on him as he stared down at her. Leia turned her head to look at her parents, but as she did . . . Her body was wrong. Something was off. Then she saw it. The white scales. The white leathery wings. Then she felt it. Those were her scales. Her wings.

At once her head whipped around to take stock of her body. No longer was the body of a girl, but that of a dragon. She tried to move, but her body felt heavy. It wasn't responding. It felt so off. How did she move wings? And a tail?

But it also felt so right. This was her. She was a dragon. A skywalker.

It is all right, came a soothing deep voice. Vader was slowly approaching. This is just the first time in this body. You will eventually learn to move.

Vader walked up and his glove hands reached down to her face. His hands rested gently on her . . . her snout? Is that what she had now in this body? He gently stroked her.

Beautiful, he said softly. You are so beautiful.

She looked into his gold eyes. She felt pulled into them. She could feel him. Not just his human body, but . . . beyond that. He was large. Fierce. Dark. Cold and hot at the same time. And horribly powerful. She could also feel her parents behind her. They were so small and weak compared to the tempest before her. She could also feel the hum of life above her. She could feel lives fading out as they fell to the fires.

Was this the Force? The magic of the earth and life?

She also felt the truth. This man in front of her was not just a man. He was a dragon. He was her father. There was a connection between them. It was now growing larger and larger. She could feel her father's sharp cold presence digging into her mind. She winced, but he didn't retreat. Then she felt like something locked into place.

Vader, in his human form, leaned forward and kissed Leia's snout. You need to change back, he said softly. Change.

Again she could feel her body warming up. No. No! She didn't want to go back to being a human! Not yet! She wanted to stay like this. But her body grew warmer and warmer. She could feel the wings getting smaller and smaller. Until finally she was just a heap of human flesh curled up on a cold floor.

Something heavy fell over her body. She saw the heavy black fabric pool around her. "Here," a came a soft but deep whisper. Hands gently pulled her up and wrapped the large cloak around her. She was cradled against Vader's- her father's- chest. Hot tears formed in her eyes and started to burn down her cheeks. She couldn't stop her sobbing.

How different it was to be human! She had felt so much as a dragon! It felt so right. And now she was so little and that power . . . that power she felt inside of herself. It had dimmed so much. So she cried. She didn't know what else to do. She felt lips gently press against her cheek where her tears burned her skin.

It is ok, little one, Vader's voice said into her mind. She just curled up and buried her face into his chest and neck. His arms tightened around her.

"Let go of her!" she heard her father . . . her other father, King Bail, shout.

"No," Vader hissed. She again heard the deep ring of a bell, but this one was much deeper. The body she was pressed against was growing hotter and hotter. It was changing. It was growing larger. The arms holding her were growing thicker. The fabric faded away and black scales replaced it. The hands were growing longer. The fingers grew into large sharp claws. In mere moments she was no longer being cradled by a man, but being held in the large claw of a dragon. A Sith.

The room was too small. The dragon had to crouch low. His back and head scraped against the ceiling. Dust fell everywhere. Leia was pressed firmly against the dragon's smooth belly scales. But they were growing warmer and hotter. She could feel the power humming inside. She twisted in the great claw. It wasn't easy. The black cloak and the scaled fingers made it hard for her to turn, but she managed. She peered through two of the scaled fingers. She saw her parents. Their faces etched in horror as the fire poured down on them.

She saw the blackened forms dance amongst the flames. Their flailing arms waved erratically. Luckily she couldn't hear their screams over the roar of the flames and the humming of the power inside the dragon holding her. Tears came to her again. She pressed her cheek against the hard finger of the dragon. Her thoughts were of dragons and a queen and a king as she drifted to sleep.

The night air felt good across his scales and wings. He loved flying. He always had. There was a peace to the sky that didn't exist on the land. He watched the farmlands go by below. The flames and smoke of the Alderaan palace had been left far behind. He was making his way home, back to Mustafar, but not alone. Darth Vader, the Sith dragon, slowly landed in a large field. He had to be careful. He had to do the landing with only three legs as his fourth leg held something very precious. Slowly he brought his large taloned claw away from his chest and uncurled his paw.

Laying asleep in his hand was the girl. His girl. His daughter. He lowered his head down and gently sniffed her. He reached out in to the Force. She was deep asleep. He slowly curled his claws back around her and brought his paw back to rest against his chest. There she would be warm. With a powerful lunge, he was back into the sky again making his way back home.

The sun had risen when the landscape below him changed. The green farmlands changed into brown grass lands and then into blackened rocks. The rivers and creeks started to boil and bubble until they turned into streams of lava. Then Vader saw his home. His fortress. A tall black tower that sat on the edge of a cliff. A lava waterfall flowing out the center of the fortress.

The fortress stood where once the palace of Theed sat. The rest of the city was half consumed by black flowing lava rocks. Vader landed in the courtyard of his fortress. Slowly he transformed back into his human form. He made sure he kept a tight hold of the girl. He adjusted his grip and held her small form with both of his arms.

His fortress was made to accommodate his large dragon form. It would be faster for him to move as a dragon, but with only three legs it would make his gait awkward and slow. So instead her carried his daughter into her new home as a human. He didn't make his up to the tower, instead he wound his way down into the earth itself. Tunnels wound into the rock creating a labyrinth only he knew how to navigate. The air grew warmer as they approached underground rivers of lava.

