Anakin seemed a thousand times more excited than Padmé arriving on Naboo. And that's not even mentioning Luke, who had never known anything other than Tatooine.
"Anakin was exactly the same when he saw anything other than Tatooine," Obi-Wan said, looking at father and son.
"Anakin has never stopped being a child," Padmé said, standing beside Leia.
"Anakin has never stopped being a child." "Where will the wedding be?" Leia asked Satine, who blushed as she looked at Obi-Wan.
"We haven't decided yet," Satine said, blushing.
"Anywhere will be perfect if you're by my side," Obi-Wan smiled.
"Like master, like student," Ahsoka said.
"Leia," Anakin said, running to take his daughter's hand. "Come on, this will be fun." Anakin grinned, and Padmé rolled her eyes.
"Where is he taking you?" Satine asked.
"He's going to teach you how to ride a Shaak," Padmé replied, rolling her eyes again.
"Oh, I'd like to see that," Satine smiled, walking beside Padmé.
Before arriving at the lake house on Naboo, where they would be staying, Anakin and Leia were riding a Shaak. Beside them, Luke was riding the Shaak in the same ridiculous way Anakin had once tried to impress Padmé, and it ended with the same result: he was violently thrown to the ground by the angry Shaak.
"Like father, like son," Padmé smiled, watching her family enjoy themselves.
"I haven't seen him so happy in a long time," Obi-Wan smiled.
"You've created a beautiful family, Padmé," Satine smiled.
"You could start a family too," Ahsoka suggested, walking toward Luke. Obi-Wan and Satine looked at each other, both blushing, while Padmé smiled sweetly.
"Oh, come on, how hard can it be?" Ahsoka said, competing with Luke.
When they finally arrived at the lake house, they settled in, and Anakin couldn't understand why Ahsoka, Luke, and Leia wanted to share a room when there were so many.
"You've become good friends, Ani," Padmé smiled.
"I've never seen Ahsoka so happy," Anakin smiled, hugging Padmé.
Obi-Wan helped Satine carry her things to her room, and the blushing duchess thanked him. She desperately wanted to ask him to stay, to sleep with her, but she knew that wouldn't be morally right for a duchess, even though they would soon be married. She blushed furiously at the thought; she would have plenty of time to share with him later. Obi-Wan could feel Satine's emotions. He didn't want to leave her, didn't want to be separated from her, wanted to sleep in her arms like all those times in the past, but it wouldn't be right. They were in Padmé's house, the wife of his former apprentice. They would have plenty of time to be together, forever, Obi-Wan smiled.
"You win," Padmé said, handing some credits to Anakin. "They really won't stay together." She laughed. They had bet on whether Obi-Wan would be capable of completely breaking the code and sleeping with the woman he loved, from whom he had been separated for so long, but the man was beyond reproach, and Anakin knew it perfectly well.
"I always do," Anakin smiled, putting the credits away.
"I always do." "You win," Ahsoka said, paying Leia and Luke. They had bet the exact same amount as Padmé and Anakin, and the twins had won. "It's impossible to compete with a Skywalker," she sighed.
"Thank you, Master!" Ahsoka called out, and Anakin looked at her, confused. The twins just shrugged and left.
"What did I do to him?" Anakin asked.
"They were betting too, and Ahsoka trusted Obi-Wan," Padmé laughed.
"Ahsoka, it's not my fault you don't know how to bet!" Anakin shouted, and Ahsoka just rolled her eyes, amused.
"A little louder and they'll hear you all the way to Coruscant, Dad," Leia said.
"I heard you all betting a while ago," Obi-Wan said, passing by. "Never bet against a Skywalker," he told Padmé, and the senator smiled. "Do you know how many drinks I've had to buy him?" "Inviting all the clones would have been cheaper," Obi-Wan said, amused.
"You're right, Master," Anakin smiled, hugging Luke and Leia, who only complained because of the Force. "Never bet against a Skywalker," he said, leaving with his children.
"Master Obi-Wan," Padmé said, sitting down on the sofa next to him. "Satine, she's suffered so much," Padmé said.
"I don't know what to do to make her forgive me, to make her forget everything she's been through."
