LOST KINGDOM ─ star wars

XXX. Twins

Chapter Thirty
Leia

It's been almost two years since I've been back home to Naboo and I didn't realize how much I missed it until now. The bright blue sky, the rolling fields, gorgeous waterfalls, the vibrantly colored buildings and even more vibrant people. I've missed it all, especially the memories I have here with my family: Dad teaching us how to fight and shoot, playing in the backyard of our house with Iris, Mom teaching us how to dance, trying on our mom's dresses and pretending to be queens, and so much more. I've learned to think of our rebel bases as a sort of home, but nothing will ever top Naboo. Nothing will ever top the years I spent here with my parents and sister.

We land the Falcon outside the Naboo palace, where my sister and some guards are waiting to welcome us. Mom and Dad practically jump from their seats and run down the ramp into her awaiting arms. I follow after them, with Han and Chewie not far behind. While she hugs onto our parents I take a moment to look over my sister and see if she's changed at all since I saw her last. She hasn't. She's still as short as me, she has the same beautiful brown skin and curly brown hair, same piercing blue eyes, and a smile so large and welcoming that only royalty could possess it. She's wearing a small tiara and a floor length ruffled blue dress, one that matches her eyes.

Iris pulls away from our parents and I can see tears streaming down all of their faces. Tears of my own prickle my eyes when Iris steps away from them and envelopes me in the same large hug, which I return enthusiastically.

"I missed you so much." I whisper into her shoulder.

She rubs my back and squeezes me tighter. "Not as much as I missed you."

"I'm sorry we're coming here unannounced."

"Don't apologize, I'm glad you did," Iris pulls away and gives me a smile, but there's something off about it. But before I can inquire what's wrong she adds: "Where's this Jedi and king I've heard so much about?"

"They're not with us."

Iris's smile is tight, but she tries to shake it off. "Well I guess I'll just have to meet them some other time."

Something is wrong, I can feel it. My sister is acting very strange, but it's more than that. I feel...cold, despite it being very warm weather. What did Jayce and Luke say about feeling cold? It's the force trying to tell me something. But what?

Iris steps away from me and backs up towards our parents, who have been talking to her new captain of the royal guard, the one that replaced Dad when he and Mom made the rebellion. Iris has told me a lot about her. She told me her name is Aylin Quinn. She's beautiful: tall, with tan skin, long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, dark brown eyes, and a friendly expression as she talks to my parents. This look turns into longing I'm all too familiar with as her eyes fall onto Iris. I glance at my sister's face and see that look returned. Despite my bad feeling I can't help but smile.

"Why don't you guys come inside?" Iris suggests. "I'll get your ship fixed and we can catch up."

"Iris," I begin, keeping my voice low. "Tell me what's wrong."

Iris's eyes widen a bit and she licks her lips, shaking her head. "I don't know what you mean."

She's nervous. "Don't lie to me, I can sense something is wrong now tell me what it is."

Iris looks helplessly from me, to Aylin at her side, then our parents, tears beginning to line her eyes, but this time not from happiness. "I'm so sorry. I had no choice. I'm doing this for my planet, for my people."

I know what's going to happen just as it does. From inside the palace appears dozens of stormtroopers, their guns loaded and aimed right at us. They quickly surround us, and after a brief look around, I come to the conclusion that there are too many to fight off. Making our odds of escape even worse, exiting last from the palace is Darth Vader, domineering and arrogant as ever. He stands right beside my sister, who is trying her best to keep her head held high, but tears and sobs are wracking her body and making her shake. Aylin places her hand on Iris's shoulder and squeezes, but it's little comfort.