Before - Legends Simple Gifts - Holiday Challenge Fic - COMPLETED 12/26!

Title: Simple Gifts
Author: karebear
Rating: G
Characters: Shmi and Anakin Skywalker, and OCs
Setting: approximately a year before TPM
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to the Great Flanneled One. I'm a poor college student who owns nothing, so don't sue me.
Original Character Bio: Kaya Skywalker is Anakin's sister. She is five years older than him. In my universe, Shmi was pregnant with Anakin when she and Kaya were taken by slavers. Wanna find out more? Read my story More Than You Think You Are


The candle in the window could be seen in the distance, a beacon of warmth and welcome to the weary travelers.

There was no winter on Tatooine. The festival of Soyala was not celebrated here. But the Skywalkers still placed a candle in their small window, a simple gesture that encompassed a whole spectrum of meaning, a silent reminder of the holiday no one else knew about, like a special secret.

The world of Ketan was a backwater. Most had never heard of it. Kaya barely remembered it, and Anakin, born on a slave ship, had never been there at all. But the stories Shmi told of the winter celebrations felt familiar, more like home than anything on Tatooine.

When Kaya closed her eyes she could smell the spicy sweetness of the special treats prepared for days in advance of the town fair. She could hear the laughter of the other children as they ran, the snow crunching underneath their boots.

"Tell the story, Mommy," Anakin said, his eyes gravitating to the flickering flame. Shmi smiled. The story of the winter travelers was not one to be read from a book, rather it was told every year as the sun set after the day of carnivals and cheerful feasts, and lived in the hearts of all who heard it.

Far away family members would come together on this day, to celebrate the fortunes that had been bestowed on them during the year that was ending, and to give voice to their hopes for the new year.

The eldest would tell the story, and the rest of the family would gather around, the children listening with rapt attention, preparing for the day far in the future when it would be their turn to share the tale.

Shmi recognized the look of fascination in her children's eyes, it was the same way she had admired her grandmother when she was Anakin's age. Those times seemed just as much a part of legend as the story she now told. Her childhood had been several lifetimes ago.

But that didn't mean she couldn't give her children just a moment of innocence in the midst of the harsh life they didn't deserve and couldn't escape. She took a deep breath and began...

The icy wind bit at the travelers and they wrapped their cloaks tighter around themselves, conserving as much heat as they could as they trekked across the frozen expanse. The path was treacherous, alternating between slippery patches of ice and deep snow banks. The snow swirled around them, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead.

"We'll need to find somewhere to spend the night," the man announced. His partner nodded, but she felt the despair flood her soul once again as she took another look around.

"There's nothing for miles. We'll freeze to death before we find shelter." Already the temperature was rapidly falling as the sun dipped below the horizon.

As the sky grew darker, the couple plunged forward, concentrating on putting one booted foot in front of the other. Each step was exhausting, and despite wearing several layers of clothing, they shivered uncontrollably.

"You'd think we'd landed on Hoth," the man grumbled. His partner didn't respond. "Lydia?" he asked, concern creeping into his voice. He was aware of their core body temperatures sinking lower and lower. He stopped, holding her.

"Are you okay?" She was so bundled up that all he could see was her eyes. Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes like decorative glitter. He could tell she was fighting to stay awake, bu

 

Aww...that was a wonderful little piece! I loved that way that Anakin interrupted when Shmi was repeating the tale. You could tell he had heard the story a hundred times, but he still loved it. It was very much like a little kid.

"I wish a Jedi would see our candle and come to visit," Anakin said sleepily.

"Hold that hope in your heart, Ani," Shmi advised. "The festival of Soyala is when dreams can come true."

*sniffs* How sweet!! Great bit of foreshadowing there. It ties in nicely with TPM, too. Great job!!

 

Malaki waited until his guests were both peacefully sleeping until he retired for the night. He awoke before the sun rose the next morning to prepare breakfast. The smells of the cooking sausages and sweetbreads filled the house.

The two Jedi stirred to life, happily sharing the meal. Sometime during the night the storm had calmed, and now only a few flurries fell. The walk to their ship was no longer menacing but pleasant, and they returned to Malaki's home to say goodbye before returning to Coruscant in their newly repaired ship.

Malaki watched them depart, then made his own journey to the village of Kylar to tell of his experience, and remind the people of the importance of the simple gifts of warmth and friendship on a cold winter's night.

Shmi finished the story, smiling fondly at her two children.

"Ani's asleep," Kaya said, taking her mother's hand. Shmi nodded.

