Saga Of Banthas and Little Boys - a young Luke vignette

Title: Of Banthas and Little Boys
Author: VaderLVR64
Timeframe: Intertrilogy



Of Banthas and Little Boys


He set out to cause trouble and, being a Skywalker, he succeeded beyond his wildest imagination. The boy had a real knack for it, and no one could deny it. For the moment, we both ignored the still-smoking wreckage of the grav sled. He did so out of embarrassment, I did it because every time I looked at it I felt my knees go weak.

He could have been killed.

Luke, however, seemed to have no clue about the danger. Instead, he seemed more perturbed about failing than frightened of being hurt, and that scared me even more. Torn between anger and terror, I tried to focus on my anger. But even that was going to be difficult.

As I stared down at him, I had to work hard to keep my expression stern. Luke glanced up at me through blond lashes and his lips quirked as if he recognized my difficulties.

That was part of the problem; Luke always knew more than he should.

?You could have hurt yourself, Luke,? I chided him, shaking my finger at him. Or worse, I could not help thinking. Shaking that finger was not difficult, since my whole body was trembling. He blinked up at me, probably confused at the distress in my voice. My heart was still beating like a stampeding bantha.

?I know,? he mumbled. ?I?m sorry.? Then he kicked at the sand with his feet, his slim shoulders slumping. ?I?ll try and do better.?

The words sounded remarkably sincere given the fact that I knew I could go into the house for a few minutes and come back outside to find Luke knee deep in some new and even more dangerous mischief. ?Really?? I asked with skepticism. I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to appear unyielding.

?I said I?ll try,? Luke explained patiently. ?That?s different?? He looked up at me to see if I grasped the finer points of his argument.

I did. We had had this conversation more than once.

Apparently Luke sensed that my anger and worry had not quite passed because he wrapped his arms around my legs. ?I love you, Uncle Owen,? he said sweetly. He peered up at me with innocent blue eyes.

No one could put on the charm like Luke Skywalker. No one needed to quite as much either.

?I love you, too, Luke,? I told him as I picked him up. ?But that doesn?t change the fact that you did something you were told not to do.? Our eyes met and he gazed at me mournfully.

?I know,? he said in a small, miserable voice. It was the voice that never failed to end my bad temper and he knew it. The boy was a master at his craft, I had to give him that.

Hugging him close, I inhaled the slightly pungent scent of sweaty little boy. It?s an odor that I would recognize anywhere in the galaxy, and as familiar to me as the scent of Beru?s hair, but much less pleasant I had to admit. ?I was worried about you,? I whispered.

Luke leaned back and patted the side of my face. ?Don?t worry, Uncle Owen. I know what I?m doing.?

That was my fear. Luke seemed to know exactly what he was doing. I could not forget that Anakin Skywalker had raced his way to freedom, and his son showed every sign of wanting to follow in his father?s fast and dangerous footsteps. I couldn?t keep up with him, and wasn?t sure I would want to even if I could. ?You go too fast,? I chided him.

?I like fast,? Luke replied with an unrepentant grin. ?It feels good.? Then he dipped his head and looked up at me through his lashes once again, giving me a sly smile. ?You should try it. I could show you.?

I laughed and put him down on the ground. ?Oh no, my boy,? I told him. ?I?m afraid I wouldn?t survive.?

?I won?t crash,? Luke vowed. ?I?m better than that.? There was disdain in his voice for lesser pilots, even at the tender age of seven.

?Really?? I asked, glancing at the wreckage.

?Most of the time,? Luke amended easily.

I shuddered to think of what he?d try and pilot ten years from now. In fact, it was better for my sanity if I banished that thought immediately and I did. I was better off not knowin

 

Can I have a bantha??? Classic little kid thinking. All that noise about danger and it goes in one ear and right out the other.

Great job. Loved it.

 

Oh, I absolutely loved this story! So sweet. You write Owen and Luke perfectly. I would quote it, but I'd probably end up quoting the whole thing because I liked it all.

Brilliant job!

 

I love it. Uncle Owen is perfect, and so is Luke! (Somehow I bet Aunt Beru knows anyway, though...) LOL!

 

So typical of a kid. somehow, I think Luke would do well keeping a pet Bantha.

 

Great story and Luke so like his father when he was little Anakin

 

So sweet! What an adorable vignette - left me smiling so wide, my cheeks hurt!

I love the interaction between Uncle Owen and Luke. It did a wonderful job adding an extra layer of depth to their relationship. I know Owen was always gruff, but he clearly had a soft spot in his heart for Luke.

Beautiful job! The closing line was a classic!!!

 

Wonderful to get some insight into Owen - he always seems to be a bit grumpy and quite severe, but you have shown a totally different side. I liked it very much!

?Do we have to tell Aunt Beru?? he asked worriedly.
Laughing, I shook my head. ?No?I think we?re both better off keeping this little escapade to ourselves. I?ll figure out something?? I muttered, thinking of the wreckage.
Oh boys she's a woman, she probably already knows everything!

 

I loved it.

Your interpretation of Luke's life with Owen when he was younger is how I'd like for it to have been.

I'm sure in those teenage years Luke lost some of that sweetness. And with him constantly begging to go to the Academy I can see Owen becoming more and more concerned that he's just like his father, giving him that guarded attitude that we see in ANH.

