Saga Alderaan Rising--Leia Vignette

This takes place a few months after ANH. I wrote it some time ago and found it on a floppy this week, so it may be a little rough around the edges, and not quite in line with some of my present conceptions of the GFFA.
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Leia paused to free the hem of her skirt from a clutching thorn branch. The vegetation on this Mid-Rim planet, Hudsart, was certainly less than friendly. She glanced back at the glimmer of lights from the Rebel base, set snugly against the foot of the steep hill she was climbing. That would be the supply convoy in from Tanis Prime. The logistics of that convoy had been causing her problems for days. Unless something drastic had occurred, everything should be running smoothly now. She did not intend to be around to find out; it was somebody else's problem now. She wished she could say the same of at the least three other jobs that were waiting for her back in the base, but it was well into her off-shift. She had worked enough that day.

Besides, there was something else she had to do.

She reached the top of the hill, and sat down on a convenient rock. She shivered; it was a clear, breezy night, and now she wasn't moving, the wind struck cold through her dress.

From below, a crash and a sudden darkness proclaimed the failure of the landing platform lights. Faint shouts and banging drifted up to her, running figures waved glowsticks. Leia sighed, and shifted her gaze to the sky above her. Bright, nearby stars patterned unfamiliar constellations, and across the roof of the sky arched the milky track of the Core.

Leia unhooked a pair of macrobinoculars from her belt and set them to the coordinates she had snagged from the base computer. The binocs focused on a single star, low over the horizon. It was not particularly bright or splendid, but Leia stared at it until her eyes were so full of tears she saw six stars. She dropped the binocs and buried her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Daddy, Mother, everyone. I tried so hard?I miss you all so much. So much..."

A sob tore its way from her throat, then another. Once started, it was impossible to stop. She rose blindly to her feet, taking a few aimless steps. But she caught her foot on a root or a stone and promptly fell her length, her skirt spilling round her in a pool of white.

It was thus that Luke found her, some time later. She wasn't even aware of him being there until he was stooping over her, though he had been calling her name.
"Oh, Leia," he exclaimed hoarsely, chafing her icy hands.

"So...cold..." she said faintly. Luke's voice seemed to her to be coming from a long way off. He hauled her to her feet, but her legs were too numb and shaky to support her, and she collapsed against him. So he picked her up bodily and carried her to the base.
The warm air of the corridor revived her a little.

Luke, put me down, she tried to say, but "L?L?Luke," was all she managed through her violently chattering teeth.

He didn't answer, but jabbed the door release control of her room with his elbow, strode in and dumped her unceremoniously on her bunk. Leia grabbed her blankets, curling up into a shivering ball. Luke, after closing the door and flicking the thermal heaters to full power, came and perched beside her, wrapping both the blankets and his arms around her shoulders.

"You're frozen half to death!" he exclaimed, hands rubbing her back and arms through the blanket. Leia leaned her head against his shoulder, letting the warmth of his body filter through to hers.

"What happened to you?"

She shook her head. Here, cocooned against Luke, the grief she had felt up on the hill had retreated to a manageable distance, and her normal shields were back up.

"I fell over and hurt my ankle," she lied. The ankle she had twisted did hurt, but certainly not enough to prevent her walking on it. But any excuse was better than admitting she'd nearly given herself hypothermia lying sobbing on cold ground for hours.

Luke pulled her boots off and examined the injured foot.

"Your fee

 

Wow, very powerful. I like how you get in Leia's head, and how Leia and Luke share their sorrow, I love when she sees the star of Alderaan, nice touch

 

Erm, actually I didn't think of Leia looking at Alderaan's star myself. I read it in another fic long ago, that I've forgotten everything about

 

awwwww! That was sweet- some brother/sister interaction that we don't see much of! Adorable!!

 

"But that wasn't your fault, Luke!"

No, it was yours. The words Luke would never speak, that probably never even occurred to him to think, hung accusingly in her brain. As if she had not enough guilt from her own losses, and had to carry that of Luke's as well.

You know something? I have never, ever, thought about it that way! It's completely possible that Leia held herself responsible for Luke's family's death, as well... Good thing to pick up on!

Overall, great viggie, Sock_of_Darth_Vader! It's sometimes nice to read something with Leia/Luke brotherly/sisterly interaction. Awesome work!

