Saga Bard of the Bith challenge responses--vignettes inspired by Shakespeare quotes

This is for the weekly Shakespeare quote challenge response.

Week 1:

"When sorrows come, they come not as single spies, but in battalions." ~Hamlet

 

WOO HOO! First Post! Hopefully you all will like it.
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We Have No Time For Our Sorrows


?Remember my little Princess. When sorrows come, they come not as single spies, but in battalions,? the soothing voice of Bail Organa filled the somber scene.

?But why?? the eight year old version of the Princess asked. Her tears were beginning to subside now and she could finally speak with out gasping for breath.

?Some times life must test us all at once so that we can remember to cherish the time we have with our loved ones,? his voice had never wavered or cracked as he buried his wife. It wasn?t until later that night that Leia would see any emotion escape from her father. He was sitting on the edge of his bed holding on to his wife?s brush and weeping silently.

?Don?t cry father,? the little Princess whispered as she placed a small hand on her father?s knee. ?Mother will always be with us.? Through his tears Bail was able to smile at his daughters words.

?She will?? he asked as he gathered her up in his arms and walked towards the balcony. The Princess looked up at the spectacle above and pointed to the brightest star.

?Uh huh,? the Princess nodded. ?If we can see the stars then she can see us.?

?Yes she can,? Bail kissed his daughters head as they continue to watch the stars above.

--

Awaking drenched in sweat the Princess tried to catch her breath. The humidity of Yavin weighed down on her with great pressure. Almost as much as the memory she had just dreamed of. Quickly throwing on a robe Leia left her quarters, chest still heaving for air and her mind still seeking sanctuary from the memories that had haunted her since that fateful day on the Death Star. Never in her life had her father?s words been truer then they were on that day. Sorrow had indeed come as a single spy; one planet had been destroyed but then sorrow had also come in the form of billions rather then in the form of battalions. Forgiveness however would never come, not in any form, be it words or the gesture of a hug. It had been her actions that had caused these sorrows and it was only right that she bare them for all eternity.

The freshness in the air alerted her to the fact that she was now in the hanger. Little did she know that a certain smuggler watched as she made her way through the desolate area of the base. The Princess was thankful they had these moments of peace, soon they would be pursued once more and life would go back to its erratic state. Something she hated to wish for but the more she had to do the less she had to think about the things she would never see or hear again. A pain echoed in her chest as she let her mind drift towards these things.

She closed her eyes and let the rustling of the trees fool her into believing she was in a place far away from the likes of the Rebellion. Where the grass was green and soft to the touch, the oceans would sparkle and crash against the beautiful shores, and the mountains stood tall and proud in the distance. She could almost hear the songbirds that would perch outside her window at the Palace. The memories were too much and the Princess wrenched her eyelids open to the stinging reality that all of which she longed for was now gone.

The tears, which had become a permanent fixture when she was alone, began their slow assault, clouding her sight and dampening her cheeks. She collapsed to the ground in a heap. She should have died, she should have stood next to her father in those final minutes and held her head high. Instead she watched from a distance like a coward. Pounding the ground in front of her the Princess wanted nothing more then to feel pain, instead she felt numb and empty devoid of any thing that resembled her former self.

?Why,? she sobbed into the ground before jerking upright to look at the majestic view above. ?WHY!? her screams echoed into the night but no answer came.

Dark thoughts began to swim in her head. She took out her blaster and began to look at it in su

 

Awwww, that was lovely, Irish! A little H/L to brighten everyone's morning, despite the heart-wrenching nature of the viggie. Poor Leia... you did a wonderful job capturing her grief in the wake of Alderaan. The combination of her memories of her father plus the new memories of Han was what really did it I think.

Great job!

Stormqueen

 

You already know what I think, but I'll say it anyway.

This was some heavy stuff. I definitely enjoyed the switch between Leia's past and present, and Han's anger.

Very nicely done!

 

I must be crazy, considering it's some ungodly hour in the morning, and I'm posting a viggie. Anyway, here's my response. Hope you enjoy it!

Title: Of Shadows and Broken Dreams
Author: Stormqueen
Timeframe: During ROTS (contains some spoilers)
Genre: Obi-angst, no doubt about it.
Characters: pretty much entirely Obi-Wan
Summary: After the duel of Mustafar, Obi-Wan reflects upon what has been, what is, and what will be.

Notes: Hopefully this plot isn't too overdone. If so, hope you enjoy my spin on it. Written in response to the Shakespeare quote challenge, and inspired by the following quote...

***

"When sorrows come, they come not as single spies, but in batallions." ~Hamlet

***

Who am I?

He knelt before a sleep couch aboard Padmé?s private spaceship, attempting to meditate as the craft flew to the nearest MedCenter. Ashes coated his tongue, his once-pristine robes seared by flames, his face coated with sweat and dust. His very soul ached, his heart cracked behind carefully contrived shields. His mind refused to quiet, screaming in the aftermath of that horrid battle.

Who am I?

