Beyond - Legends The Thoughts that Count -- Author's thanks (UDC)

Author: Divapilot
Title: The Thoughts That Count
Characters: L/M, H/L, ??? (We'll see)


Author's notes: Response to the Drabble Challenge. You can find the Ultimate Drabble Challenge here.


Set 1: Week of 7/7/06 -- "Family"

Beginnings:

She heard the girls in the hallway, giggling loudly. Leia perked up and sprinted toward their voices, leaving her imaginary tea party unfinished. When she peered down the hall, their mother, the Queen?s wardrobe mistress, scolded her daughters. ?Now look! You?ve disturbed the princess! What must she think, hearing you two? Now go outside and behave!?

The girls curtsied, apologized, and left quietly. Leia turned sadly back into her ornate playroom, cluttered with toys. She had every amusement that a child could desire. But her parents could never give her what she wanted most: a sibling to share it with.


Middles:

The cell was cold and uncomfortable, with only a faint, red-tinted light to see by. No matter now. Leia was grateful for the severity, as it matched how empty her heart felt. She had witnessed her world ? her family, her home -- destroyed. They were all gone.

She remembered her father?s kind eyes, his laughter ? but then she slammed the memory down.

Everyone she loved was gone. There was nothing left to lose. It wasn?t as if a long-lost relative would walk into her cell to rescue her.

She was wounded beyond tears, wiped clean. Only the rebellion mattered now.


Ends:

?If you aren?t comfortable doing this, you don?t have to, Luke,? she said, eyes averted. She knew her unusual request had surprised him.

?No, Leia. I want to do this. I?d? I?d be honored.? Luke bent to meet her eyes, and Leia looked up at him.

She smiled wistfully. ?Traditionally, at an Alderaanian wedding party, this would be the bride?s father?s responsibility.? Her eyes moistened for a moment. ?I always dreamed of the day Father would say the blessing for me. But I know you would do him proud in his place.?

Luke embraced his sister and promised his best.


First:

Leia?s hand grazed her abdomen, even though a casual glance would deny proof of her first pregnancy. ?Han, if I had any doubt that the baby would be at risk, I would cancel this trip.?

Han tilted back his chair. ?Hey, Luke. I don?t want Junior to get irradiated or something, you know, ?cause he?s gotta look as good as his old man. What do you think? Would traveling too much hurt the baby?? He smirked, smugly self-assured.

Luke waved his hand dismissively and continued to stare at the smashball tournament on the Holonet. ?Nah. They?ll be fine.?

Han blinked.


Last:

Luke looked more exhausted than Leia had ever seen, but there was a contagious joyfulness about him.

Leia leaned over and gently caressed her newborn nephew?s cheek. Ben rooted, then fell back asleep. ?He?s beautiful, Luke,? she said. ?I?m so happy for you both.?

Luke put his arm around her. ?I almost lost her, Leia,? he whispered, his voice breaking.

Leia leaned her head against him. ?I know. But you didn?t, Luke.? Her brown eyes shone, and she smiled widely. ?And now you have a family, my brother.?

He hugged her. ?No, my sister, now we have a bigger family.?

 

Okay, that was too wonderful!! Love Luke and Leia together anyway. Each moment was sweet and moving in its own way: first Leia wanting children to play with but being separated by status from so many of her age-mates; mourning the loss of Alderaan and her family; asking Luke for the traditional wedding blessing; but the capper was Luke saying that they now had a bigger family.

 

Awww part Saga, part Beyond. I like it.

 

These are excellent, diva! Loved the last one, especially, for Luke's last line, and really liked the one with Han, too!

 

divapilot ~

Welcome, welcome! I have never read your work before, and so didn't know what to expect. I am delighted by what I found!

Beginnings:
Nicely portrayed. Sadness without the angst, it feels very real. It might also explain why she was okay with her children having only siblings for companions.

Middles:
This, I know, was supposed to be deeply emotional and it was. That is until :

It wasn?t as if a long-lost relative would walk into her cell to rescue her.

And then I couldn?t help myself. I snickered. ::smirks::

Ends:
Beautiful.

First:
HILARIOUS! Characterizations were dead on, in my humble opinion.

Han blinked.

Last:
This one caught me by surprise, considering the other ? but it fits sooo nicely. Way to keep your themes fresh and interesting and, at the same time, consistent!


These were incredibly well conceived and I am so happy you took a chance with our fun challenge. I look forward to more from you next week!

Zonoma

 

Very sweet. Loved the end of First, and all of End. Well done.

 

Beautiful work as usual, divapilot. They work exactly as they should, with each drabble building on the meaning of the last. I especially liked the second-last one, with Luke casually dropping the bombshell on poor Han and Leia.... a very nice touch.

Wonderfully done.

 

He hugged her. ?No, my sister, now we have a bigger family.?

 

I love the way you handled the "family" theme, showing these moments through Leia's eyes.

She was wounded beyond tears, wiped clean.

I particularly loved that description.