"Just make her happy," Padmé smiled, taking his hands. "She loves you. Have you seen the way she looks at you? And as a suggestion, there's a beautiful boat nearby where you could take her to see the waterfalls," Padmé said.
"Could I do that?" Obi-Wan asked nervously; he didn't want to take advantage of Padmé's hospitality.
"Of course," Padmé laughed. "I know she'll love it."
"Thank you so much, Padmé," Obi-Wan said with a radiant smile.
" "You're welcome," Padme said, guiding Obi-Wan toward the Nubian ship she had spoken of.
Satine stayed in her room, tears streaming down her face as she wrote the message for the Senate. She would join the Republic; it was for the good of Mandalore. They had to defeat Palpatine. Once it was all over, Mandalore would once again be a neutral place.
Anakin was having the duel he had promised Luke. Incredibly, the boy was a quick learner and had become a formidable opponent. It was proving quite difficult for Anakin to win this time, but he finally did. Both fell to the ground, lying back on the floor, watching the sunset.
"Someday I'll manage to beat you," Luke said, catching his breath.
"I know you will," Anakin said, patting his shoulder.
When it was time for dinner, Obi-Wan waited for Satine before going inside.
"What's wrong, Obi?" Satine asked, a little nervous.
"Would you like to join me tonight?" he asked, offering his arm. She blushed; he still loved being able to make her blush so beautifully.
"But," Satine said, looking at the others, and Padmé winked at her. "Of course," Satine agreed, and together they left.
"Guys, I think your mother should be a relationship counselor instead of a senator," Anakin said, and everyone burst out laughing.
They ate dinner in complete tranquility, but Leia watched her father and mother. Even Obi-Wan was with Satine. Before, she had Luke when she felt lonely, but now he was becoming friends with Ahsoka, and they spent all their time training together. She loved her family, she loved being here, she wouldn't trade it for anything, every moment she was living. But she missed Han terribly. What was he doing? Did he miss her? Was he looking for her? She went out to the gardens and sat by the lake, in the same spot where her mother had told her she had married her father. When it was all over, would she meet Han? Or would they never meet because all of that was a future being erased? What was happening in the future now that time was being altered? She felt her eyes well up with tears. She loved Han so much that the idea of him disappearing from her mind was inconceivable. She spent long minutes there until Anakin appeared, pulling her close in an embrace.
"What's wrong, Leia?" he asked, holding her tight. Their connection had been immediate, especially knowing she was his daughter. His beautiful daughter, the fruit of his love with Padmé.
"It's nothing," Leia smiled, enjoying his company. He wasn't Darth Vader; he was her father.
"You can trust me, Leia," Anakin smiled. "I know it might be difficult, with what you've been through, with what I've become," Anakin said with a touch of sadness. "But none of that will happen. I will never choose the dark side. I will protect you," Anakin said, kissing his daughter's forehead.
"I know," Leia said, hugging him.
"I know." "Can you tell me what's wrong?" Anakin asked again. He needed to know what was bothering her.
"I miss Han so much, Dad," Leia sighed.
"Han?" Anakin asked, confused. Leia remembered that Padmé was the one who knew about their relationship.
"My boyfriend," Leia said, blushing. Anakin's face quickly changed. He couldn't be jealous that his daughter had a boyfriend; he hadn't seen her grow up.
"Your boyfriend? Who is your boyfriend? Have we met him in this time?" Anakin asked.
"No, Han, he's—" Leia said nervously. Suddenly, it was difficult to give this information to a Jedi.
"I want to know more about you, and about him," Anakin said, noticing her nervousness. "If you want, you can start with how you met him."
"He rescued me from the Death Star, from you," Leia said sadly, and Anakin apologized profusely for it.
"I'm truly sorry," Anakin said, on the verge of tears.
"It wasn't you, Dad," Leia said, cupping his face affectionately. "It was Darth Vader. He will never exist."
"Tell me more about Han," Anakin said after a while. So far, the boy seemed like a hero. Luke and Leia trusted him, and what's more, he had saved their daughter from the clutches of the Empire.
"He was the one who helped Luke destroy the Death Star the first time."
"Wow, he seems like a very brave boy," Anakin agreed.
"I was so happy when he came back to help him."
"Why wasn't he there from the beginning?" he asked, sensing Leia's discomfort.