?I am Kenobi,? he whispered, clinging to the name. ?I am Obi-Wan Kenobi.?

No he wasn?t. He couldn?t be. Obi-Wan was dead.

Then who was he?

A shadow, barely alive.

Just when things had finally seemed to turn around, and Obi-Wan had felt the faintest glimmer of hope that the war would finally end, his universe had exploded. He?d been hunted by his own troops, the Jedi systematically exterminated, and...

Yes, he decided. Obi-Wan was dead.

After all, how could he be living? The galaxy as Obi-Wan had known it had been utterly destroyed. Everything the man had ever loved, had ever stood for, was annihilated as the Empire surged forth. Obi-Wan had been wiped away by those so-called cleansing flames, yet another victim of the Emperor?s tangled web.

The man?s death had begun, he decided, the moment Obi-Wan had stepped into the Temple, the Force wailing around him as he surveyed the bodies littering the floor. Obi-Wan had staggered through the corridors, his fingertips running along the smooth walls, his stomach churning in revulsion. It was a battlefield of the worst kind, with children gutted by a lightsaber blade, one that was supposed to protect them.

The Temple was supposed to be safe; yet somehow it had been completely devastated.

He shut his eyes, trying to will away the images of shocked faces, the smell of burnt flesh. He tried to block his ears, to stop the crunch of gravel from filling them.

Tears threatened to slide down his cheeks, but he drew a heavy breath and repressed them.

What had been the second blow against Obi-Wan?

Vader.

The sight of Anakin, the man who had been Obi-Wan?s brother, his most trusted friend, swearing an oath to serve a Sith had knocked the man senseless. He barely remembered slamming a fist on the controls to shut the recording up, shock roaring in his ears and drowning out his own weak denial.

Strange that he could still recall the exact sheen to Master Yoda?s eyes, heavy with pity and sorrow.

Things blacked then.

He couldn?t recall how he got to Mustafar, only that he had, and he instantly wished he hadn?t come. Seeing Anakin twisted and evil had nearly broken him completely, but the same power that had gotten him off Coruscant gave him the strength to fight against one he had loved like family.

He had hated every minute of it, but his job was done.

Anakin was dead.

Obi-Wan had died along with him, the lava consuming his very soul.

He opened his eyes then, trying to focus them on the sleep couch, and did his best to ignore the despair gnawing at his flesh.

What was he supposed to do now? The Jedi were no more; Vader had seen to that. His life had been ripped to pieces as the galaxy had been turned on its head.

He had nothing left.

What am I?

?I am a Jedi,? he whispered desperately, shutting his eyes a

 

stormqueen, this was stunning! You were right I did need a tissue.

You are such a wonderful writer, I loved how you incorporated the quote, and how you explored Obi-Wan's emotions and sense of loss..every aspect of his sorrow..the fact that he had been left a shell..

with children gutted by a lightsaber blade, one that was supposed to protect them.
Your words have a powerful impact, you really capture the shock and despair he feels.

It was all he?d ever known; all he?d ever been taught.

That was really sad. Especially as the Jedi life had been the most important thing to him...

I am no longer anything



Wonderful viggie! I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for letting me know!
(I can't wait until you post something else.. )

 

Stormqueen, this story is...amazing! Stunning! Beautifully written! I can't begin to express how powerful it is!
Your choice of words and pacing are excellent! You really got deep into Obi-Wan's tortured mind, and you did it with such grace.

*sits in stunned silence*

I'm going to start posting at midnight now.

Keep writing, my friend! You have amazing talent!

 

StormQueen - That was wonderful You captured Obi Wan's sorrows beautifully.

You are needed. You know this; you can feel it. You must rise above your pain for now.

Great minds think a like

 

Wow, you guys both had me on the verge of tears with the force of what you wrote.

 

JOINME and Nienna: You two do realize what you're doing to my ego, right? But I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Irish: Great minds certainly do think alike! Thanks!

DarthIshtar: Well, it was your quote that inspired these ramblings. And I'm happy were near to tears, as strange as that sounds. It means I'm doing my job right!

Stormqueen

 

What a wonderful challenge.

IrishEyedJedi - excellent words. The flashbacks were really effective, remembering her father.

Stormqueen - He would have to continue to be a pawn of the Force until it decided he could finally die. The resentment contained in this line, that he is merely a pawn - wow. Great stuff.

 

He curled in on himself, resting his forehead to his thighs, his eyes burning with tears that fought to be released. A Jedi knew no sorrow; a Jedi knew no grief. He was not supposed to mourn for those who had gone. He was not supposed to cry.

But he was no longer a Jedi.

Padawan, you are the queen of angst! I sobbed so hard while reading this that my cousin thought my boyfriend dumped me.
Tissues...Where the hell are the tissues?

 

At my side
By darthishtar

Inspired by "When sorrows come, they come not as single spies, but in battalions." ~Hamlet
*****
Naen had been keeping a secret on the day that the news came.

It had nothing to do with the idle gossip that she usually exchanged with friends, but the matter that she would discuss with her family the next week when she finally had furlough.