 

Awwww...that was just lovely



You did a great job highlighting the most important parts of Leia's life.

Bravo

 

These are wonderful, dp!

I am always in awe of writers who can portray so much in so few words.

This part really struck me:

She smiled wistfully. ?Traditionally, at an Alderaanian wedding party, this would be the bride?s father?s responsibility.? Her eyes moistened for a moment. ?I always dreamed of the day Father would say the blessing for me. But I know you would do him proud in his place.?

I love the hint of a dual meaning there ? that Leia misses Bail terribly, but that Luke will do their father proud ?in his place.?

Beautiful!

 

Jade_Eyes: Love Luke and Leia together anyway.

Thank you for the kind words! I like the dynamics of that relationship. They decided to make themselves a family, each accepting the other as a sibling.


SilSolo: Awww part Saga, part Beyond. I like it.

Thanks! I wanted it to have the arc start, well, in the beginning. Glad you liked it.


Ginchy: These are excellent, diva! Loved the last one, especially, for Luke's last line, and really liked the one with Han, too!

Thank you! I had fun with them.


Kimmi: Thank you for dropping in. Glad you liked these.


Zonoma:
Middles:
This, I know, was supposed to be deeply emotional and it was. That is until :

It wasn?t as if a long-lost relative would walk into her cell to rescue her.

And then I couldn?t help myself. I snickered. ::smirks::

Ah, the improbability drive strikes again, huh? But I could see Leia thinking that, in her sarcastic way.

First:
HILARIOUS! Characterizations were dead on, in my humble opinion.

Thanks! Good to know I got them right! Thank you for your wonderful response. I?m glad you were pleased with what you found! Thank you for all your input.


frankieskywalker: Thank you!


BigFatty: Very sweet. Loved the end of First, and all of End. Well done.

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed them.


Knight_Aragorn: Beautiful work as usual, divapilot. They work exactly as they should, with each drabble building on the meaning of the last. I especially liked the second-last one, with Luke casually dropping the bombshell on poor Han and Leia.... a very nice touch.

Thank you! I had that little scene buzzing around for a while -- Luke so wrapped up in the Mets game that he doesn?t even realize he?s dropped a bombshell.


Feng_Huang: Thank you!


jedi_of_ennth: I love the way you handled the "family" theme, showing these moments through Leia's eyes.

I don?t often write her ? I don?t feel as comfortable around Leia as I do with other characters, but she really is as much a constant in the epic as Luke.

?She was wounded beyond tears, wiped clean. I particularly loved that description.

How did she keep going after she had been interrogated and after they had destroyed her planet? I figured that she ?reset? herself to live for the rebellion.


KELIA: You did a great job highlighting the most important parts of Leia's life.

Thank you! Happy that you liked them!


Jedi Trace: This part really struck me:

?She smiled wistfully. ?Traditionally, at an Alderaanian wedding party, this would be the bride?s father?s responsibility.? Her eyes moistened for a moment. ?I always dreamed of the day Father would say the blessing for me. But I know you would do him proud in his place.?

I love the hint of a dual meaning there ? that Leia misses Bail terribly, but that Luke will do their father proud ?in his place.?

It must have been subconscious, because I really wasn?t thinking of Anakin there. I was thinking of Leia?s perspective regarding Bail; that she felt that Luke embodied the qualities that had been lost with him. (There?s a ?father? subplot here, dontcha know.) You?re far cleverer than I to see that connection.


Thank you to all who stopped in to read and/or reply! New post next week, as soon as Zonoma gives us the next set of drabble ?clues!?

 

Great job divapilot - I loved beginnings...even though you made me pull a face at the end.

 

Kestrel_Kenobi: Thank you! Glad you liked them.

***

Week of 7/14/06: Theme = Anakin Solo

Hours

Mara felt his death like a fist to her heart. She grabbed a railing for support, then left with only a mumble of explanation. It would take hours to get back.

She had been subtly following their battle through the Force. She tapped into his buried fear, his determination, the strength of his fellow warriors that he gathered around him like a shield. Suddenly, in the frantic heat of attack, she felt his disbelief and pain.

Leia?s raw anguish rent the air, and Luke?s deep despair created the river of grief she followed. Come home, his thoughts implored. It?s Anakin.


Days

Something had withered in Han. He sat alone, his face buried in his hands. Leia found solace in the familiar mantle of responsibility that Mara surmised had taken her through her previous devastations. In the days after the funeral, Luke had become distant and quiet. Grief takes numerous forms.

Jaina concerned her, though. Her sad eyes wept with familiar sorrow, but Mara saw a cold poison rising in their depths. The rest were too lost in pain to notice the brittle desire for revenge awaken and embed itself. Although Jaina hid it well, Mara recognized masks when she saw them.


Weeks

?Who took his name down?? Jaina shouted, slamming her way into the conference room.

Mara approached, raising a calming hand. ?Jaina, I --?

Jaina?s rage slithered throughout the Force around the two women. ?I go to my locker after only a few weeks away, and his locker doesn?t have his name anymore.?

