My Life as Leia

Chapter 11 - Princess Meets Farm Boy

A/N: Okay, so I totally forgot to add an authors note to Chapter 10...sorry about that. I finished that chapter really fast and didn't even have time to proofread it...so I also apologize for any typos or grammar mistakes you may have found. But my family is currently on vacation, and I finished Chapter 10 at the airport and wanted to publish it ASAP. As soon as I added the header picture, our flight was called. I didn't think, and I just hit "publish". Whoopsies.
Anyway, I'll probably add an authors note at the beginning AND end of future chapters, starting with this one. If you guys don't like it or just find my rambling annoying (be honest, hehe), lemme know :)
Without further delay, here's Chapter 11!!

Princess Leia awoke to a light brighter than anything she'd ever seen. It seemed to penetrate through her closed eyelids even before she was fully conscious.

Annoyed and inexplicably sweating, Leia rolled over and opened her eyes. . .only to immediately shut them again.

What IS that awful light?!

Slowly, she cracked each eyelid open one at a time. The searing light flooded her senses; it was several minutes before her eyes adjusted. Finally, she blinked and saw where she was.

Oh, right. I'm on that desert planet. No WONDER. Might as well sleep in an oven.

By the time Leia was up and no longer blinded, Tatooine's twin Suns were high in the sky, signaling afternoon. Or, at least, that's what Leia assumed. For all she knew, it could mean something entirely different.

She didn't really want to explore this particular town, but she also didn't have much of a choice. It was either explore the town or die of dehydration.

She chose to explore the town.

In the few moments it took to reach the small sand village, Leia was already tired and hot. Sweat droplets beaded on her forehead, and her feet felt like they had weights attached to them.

She looked down to see the deep sand she was practically wading through. Her short height didn't help, either.

The village turned out to be many igloo-shaped buildings with cloaked people walking around. Leia didn't think she fit in, but she didn't stand out, either. Everyone was dusty and dull and idle.

Leia strolled slowly through the sandy streets and tried to take it all in.

The inhabitants of the town all seemed to look different. There were aliens and humans alike, not to mention droids, large animals, and numerous insectopods. Several ginormous four-legged, hairy creatures (with tusks) stomped right past Leia. She gaped at them in awe.

The Princess was feeling very cultured.

None of the civilians took any notice of Leia as she worked her way through the passing crowd. Unlike most of the people, Leia was gawking at everything and everyone. She marvled at dusty speeders that zoomed by, driven by rough-looking men. Her mouth fell open when a fight suddenly broke out near one of the vendor tents.

Nobody else took any notice.

It seemed that everyone had some sort of destination, and they didn't want to be hindered in any way — almost like they were set on autopilot.

Dozens upon dozens of species mingled amongst each other. . .and yet, there was a certain order to it all. Even though everyone was headed to a different spot, nobody bumped into anyone else. The only way Leia could describe it was "synchronized chaos".

Similar to when servants scurried around the palace, preparing the banquet hall for a party. Except this time, Leia wasn't being pressured to do anything.