"He owed some money to a Hutt named Jabba," Leia began, "and he had to flee," she continued.
"Is he a smuggler?" Anakin asked, impressed. His daughter was dating a smuggler?
"Well, he was," Leia said. "The truth is, he wasn't anymore. But then he joined the Resistance. He joined us permanently after we rescued him from Jabba."
"You rescued him from Jabba? How did you manage to rescue him from Jabba's clutches? The Hutts are quite dangerous, especially Jabba," Anakin said suspiciously. He knew Jabba after all his years on Tatooine.
"Well, Darth Vader handed him over to Jabba," Leia said. "After torturing him."
"I'm sorry about that," Anakin said, but deep down, he didn't feel it.
"I'm sorry about that." "Luke and I infiltrated Jabba's temple. There was some fighting, and we rescued him," Leia said, omitting everything she knew Anakin wouldn't want to hear.
"Just like that?" Anakin asked, not believing a word of it.
"Of course not," Luke said, appearing suddenly. He was just passing by, as they were going to train with Ahsoka somewhere else after Padmé told them they'd end up destroying the room.
"Could you tell me more, Luke?" Anakin asked, and Leia gave Luke a pleading look, which the oblivious boy didn't notice.
"Leia, it was amazing, Dad," Luke said proudly. "She killed Jabba."
"Leia killed Jabba?" Anakin asked, impressed. How had she done it? With a gunshot? With a lightsaber?
"Well, you see, our plan went wrong, and Jabba took her as a slave," Luke began, and Leia slumped back down, frustrated, while Ahsoka stared, wide-eyed.
"You were Jabba's slave?" Anakin asked, kneeling in front of his daughter so she would look him in the face.
"Well, yes," Leia began. Now she was sure that her father hated Han. If he turned to the dark side, it would be her fault for having a boyfriend her father didn't approve of.
"Oh? Because of that smuggler named Han?" Anakin asked, annoyed. How could she take it so lightly?
"I love him, Father," Leia said, frustrated that Luke was so bad at keeping secrets.
"How could he let you put yourself in danger?" Anakin asked, running a hand through his hair, on the verge of losing all his patience.
"Father, don't be upset," Luke said, and Leia practically begged him to be quiet. "Han would never have allowed it. I fell into one of Jabba's traps, and they threw Han and Chewie in with me, but we managed to get out. Then Jabba decided to kill us by throwing us into the jaws of some terrible creature, but he took Leia with him. I always thought Jabba was a complete pervert because of the clothes he made Leia wear, even though Han loved the way you looked," Luke said, smiling at Leia, whose eyes were closed, torn between her desire to kill Luke and her desire to die right then and there.
"What?" Anakin screamed, his scream almost audible on Coruscant. "You went through all that to save your smuggler boyfriend?" Anakin asked, standing and staring at Leia, who refused to meet his gaze.
"Luke, let's go," Ahsoka said before Leia leaped on top of her brother and killed him.
"Did I say something wrong?" Luke asked as Ahsoka and Leia glared at him, killing him with their eyes, before the trogut could say another word.
Leia didn't want to look at her father. She understood that Anakin had every right to be upset. If she had a child and went through a similar situation, she would be upset too. Even Padmé had been upset when she found out. She was sure that even her adoptive father, who was always peaceful, would have wanted to strangle Han.
"Dad," Leia said, looking at him in shame. "I love him," she began. "What would you have done in my place?" she asked, knowing that Anakin would do anything for love.
"Don't try that trick on me, young lady," Anakin said, pointing his finger.
"Dad, you're only three years older than me now," Leia began nervously.
"I'm still your father," Anakin said, sitting down beside her again and hugging her. He didn't want to be harsh with her, but everything she told him was terrible.
"Dad," Leia complained. "I really love Han, and I'm sure you'd like him if you met him."
"After you were enslaved by that vile, bastard Hutt Jabba because of him?" Anakin asked, making a mental note to kill Jabba to spare his daughter that future, just in case something went wrong.
"It wasn't his fault," Leia began.
"Whose debts were they?" Anakin asked, and Leia lowered her gaze. She didn't want to see her sad, but she couldn't accept Han. Because of that idiot, her daughter had been a Hutt slave. Everyone on Tatooine knew what happened to Jabba's slaves. What if that disgusting Hutt had hurt her daughter? She didn't want to imagine it; just thinking about it disgusted her. All the bandits who worked with Jabba were the same. She would never accept that imbecile.
