Saga For I Shall Not Pass This Way Again - Quotations Roulette Chlg - Bail, Breha, Padme, Obi-Wan, Leia

Title: For I Shall Not Pass This Way Again
Author(s): Wendynat
Timeframe: RotS through ANH
Characters: Bail and Breha Organa, Obi-Wan, Padmé, Leia
Genre: Drama/Vignette/Gen
Summary: An old saying quoted by Padmé Amidala is the principle by which Bail lives his life.
Notes: This is a second answer to the Quotation Roulette challenge, which can be found here. For this second request, I got number 115: "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." -- Stephen Grellet. For my purposes in this fic, I changed "human being" to "being".

---

"There is an ancient saying, in Naboo. I think you and I fit it rather well, my friend." Padmé Amidala smiled at her fellow senator, Bail Organa. If the smile was a trifle sad, he made no mention of it. Instead, he tilted his head and waited patiently.

"What is the saying, Padmé?" They had been going over the facts of the Chancellor's slow whittling away of Senate power, and any distraction would be a boon, at this point. They were risking much, with the petition that they were preparing.

Padmé stood, and he wondered at her recent wardrobe choices. They were rather different than her previous gowns, larger and held away from her body? perhaps she, also, wanted to not feel so small, so helpless? perhaps on some level she felt that a larger physical presence would give her a larger political presence in the Chancellor's eyes. His ruminations were interrupted when she walked to the window and began to speak.

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.?

He nodded slowly, watching her. There was a remote sadness in her eyes, and though she hid it well, it was evident to one who was close to her. Breha would likely have noticed even earlier than Bail had, but his wife had ever been perceptive when it came to emotion.

The saying? it sounded like Padmé, it sounded natural coming from her lips, but still he felt a chill at the words. She already sacrificed so much. "It is admirable. And wise. But you must also take care not to neglect yourself, Padmé," he said softly. She bowed her head and turned from the window, returning to her chair across from him. "You can't save everyone, or you risk losing yourself. And sometimes a kindness shown to one is an unkindness to another."

She looked away, her eyes distant, and he cursed himself for causing her more pain. "I? I know." One of her hands fiddled with the datapad that sat on the table between them.

Smiling encouragingly, he placed a hand over it, stilling the nervous twitching of her fingers. "But it is a good principle to live by, my friend."

Nodding silently, her other hand drifted to her stomach, a seemingly unconscious movement, and he wondered at the gesture.

But he didn't suspect the truth.

---

He was reminded of that conversation weeks later as he stared through the window at the still figure lying on a medical cot, as he watched the slow breathing of the strong senator who had done so much to try to stem the tide of power that flowed to the Chancellor ? now Emperor. Strength. Wisdom beyond her years.

Pain beyond her years.

Her voice came to him, then, and it sounded so real and so immediate that he almost jumped.

[i]"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.?[/i]

She had been with child, and he hadn't known. No one had. Except, possibly, the father?. And now she willed herself to die. Was it something she saw as a kindness? A good thing, perhaps? And if so ? a kindnes

 

This is really a nice use of this quote. It worked out well.
I especially liked this line, Obi-Wan nodded gravely and squeezed his friend's shoulder. "You are a fine man, Bail. I only wish there were more fine men, to keep you company."

Good job!

 

Beautiful. Heartachingly beautiful. I loved the way that the quote lived on far beyond those who lived by it...and that they lived on because of it.

Very very nicely done.

 

Oqidaun - Thanks!!

Twich - Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it. I loved the way that the quote lived on far beyond those who lived by it...and that they lived on because of it. *blush* That's the feeling I got from it, too, so I'm glad to see you mention that .

 

Nodding silently, her other hand drifted to her stomach, a seemingly unconscious movement, and he wondered at the gesture. How moving!

I like how you used this quote to write about Bail. I admire him and he seems to get overlooked quite often. He was a man of honor who was willing to raise Anakin's child even though it was potentially dangerous. He loved Leia and he loved the Republic. This was beautiful.

 

NIcely done

 

Wonderfully done, Wendy! The use of the quote was brilliantly woven through the whole thing, making it even more powerful.

 

Anakins_Force - Thank you so much! Bail never seems to get a lot of attention in fanfic, but I just love his character. He really is one of the most tragic, selfless people in the GFFA. I'm glad you liked it!!

PrincessLeia13 - Thanks

Rhonderoo - Thanks so much for commenting! So glad you liked it

 

Beautiful, it got me all misty eyed. I loved how you moved between the characters and how Bail's concern for Padme sacrificing too much is paralleled by Leia's concern for Bail.

 

Oh, that was so sad and so lovely, especially the way you tie the generations together. Leia's sadness and concern for her father nicely parallels Bail's feelings about his friend. Beautiful!

 

Lovely_in_Orange - Thank you so much for the comments!! I'm glad you noticed the parallel - it was one thing I had in mind while writing

DarthMousche - Thank you! I've always loved the Organa family, and Bail especially, considering all he sacrificed to protect Leia and the Republic. Thanks for commenting

 

Oh, I always loved Bail!

Very nice vignette, Wendy.

 

Golden_Jedi - Thank you!! Bail has always been one of my favorite secondary characters, since he was fleshed out a bit more in AotC. I loved the portrayal of him in RotS!

 

Bail has always been one of my very favorite characters and you certainly did him justice here! Bravo! Like everything else you write, this is lyrical and moving.

 

VaderLVR64 - Oh, thank you so much! I've got a huge soft spot for Bail, so I'm glad another fellow Bail-lover enjoyed it . Thanks for your comments - it's flattering to hear compliments from a writer I admire so much!!

 

Good story. Very well done.