Finally he walked around a sharp curve into a large cavern. On one far wall stood an open pool of lava steaming and boiling. Next to it was the nest. Vader had collected large smooth rocks and formed them into the circle. Then he lined the nest with furs and skins of beasts he had hunted and ate. He stopped in front of the nest and placed Leia on the ground.

Unlike the Alderaan palace, the ground here was warm. The girl didn't stir. Vader took a moment to take a good look at her. She was so much like her mother. It was almost painful for Vader. He reached out into the Force along their newly created bond. He triggered her transformation. Slowly her body shifted into that of a small dragon.

Her scales were white with a bit of an iridescent sheen to it. She blinked her eyes sleepily as the change had awoken her. Her eyes had been the same as her mother's. A rich brown. But as a dragon they took on the proper skywalker color, sky blue. Vader wasted no time in switching back to a dragon. It was time they met as dragon to dragon. She was so small compared to his massive size. He sniffed and gently prodded her with his snout along her body. Then he started to groom her. She smelled like Alderaan.

Vader was gently licking along her back when she let out a small squeak. She still hadn't quite figured out how to move in her dragon body, except for her head. Her blue eyes looked back at him. He could feel her needs through their bond. He let a small snort. A laugh. She was hungry. Hanging on a wall near the lava pit were smoked and dried carcasses of cattle and other animals Vader had hunted. None were human. While he would eat humans, they were too small and not worth saving.

He pulled down a cow carcass and pulled some meat free. He chewed as he walked back to the girl, then spit it out right in front of her. Her head snapped back. She recoiled from the sight. Her human logic kicking in. One did not eat food another had spit out. But the smell of meat was filling his nose. She was still too new to being a dragon to properly eat food thus why he had softened it up for her. She sniffed the meat cautiously. She licked it, and eventually her hunger won out.

Once she had been fed and cleaned, Vader gently picked her up back the scruff of her neck and carried her to the nest. Her placed her on the side of the nest as he started to dig through the furs. He shoved his nose into the furs as he smelled and searched the nest. Eventually his nose brushed against smooth scales. Very gently he dug and shifted the furs out of the way.

Vader's son was curled up at the bottom of the nest. He looked like Vader once had. Golden scales and blue eyes. He was small and tiny just like his twin sister. Vader gently nudged him awake. Luke let out a small squeaky huff in protest of being woken up and being cold.

Wake up, Luke, Vader said. There is someone here to meet you.

Luke blinked up at his father confused. The child knew there were no others here. It was him and his father. That's when he saw her at the edge of the nest. She had been quiet the whole time. Her eyes were on him. Vader could feel Luke's surprise in the Force. He could sense Luke reaching out towards Leia curiously at this new dragon. Once he touched her, felt her, he knew instantly she was his sister.

Luke let out a small squeak of happiness. He jumped up and hopped over to her. He squeaked a few times and stomped his feet at her to show how happy he was to meet her. Then he settled down and waited for her to greet him back. His body hummed with excitement. He could barely sit still. But Leia did not know the ways of dragons. She couldn't even move her body yet.

Luke. Leia, he said to both of them. Both sets of blue dragon eyes fell on him. You two are twins. Brother and sister. Luke, this is Leia's first time in her dragon form. She has much to get used to.

Luke looked back over at Leia curiously. Vader grabbed Leia and pulled her gently into the center of the nest. Luke followed along. Vader tucked her wing's to her side and helped her curl up. Luke curled up beside her. Once the two little ones were settled Vader gently clawed at the furs and piled them up, around, and eventually on top of the children.

Little dragons couldn't create heat within their cores. They got cold easily. They liked to stay warm, especially when they slept. The warm air and rocks along with the furs was the perfect nest for them. He felt their minds as they both drifted to sleep. He was tempted to curl up alongside the nest and sleep with them, but not now. Not yet. He moved to the entrance of the cavern. He glanced back at the nest where his children slept, before he turned back and left.

He had to make sure this place was still safe and secure. He would do his rounds of his fortress and of the ruins of Theed. Once he knew there were no dangers could he rest. He already lived through losing everything once. It changed him. His burning heart of a skywalker had cooled and hardened. His scales blackened. His eyes reddened. He thought he knew what cold was, but it was so different. He was dying, but he wouldn't give in until he had his revenge.

He kept the fire burning inside of him so he could burn down the Jedi Temple. Burn down Theed. And when the burning finally stopped, he was finally ready to let the cold take over. He would die and join his wife and child. As the ice was about to fully claim his insides, he felt something warm brush against his mind. It was small, so very small and fragile. He ignored it. He was ready to die. But it came again and again.

Annoyed he reached out into the Force. That was when he felt it. When he felt Luke for the first time. His child lived! It had been a battle to reignite the fire with himself, but he did it. Then he found his son. Then one night as Luke slept, he felt a brush again against his mind. It wasn't from Luke. That was he realized he had two children. Twins.

It had taken Vader years to finally locate Leia. But finally . . . finally they were all together. The last of the skywalkers. Vader would watch and protect his children. Their fate would be different from his. They wouldn't know the coldness like he had. They would be beautiful, strong, and free skywalker dragons. Free to fly. Free to love and have children. He would make sure of it. Even if that meant burning the rest of the world down.