Ghost - A Star Wars Fanfic

Chapter 21

A piercing scream echoed throughout the halls of the Royal House of Alderaan.

Bail and Breha Organa darted out of slumber and through the building towards their adopted daughter's room. Several servants and other personnel quickly chased after the King and Queen only to find the two by the bedside of the toddler princess, both of them on their knees and peering underneath the tiny bed frame.

"Leia. Leia, please come out dear, it was only a nightmare," Breha whispered, reaching her hand out to her daughter.

"It was a scary one, Mama." The four-year old trembled underneath the bed and sniffled, whimpers leaving her lips.

"We know, munchkin. But you can't stay under there forever. Your mother and I are here to protect you, you know that," Bail ushered, a gentle smile accentuating the wrinkles beginning to appear on his face.

Leia looked up into the loving eyes of her parents and slowly used a chubby fist to dab away her tears. Gradually, she crawled out from under the bed and into her parents' awaiting arms.

"I sorry," she muttered into the fabric of Bail and Breha's sleep clothes.

"There's no need to be sorry, darling," Breha whispered, lovingly stroking her daughter's thick brown curls.

"We'll always be here for you, Leia. You never need to be scared," Bail whispered, his tone warm.

Leia snuggled in deeper, her eyes getting droopy. "I know Papa..."

***

    Leia had never been more frightened in her life.

    Here she was, undertrained, weakened, nervous, and holding a lightsaber to one of the most dangerous men in the galaxy.

    And her Mama and Papa were long gone...

    But she had her birth parents with her now, strangers that she could never truly feel the same comfort from that she had gotten from Bail and Breha. Yet Anakin and Padmé were here, at her side with their own weapons brandished...ready to die for their child...children.

    Her eyes skirted to Luke and she took relief in how scared he looked as well. As good as his swordsmanship was, and as much training as he had received, he was still abysmal in comparison to the Emperor. However, Vader had told them that their combined power rivaled almost the Force itself, a blinding light that was almost impossible to snuff if used properly.

    Palpatine was scared of that power, but his one true advantage was that Luke and Leia still didn't know how to use it. So he planned to kill or turn them before they could use it, whichever came first.

    The psychopathic look in those bloodshot, putrid yellow eyes sent a shiver down Leia's spine, but it was his voice, the gravelly, oily voice that she had only heard through holos back when she had been a youth Senator for Alderaan with her father. She had always hated hearing it then, nauseated at everything the Empire did, but she had never prepared for it in person. And it was much, much worse in person.

    As if hearing her thoughts, which wasn't completely impossible given the man's power, Palpatine's focus zeroed in on Leia, his cracked lips twisting into a malicious smirk. "Princess Organa. What a nuisance you and your family have been."

    Leia steeled herself with a deep breath before reaching deep into the Force like Luke had instructed. She knew not to go too deep lest she risk retriggering the seizure her and her brother had been in previously, but Palpatine wasn't aware of her limitations. With a fierce battle cry, Leia thrust out her hand and slammed backwards, the image of the pieces of Alderaan, her home, floating around in the dead of space adding a kick to her movement. Due to her lack of training, it wasn't a heavy blow, but it made Palpatine stumble in surprise, his face quirking into an impressed stare.