"I have something for you," she told her daughter. She removed a small wooden box from it's hiding place. Kaya had seen it before, but she didn't know what was inside. She knew that it had been made by her grandfather, a carpenter. She ran her hand over the intricate carvings, sanded smooth.

Shmi opened the box, removing a simple necklace. The smooth stone was carved with a Ketan symbol, that when roughly translated, meant "dreams come true."

"My mother gave this to me when I was your age. I want you to have it." Kaya took the gift, holding it protectively.

"It's beautiful."

"May the new year bring you joy," Shmi told her.

"May the new year bring you joy," Kaya whispered the traditional phrase.

Shmi hugged her daughter, kissing the top of her head. "Get some sleep."

"Do you really believe it?" Kaya asked.

"What?"

"Dreams come true. Do you really think that's true, even for us?"

"I believe it's true especially for us. I believe if you take the Malaki's message to heart and do all you can to help others, your kindness will be repaid."

Kaya nodded, apparently satisfied. "Good night, Mom."

"Good night."

 

Hee hee- first off I love the notes in your disclaimer about being a poor college student

Ahhh I remember those days...

Nice little story so far. I like the simplicity of the telling and how Shmi narrates the tale. It was wise of the old man to let the Jedi in out of the cold.

Will there be a final post?

 

This is a great story. I like how Shmi reads the story.

 

So I started out one year before TPM, and wound up a few years after NJO. Not what I was expecting when I started, but it is where inspiration took me, and it seems to work, at least in my opinion.
_____________________________________

Kaya held the smooth stone tightly, staring out the window. The light of the stars illuminated the small room. Taking a deep breath, she slipped the chain over her head. The necklace seemed to radiate comfort as she stepped out of her room and into the unfamiliar territory beyond.

The common room was filled with close to twenty people, some sitting on the comfortable stuffed couches, others standing. The adults held drinks, and children chased each other, smiling and laughing. Festive music rang out from carefully mounted speakers.

A little boy with red-gold curls looked away from the game for a moment and spotted her. He waved cheerfully. "Happy Soyala, Auntie Kaya."

Kaya smiled in return. "Happy Soyala, Ben."

"Come play with me."

"In a minute, okay?" she heard Han's voice say. "Let me talk to the guest of honor for a little bit."

"Okay," Ben replied, returning to his friends.

Kaya turned to Han. "Guest of honor?" she smirked. He shrugged, the grin on his face making him appear years younger in an instant.

"This is your holiday that gave us the excuse to party," he reminded her, pouring two shots of some highly intoxicating Corellian liquor, handing one to her and keeping one for himself. "And it's not often we have these family reunions."

He paused for a moment, surveying the room. Luke and Leia were sitting on the couch in the corner, talking quietly, presumably catching up on each other's adventures over the past few months. Jacen and Jaina were laughing together, indulging themselves at the table that had been filled with cocktails and snacks, keeping an eye on their young children, who were darting around the room, chasing after Ben in some Force-assisted version of tag.

"Anyway, what were you doing all alone in there?" Han asked, indicating her room.

"Just... thinking," Kaya said. "Remembering. I'm still getting used to having a big family to celebrate the holidays with."

"Me too," Han admitted, finishing his drink. "Still, isn't this celebration about looking forward to the future? New year and wishes and dreams and all that."

Kaya nodded, watching the dancing flame of the candle in the window. "Yes. That's exactly what it's about."

"Okay then. Come on and join the party."

"Daddy says you have a story to tell us," Ben said, tugging at her pants leg. Kaya looked down at her nephew's child, and for an instant, she remembered Anakin at that age. She smiled, picking Ben up and carrying him to the nearest empty chair. Everyone else gathered around, becoming quiet.

Ben sat in Kaya's lap, watching her with wide eyes as she began, "The icy wind bit at the travelers as they wrapped their cloaks tighter around themselves..."

THE END

Happy New Year to One and All, Whos who are Big, and Whos who are Small.

 

karebear: what a sweet story and from such an unusual perspective! A sister for Anakin Skywalker: why is this the first I've heard of that? What an original idea!

I like how the Jedi were *not* the central focus of the story, but a sideline, and likely the first mention Anakin has of what the Jedi are in the greater Galaxy.

I also really like Shmi's reflected sadness that her children will grow up in bondage.That's so rarely touched upon in fanfic, and yet there's a wealth of story there. Well done.


*Derisa*

 

i loved this vignette. It was so bittersweet, had foreshadowing to die for.