"Han, but he's not like that anymore," Leia defended herself. "Luke can confirm that."
"After everything he said tonight," Anakin said with a bit more humor, "when he realizes the mistake he made, believe me, Luke will do anything you ask to earn your forgiveness."
"I'll only forgive him if he kisses a Rathtar," Leia said angrily.
"Dangerous creatures," Anakin said, embracing Leia one last time. "Perhaps when I meet Han, I'll consider feeding him to a Rathtar."
"But Dad, please," Leia said. She needed her father to accept Han; she didn't understand why.
"How old is he?" Anakin asked. It wasn't as if he was going to give Han a chance anyway. In fact, it was possible he could prevent Leia from ever meeting him.
"28," Leia said, and Anakin's face fell. Was he eight years older than Leia? Anakin did the math. Even Han was alive in this era.
"Listen to this, Leia," her father said, stroking Leia's cheek, tears welling in her eyes that she didn't want to let fall. "I didn't see you grow up. You come from the past. I became the monster that tormented you, but now I'm here. You're my daughter, and I will protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you. I won't let that Han hurt you or put you in danger for him. That's my final word," Anakin said, kissing her forehead and leaving.
"I'll never let Han hurt you or put you in danger for him. That's my final word."
"Listen to this, Leia," he said, kissing her forehead and leaving.
"I didn't see you grow up. I didn't let Han hurt you or put you in danger for him. That's my final word." "Dad," Leia whispered. She needed to make him accept Han. She was happy that her father cared for her, but she loved Han.
"I've said my last word, Leia," Anakin said just as Padmé arrived. "You knew, didn't you?" he asked. "You knew about this Han guy?"
"Oh," Padmé said, looking at Leia, who was looking at her pleadingly. "Yes, I knew."
"Are you okay with that?" Anakin asked, almost indignant.
"They love each other, Ani. I know everything that happened is terrible, especially the fact that she had to strangle Jabba to save herself, but—" Padmé began, and Leia rolled her eyes. Really? What else would they tell their father?
"You had to strangle Jabba to save yourself?" Anakin asked, exasperated, and Padmé apologized to Leia with her eyes. She thought Anakin already knew everything.
"Just so you both understand," Anakin said, raising his voice, "I will never allow my daughter to be with that man."
An angry Anakin went to the room he shared with Padmé, his daughter a slave to a Hutt, to Jabba no less. He just hoped he wouldn't run into that Han guy in this era, or he would kill him, no matter how sad Leia became.
"He'll get over it," Padmé said, hugging Leia. "You'll see, Leia. He seems tough sometimes, but he's actually a very understanding man."
"I really hope he accepts Han," Leia said, crying in her mother's arms. She loved Han, missed him terribly, and felt an overwhelming urge to cry. And now, to make matters worse, her father hated her boyfriend without even knowing him.
Satine and Obi-Wan arrived after a wonderful night stargazing on a Nubian ship. They walked hand in hand and looked very much in love; it had undoubtedly been a marvelous evening. Padmé smiled as they entered their respective rooms. Satine asked with her eyes what was wrong with Leia, but Padmé told her not to worry, which was really a "I'll tell you everything later."
Luke was already in his room with Ahsoka when Leia burst in, throwing herself furiously at him and repeatedly hitting him.
"I know I deserve it," Luke said, letting himself be hit. "I'm so sorry, Leia. I didn't think Dad would hate it."
"You're an idiot, Luke," Leia said as she continued hitting him, while Ahsoka watched the scene, amused. Maybe she would try to talk to her master, tell him not to be so harsh, even though she knew him. He would never give in. It was lucky that this Han guy hadn't traveled to the past with them, Ahsoka thought before falling asleep despite the twins' fight.
No one could know that the next morning, a confused Han Solo had been sent by Yoda and Obi-Wan from the future to help in the past. They had decided it would be a good idea. Han had no idea why, nor did he know why Obi-Wan had told him to be ready to run. Was he in the right place? Was this Naboo? Was Leia here? he wondered excitedly.
In her room, Leia felt Han's unmistakable presence. He was here, somehow he was here.