It took everything she had not to mention to them that she would be bringing an engagement ring and her Star Destroyer Captain fiancé back to Alderaan.

They had met him several times, since he had been stationed at Alderaan when she was in the diplomatic corps, but this was the first time that her father would call him something more affectionate than "Captain Piett" or "Josten."

He was not a romantically demonstrative man, but as they left the jeweler's admiring the corusca solitaire on gold that now adorned her finger, he stopped in the middle of the plaza and pulled her into a lingering, exultant kiss.

And then his comm went off.

"Blast," Jos muttered. "I can't take one day to enjoy normal life."

"You said you wouldn't be shipping out until next week," she protested.

His mouth stretched in an apologetic half-smile as he brought the commlink to his lips. "Piett," he reported in.

Whatever it was, the news wasn't good and he pulled her against him, the familiar gesture that was prelude to parting and apology for absence.

"I'll return within the hour," he promised quietly.

She stiffened, then pulled back to steal another kiss, but her lips were trembling against his.

Every time he left, she had to recognize that the odds of him returning were growing ever slimmer.

He pulled back with obvious reluctance to sign off, then pulled her back into the embrace. "I'm sorry," he sighed, "but the orders come from Coruscant this time."

"You could still send out your relief pilot," she teased.

"I'm not the pilot," he reminded, "and my relief officer has double pneumonia from a scouting mission."

"Faked death?" she suggested.

"Tempting," he admitted.

"You could simply disobey orders."

Finally, the smile broadened. "I'd better leave now," he surmised. "You're a bad influence on me."

"Does that mean you're considering it?"

"Too much."

When his vessel left the system, she had found a message on her comm. It was his usual habit to leave this sort of thing behind as a sort of parting shot and promise of reunion.

Instead, it was a message from her employer at the newsfeed, distributed to all sector journalists.

Announcement: The Empire regrets to announce the demise of the Core world of Alderaan, due to a sabotage of Imperial weapons by the self-proclaimed Rebel Alliance. At present time, there is no word of survivors, due to the planet's utter destruction. The Emperor will be addressing the Galaxy at 0800 GST. All sector representatives should prepare questions and submit them to His Majesty's attaché by 0600.

She had stood up so quickly that the repulsorchair skidded across the room, but she hardly noticed as she staggered towards the 'fresher.

She never made it. Instead, she collapsed against the couch, retching until the dry heaves converted into wracking sobs. Bereft of all comforts, she instead curled in on herself clutching her knees to her chest in an attempt to disappear from this environment of agony.

She had been asked to submit questions, but instead she submitted her resignation and a request for the severance pay. Both were granted quickly, given her citizenship, in the aftermath of the Empire's attempts to show compassion.

Four days later, Jos had returned and instead of going to Alderaan for a joyous occasion, they traveled to the outskirts of the system and had one of his first commanding officers marry them amid the ruins of her life.

It was no surprise to find herself pregnant after just three months and by that time, she had finally remembered how to live, but not how to forget.

Jos insisted on taking a smaller post at the shipyards near Corellia a

 

Just beautiful, DarthIshtar! Piett does survive ROTJ, doesn't he? (Thinks) No, no he doesn't! He goes down with Vader's flagship! Oh man... *sniffles*

Your writing is as wonderful as ever, and I can't help but feel the deepest sympathies for Naen. I can't imagine her reaction to ROTJ...

In order to let the justice live on, Taia Piett became the reminder that those who were ripped away were still at the side of those who were left behind.



Excellent job!
Stormqueen

 

Thanks! I loved trying to get a romantic side of Piett.

 

Wow! Three incredible stories in a row! Goodness, am I ever glad I clicked on this link!

IrishEyedJedi - that was incredible! Poor Leia - the ramifications of what happened to her beloved home planet surely haunted her every moment. You did a great job depicting that! I'm so glad Han was there to help her!

Stormqueen874 - Okay, you're going to have me running to buy stock in Kleenex! That was beautiful! I really loved your description of what must have been going through Obi-wan's mind when he was finally left alone long enough to let everything hit him. You captured his emotions perfectly.

DarthIshtar - aww, you had me liking Piett! I'll never view him the same again - and I mean that in a good way. It's always fascinating to see another side of a character like that and as always, you did an amazing job!

Again, great job everyone! How fascinating to see the different directions you wonderful writers take the same quote!

 

Thank you. I've always liked Piett.

 

A couple of days ago I posted my response, but I forgot this was here and started a new thread for it. What should I do? Ask the mods to lock it and post it here, or can you read it anyway from the thread? No one's read, at least no one's commented on it.

EDIT: Sometimes it doesn't pay to get out of bed. My story is Before and I stupidly wrote my posdt here. Oh well, what opinion does anyone have anyway, please?

 

Post the link here.

 

Thanks Ish, I feell like a knucklehead for screwing up, but everybody screws up sometimes right? Only I'll post the link in the Before thread you created, since that's where my story is.

 

I do it frequently, but I"m a bigger knucklehead than you.