Prequel to Promises and Deals
ACT 1: The Age of Jedi [Episode I-II]
ACT 2: The Nameless Child [Episode III-IV]
ACT 3: The Age of Rebellion [Episode V-VI]
The lineage of Alora Naftiri in a way not seen before. This is the story of her life from befor...
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Alora is avoiding him, and it's starting to get on his nerves. For a fearsome High General whose name commands such respect, she does act like a child sometimes with her stubborn aversion to Jedi tactics. He could understand her fear in the past, but he can't understand why she clings to it so tightly now.
It is obvious Leia hasn't noticed. The princess continues with her duties and her plans with Alora by her side; Luke has never seen them this close, always hovering next to the other and disappearing for long periods of time. If he didn't know better, he'd start thinking their rendezvouses were less than innocent. But he does know better: Leia is obsessed with finding Han sometimes at the expense of her own health, and Alora would never make a move.
Luke isn't even sure Alora knows because as smart as she is, she's never been great at handling her heart.
He hasn't seen her all day, actually. Usually, he would pass her in the halls or catch her leaving the control room or even find her training techs in basic combat. Today, she has been utterly absent.
As Luke walks into the control room, he finds it mostly empty with the exception of Leia sitting in a corner by a screen. The princess rests her head on her palm as she bites her lip, unable to tear her gaze away except for the second he steps in. "Hey," she mutters as Luke walks over and takes a seat in front of her, unable to see the movement on the screen.
"You look chipper," Luke teases.
The corners of her eyes crinkle as she shakes her head. "Not in the mood today, Luke."
"Something special about today?"
"You don't remember back on Hoth?" Leia arches a brow, pressing a few buttons on the console. "One of the best days of my life, but...she never thought that."
Leaning back, Luke crosses his arms. "Let me guess. Alora."
"Don't say it like that," Leia snaps. He hadn't noticed the annoyance that seeped into his voice. "It's not like she doesn't deserve a day for herself. It just bothers me that it's today." Luke frowns as he watches her. She purses her lips and shakes her head. "Technically, today's the day she arrived on Alderaan. Lorn made it her birthday since none of us know when she was born."
He knows her birthday. It's in the spring months of Naboo.
"I just don't know why she's taking it so hard this year," Leia muses as she averts her gaze down once more to the screen. "She's always off, but she's never isolated herself like this. I haven't seen her all day."
"Neither have I."
"Yeah, I think that's her intention." Leia rolls her eyes before her expression falls slack. She leans forward and stares at the screen, her lips parting in shock. "That might be why."
