Saga Holiday Heritage (Sabé, Leia)

Title: Holiday Heritage
Author: taramidala
Rating: G
Time Frame: Um...pre ANH and slightly post ROTJ? More “Legends”-verse than New!Canon, if only because we don’t know anything yet.
Disclaimer: All belongs to Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Disney Corporation except for the concept of "First Night," a holiday of my creation.
Note: I love the idea that Sabé ended up on Alderaan raising Leia and Winter. Here's another short!fic about that.
Note (2): No beta on this one, so any mistakes are mine (and feel free to point them out!).



"Holiday Heritage"

The Naboo tradition of First Night is not one shared by Alderaan, but one Sabé carries with her anyway on the eve of every new year. With aid from the palace chefs, she sits down her charges to a mini-feast of Naboo delights in her suite: sweetcakes, mincemeats, and grassroot teas.

She leads the girls in remembrance and thanks for the year that’s past. She prompts them for their wishes for the year that’s ahead. In the early years it’s talk of toys and dolls and pretty clothes. Books come later, then technology.

Most of all, there’s talk of home, her home, and history, of the way things were.

Of her childhood, she speaks of green grass and tall trees. Of a gleaming city of marble and light. Of waterfalls and running wild, running free. Of art and service and propriety.

She whispers of war and darkness and things that still are, and how they came to be. Young queens taking on too much too soon too fast, and scheming politicians with too much authority. She preaches for peace and justice and resolution, and how they can be again. Soft sermons, always, skillful wordplay and subterfuge, lest her dissent drift out into the open.

There's manners and propriety always. History and politics, too. Skill and cunning are necessary tools to young princesses who must navigate this new rebellious world.

To the dark haired one she talks of youth and beauty and fight. Of a young queen much like herself who sought fairness and justice and whose end came too soon. To the white haired one, the "sister," the handmaiden, she impresses anything and everything she can, relying on that child's perfect memory with all of her might.

On the First Night of the princess’ nineteenth year, Leia takes Sabé aside and fixes her with one final inquisitive gaze. They do this every year, she says, and now she must know why.

Sabé smiles, sweet and sad, and tells her “It is your heritage” and Leia must know lest Sabé die.

Those words will echo in Leia’s memories for years to come, but their importance will not truly resonate until the Naberries invite her and her family, and Luke and his, to Naboo for the holiday. In that moment, Leia offers up silent thanks to the woman who raised her to remember.

 

Beautiful. This feels like something that could have happened just that way and I love the connecting with the Naberries.

 

YES to this, so much. It's even harder to add someone else to Leia's roster of people to mourn, but that connection to her mother is invaluable. Ahhhhh, the wibbles.

 

Thanks!

Well, in my idea of things, Sabé didn't get blowed up , but for the purposes of this fic, she probably did. Thanks!

Thank you!

If you read Sabé's Wook bio, there's a nice bit about her starting a "handmaiden training academy" on Naboo because she was the best, which I'm rather fond of, so that basically "canonically" explains why she's no longer around.

I've always figured, however, that the "head handmaiden" changed from TPM to AOTC because Keira Knightley was no longer available. Same with Rose Byrne from AOTC to ROTS. Also, aside from a few lines, the handmaidens don't have anything to say or do in 2 and 3, so I guess that would have been a waste of two talented ladies.

And thanks for your love for my holiday! I'm...still sort of fleshing it out in my own head, but I've definitely been considering making a Fanon Thread post. Perhaps if I have some time this week.

 

ginchy: So, you're going to write some holiday fic, right?
taramidala: Well, I have an idea that's not really holiday related but I'm probably not going to write it.
ginchy: But, you know, holiday fic is fun, and wonderful and--
taramidala: Nope. Not going to write it.
ginchy: Holiday fic would be great. I'd love it if you'd write one!!!
taramidala: Not going to happen.

AND WHAT HAVE WE HERE????? Maybe I've been such a good girl this year that Preeni Pi is gifting me with all sorts of fics.

ANYWAY, I love this, as you probably knew I would. I love the concept of 'First Night' and am still planning to steal (borrow) it one day. And I love how Sabe impresses the memories onto Leia and Winter, and how she's such a part of their upbringing. Leia should have something of her mother and her mother's people, and this is wonderful.

 

Um...surprise?

Steal away, with my thanks.

 

What a bittersweet story. I love that Sabé knows what Leia doesn't and understands what Winter needs to do to protect Leia, with dignity and grace. How it must have hurt her - and made her proud, too - to see Padmé's face and mannerisms in Leia.

 

Thank you so much!

 

*gasp* If Sabé was still around post-ROTJ...THAT WOULD FIX EVERYTHING.

 

It would fix a lot of things, yes.

 

(I know, wrong franchise, just work with me here.)

 

I love this! Just beautiful and lyrical and oh, my heart SABE TELLING LEIA AND WINTER ABOUT NABOO. *sobs*

 

I'm obsessed with Sabé's post-prequel life. There's so much we don't know! Thanks, lady!

 

Aww! I love that Sabe passed on the memory of Naboo (and, carefully, of Padme) to her young charges. That's a wonderful image.

That. Was. Amazing.

 

Thanks, Kahara!

 

Well, I don't have anything to add to the comments above, so I'll just say that I re-read this for the third time today, and I still find it just as beautiful

 

And that is mighty nice of you! Kind words at any time are welcome and appreciated.

 

Finally something I can actually read and understand without doing research - and written in a style so beautiful and poetic - which many stories do not allow for - that I'm eagerly awaiting to read more.

 

Thanks so much! Unfortunately, this was just a one-shot deal. I don't publish much more than that right now.

 

They're fun-sized.

 

That was lovely. I'm gusher for fics like this!

 

Hey, Lady_Skywalker87, thanks so much!

 

You are very welcome.

 

I love this so much. The concept of 'First Night', Sabé being part of Leia's life, the way so much is said in so few words...this line, Of a young queen much like herself who sought fairness and justice and whose end came too soon, is especially poignant. Beautiful fic!