 

*sighs*

Just beautiful. You're a very talented writer, DV's Sock (can I call you that?)

 

Thanks, guys!
Miska and Puggy: Yeah, I do love writing Luke and Leia interaction. I suspect myself of having an inner L/L shipper
crystalrain: You can call me anything you like

 

"I didn't know you cried," he said artlessly, then floundered, "I mean, I..."

in the movies, leia seems like such a tough person. i never thought of her as crying either--but of course, after seeing her whole planet blown up, watching han get frozen in carbonite, and everything else that happened .. you would think that she would. but she never did, and i find that sort of terrible ..

i'm writing a leia vig myself .. i guess this was another source of inspiration! beautifully written! it was very sad to see leia like that and i'm glad luke was there, though. i loved the story!!

 

up!

 

You know, I loved this, and I don't even like reading OT fics! *sigh* This was beautiful though. It really was. You have great talent. Leia stikes me as so tough and firm, I never really gave much thought to her crying, although I honestly can't blame her. Sorry for the referance, but Leia reminds me of Obi-Wan. Well, anyways, wonderful viggie- you really are a talented author.

 

Cat, another good fic from you. Good characterization, staying true to the films, yet filling in the missing moments.

 

rundownstars: I wanted to let Leia cry for once. She never does in any of my other fics.
Padawan_Jess: She reminds me a little of Obi-Wan too at times--not least in her disgust at her rescuers
Falls: *Big hug*

 

Upping all my fics because it's my birthday!!!!!!! Wooohooo!!!

 

This was nominated, as part of my Leia POV series, for Best Series

Thanks for the noms!

 

Hi, Cat,

I actually read this some time ago, but I was a bad lurker then so I'll tell you now how much I enjoyed it. The Luke/Leia interaction was sweet and touching. Sometimes people criticize Luke and/or Leia in ANH, (I personally love them in it) but it's only fair to remember that they were both going through what would have to be one of the most difficult times in their lives. They had both just lost their families and homes.

Thank goodness they found each other (and Han, Chewie, and the droids, of course).

Congrats on the nominations. They are well-deserved.

Kristeh

 

The story was very touching. I liked the part where wandered up a hill and looked up at Alderaan's star. Oh her grief, I can only imagine the grief she must of felt, afterall she was forced to stand there and watch while Tarkin gave the order to destroy Alderaan, helpless to do anything. And the Luke and Leia interaction was good and their being able to share in their grief for it's a rare trait for Leia to let anyone but those close to her to see her grief for Alderaan and those lost in the war.
Well done!

 

kristeh: I do love writing Luke and Leia together, and I think in some way they're the only ones who can understand what the other's been through.

ladyrebel: People often write Leia with no reference to what happened with Alderaan. I don't understand how they do that!

 

Congratulations in the nomination!

When I saw this, I just had to come in and read it again.

She reached the top of the hill, and sat down on a convenient rock. She shivered; it was a clear, breezy night, and now she wasn't moving, the wind struck cold through her dress.


I always find that desciption hauntingly beautiful somehow. I guess because I can not only picture it, but feel it, too. Your descriptions of Leia and her feelings blow me away. And I think this is my favorite in your vignette series! (about time I got around to finally saying it here)

J_Girl

 

"kristeh: I do love writing Luke and Leia together, and I think in some way they're the only ones who can understand what the other's been through.

ladyrebel: People often write Leia with no reference to what happened with Alderaan. I don't understand how they do that!"

Very true on both statements.
I think Luke and Leia especially share an understanding because of being twins as well as siblings and their experiences have been very similiar (the Empire destroying their home and family, loosing one dear to them, etc).

The characters have so many feelings and emotions, I don't know why it's only a few authors that touch on deep emotions like expressing grief and sadness. But I've seen a few that've done a great job with the complex human emotions, none-the-less.
Lady Rebel

 

[Second post of accidental double post has been deleted, leaving this shell]
Lady Rebel

 

J_Girl: Actually, in the revised version she's wearing trousers. I hope that doesn't spoil the passage for you? Blame it on my beta Wilhelmina

LadyRebel: Yes, I think the twin bond, which they don't even know about at this stage, affects them both strongly.