 

Loved it, K! So nice to see this softer, more fatherly side of Owen. And Luke! He's Anakin's son, all right, when it comes to wanting to go fast. LOL!

?I said I?ll try,? Luke explained patiently. ?That?s different?? He looked up at me to see if I grasped the finer points of his argument.

That was perfect!!!

 

Cute viggie! You write them so well!

 

"I'll try and do better"

I seem to vaguely recall a certain Jedi master's teachings about trying

I loved seeing Owen in a softer light, but then who could help but be completely wrapped around little Luke's finger?

I wonder if he ever got that bantha?

Great job on this

 

Lil' Luke is mega-cute! And a master manipulator Good thing he's not into politics

 

I LOVE this story! I don't think I've ever read a Luke & Uncle Owen story and this one is fabulous!

No one could put on the charm like Luke Skywalker. No one needed to quite as much either.
I think Mara would agree with that statement.

?Could you wait until you?re on your own before you start risking your life?? I teased.
?Probably not,? he admitted in a moment of painful honesty.
?Probably not,? I agreed.
...and...
?I know you don?t Luke,? I said as I pulled him into a fierce hug. His thin arms wrapped around my neck and he held on tightly.
?I?m sorry, Uncle Owen.? His words were muffled against my throat and I felt the hot fall of tears.
?There now, Luke,? I said as I wiped away his tears. ?No need for that. I?m not mad?? He looked at me doubtfully. ?Not anymore,? I amended and his expression cleared. ?Just be careful. Okay?? I ruffled his hair. ?I just don?t want anything to happen to you.?

Your take on Owen's gruffness is just right. He cares deeply for his little family, he just doesn't go in for any of that mushy "I love you" stuff.

If I quoted all my favorite parts, the whole story would be here...Let me just say that you did a wonderful job on this one!!! Reading it, I could just imagine Luke having brief moments of terror in later life as he heard his uncle's words coming out of his own mouth.

 

Apparently Luke sensed that my anger and worry had not quite passed because he wrapped his arms around my legs. ?I love you, Uncle Owen,? he said sweetly. He peered up at me with innocent blue eyes.

No one could put on the charm like Luke Skywalker. No one needed to quite as much either.

Isn't it the truth? This is such a sweet vignette. I was expecting the POV character to be Beru, but I'm so glad it was Owen. I love them both, but it seems that Beru is so often the sympathetic one and Owen is written as harsh or distant. For all his abruptness in ANH, I always thought that he loved Luke deeply. Why else would he have tried so hard to keep Luke on the farm and out of danger? It's lovely to see Owen and Luke together like this. And Luke's characterization is just perfect. Congratulations on a well deserved award for that.

 

Aw! I love little Luke stories - especially little heart tuggers like this one! Very sweet and wonderful work!

 

Ahh, so cute!

?What do you think makes a bantha go faster??

Hee hee Definitely Anakin's kid.

 

Luke fell silent for a moment as I carried him down the stairs. ?Uncle Owen?? he asked quietly.

?What?? I asked just before we stepped into the courtyard.

?Can I have a bantha??

Oh my- how incredible cute
Little Luke really is a mischievous child, isn't he? And yes, it must be the Skywalker spirit....always getting in trouble!
That's always the matter with little children: you could scream at them until you're hoarse, but when you take a deep breath to do so, they smile at you one time oh-so-innocent, and everything if forgiven and forgotten again.
I can only confirm this, at the example of my little brother.
Great story!

 

Oh Luke! What a master! I suppose its true though, Luke's path is laiden with wreckage... Couple of Death Stars here and there for good measure! And his confidence that he won't get himself killed is kinda what made him best the Emperor! Cute Vigg!

Cheers_Cazza

 

dianethx Thanks! I had fun writing it!

dancing_star So glad you liked it!

ginchy I'm betting that she does! But she'll let the boys keep their "secret."

RebelMom I'm sure he would, until he decided to see if he really COULD make it go faster!

earlybird-obi-wan He's a Skywalker. 'Nuf said!

VA_Parky There had to be love and affection there. He raised Luke from a newborn and you it's hard to resist a baby!

Fifilla Oh yeah, she knows!

Lola64 And let's face it, teenagers know everything. I love my teens, but sometimes...

Gina Luke shows he's got some of Padme in him as well, negotiating already!

Laine_Snowtrekker Thank you!

Healer_Leona I think he would have been a loving guardian for Luke.

KELIA No bantha if Owen had anything to say about it!

Feng_Huang Now that's a scary thought!

Blue_Milkshake Any parent who has raised a daredevil child knows what true terror is!

Gabri_Jade Yeah, poor Owen has become the evil stepmother of fan fiction!

Angelmine_29 Thanks for reading!

snowspeeder_gunner Definitely!

Abeja That cute act has saved my kids more than once!

Jedi_Master_Cazz I read a line in a Dean Koontz book where the heroine says, "There's frequently damage." And I thought SKYWALKERS!!!

 

Awww, so cute.
The "can I have a bantha?" line sounds just like a little kid.
Great story!

 

Lol! That was so cute and funny! "Can I have a bantha?" Priceless!