Mara held her arms out beseechingly. ?Jaina, there are new pilots coming. They?ll need lockers, too.?

?Someone took his name!? she hissed. Jaina glared; then she spun on her heels and stormed out.

Sighing, Mara lowered her arms. Her hand grazed the metal nameplate in her pocket.



Months

?When Anakin was a baby, I once fed him candy to see if he would spit up blue,? Jaina laughed. Then she grew silent suddenly.

?Laughing won?t betray his memory, Jaina,? Mara said softly.

Jaina looked away, pensive. ?Sometimes I think I still hear him. It?s like he?s just out of view.?

She turned to look at her aunt. Mara said nothing, letting the younger woman find her words herself.

?I swear sometimes I can feel him. It?s like he?s in the room, watching me,? Jaina said.

Mara retrieved Ben?s dropped toy. ?How do you know he isn?t?? she asked.


Years

Mara watched Jaina stride confidently toward her craft, a blazing star amid the night?s jewels. Every river flows for a reason, Mara mused.

Jaina?s river back from Anakin?s death had been difficult. Yet, if Anakin had lived, would Jaina have found the insight gained by defying the temptation of darkness? Would she have found her true place as a leader, or would she have deferred to the brighter flame of her brother?

Mara knew this for certain: Although The Sword of the Jedi was forged in the fires of loss, her power derived from the strength of her family?s love.

 

Wonderful job, DP!

My favorite:

Luke waved his hand dismissively and continued to stare at the smashball tournament on the Holonet. ?Nah. They?ll be fine.?

Han blinked.



I can just see that!

Well done!

 

Great job! I laughed out loud during First.

I loved the progression of Jaina dealing with Anakin's death in the last set of drabbles.

 

Very poignant imagery: cold poison; a river of grief. Mara's questions at the end were good ones.
Loved seeing both Mara's and Jaina's grief process throughout. Mara's right: laughing doesn't betray a lost loved one's memory; it celebrates it.
But this was the crowning jewel: Mara knew this for certain: Although The Sword of the Jedi was forged in the fires of loss, her power derived from the strength of her family?s love Exquisite!

BTW, love all the "Bests" in your siggy. Well-earned.

 

the first weeks theme of family was beautifully done. Leia's desire for a sibling to the bigger family at Last. Great job there.


then you have the fallout from Anakin's death...loved how Mara was able to see through Jaina's mask, see her desire for revenge, and the YEARS was especially great, at Mara's wonders about Jaina and the DS.


Great job!!

 

How did I miss this? A perfect treat to start out the day, diva! Sorry it took me so long finding it.

It's beautiful how things come full circle. The Middle drabble was so sad. But I love the hope you gave the last part of it.

Only the rebellion mattered now.

Leia would be okay because she still clung to her cause.

I loved the brother/sister moment before Leia's wedding.

And the last one, with Luke and Leia talking about family...*tears up* For them to go having barely no one, to a lot of something... Yep-following the Rebels was definitely the right choice.

Now on to Anakin.

I knew this was going to be a toughie to read. And, it was. I'm still so sad he's gone. Jaina's reaction to his nameplate being removed was so emotional to read. The fact that Mara had the name tag in her pocket shows her desire to move on-but not forget. *shivers*

Mara knew this for certain: Although The Sword of the Jedi was forged in the fires of loss, her power derived from the strength of her family?s love.

Excellent last line. Fantastic work, DP!

Are you sending out PMs when you update?

 

Great drabbles!

Leia's was happier than Jaina's... but then Jaina needs a good swift kick in the arse if you ask me...

Look forward to more!

 

I was hoping the sadness would end divapilot. All these drabbles I've been reading today were just too emotional.

I was glad to finally have laughed out loud when I read.

It wasn?t as if a long-lost relative would walk into her cell to rescue her.

That was just so perfect.

And for Han to find out he fathered twins here...

What do you think? Would traveling too much hurt the baby?? He smirked, smugly self-assured.

Luke waved his hand dismissively and continued to stare at the smashball tournament on the Holonet. ?Nah. They?ll be fine.?

Han blinked.

I could see the snickers now that Leia and Luke were sharing. Shame on those two. I'm just saying.

But then you went sad. But that's ok. Because in between them I just went back and re-read those funny lines. I'm still grinning just thinking about them.

Week 2 is my favorite. I really liked this because it touches on how Mara felt about Anakin's loss after becoming so close to him recently.

Sighing, Mara lowered her arms. Her hand grazed the metal nameplate in her pocket.

I can see Mara doing that.

Bravo.

 

Wonderful drabbles!

I loved the set with Leia-- the progression from wanting a sibling, to finally finding one and growing their families.

and the second set brought tears to my eyes-- great emotional stuff you have there.

jcs

 

Week of 7/14/06: Theme = Anakin Solo

This set was?well, I just don?t have words, diva. One of my younger brothers passed away years ago and I think the progression of these drabbles is very moving and appropriate.

Poignant and powerful scenes. Beautifully done!