CHAPTER ONE
nubian blues
19 BBY, Theed City
Naboo
When Kaileen and Rokubei Gozen were born in Naboo, it was a hot summer morning.
Naboo is in the middle of solstice, a humid season that Yari wished that her due date didn't pick such a horrid weather for childbirth. Just like her initial thoughts, the midwife thought that it is indeed quite unusual to bear children at the early rays of the sun and is said to believe that Yari and Seibei's twins are a blessing.
Amidst an ongoing turmoil of the already fallen Jedi order and domination of the Galactic Empire, Yari couldn't fathom how on earth she's in labor at the middle of it but for her, they were a miracle. Maybe, both blessings in disguise.
Seibei and his family are right beside the bed as the woman is already feeling contractions, as the immediate pain is evident across her cheeks. Yari is clenching the palm of her husband while he tries his best to ease the pain of his wife, when in reality, he doesn't have any idea how to help her condition. Kairi, his sister, is taking care of his other children. His eldest son, already eight years old, Seibei "Yuri" Yuriah I is beside his aunt while he is holding the hand of his younger sister, Kira.
Unlike the other people inside the room, both children prefer to stay silent and watch the commotion. For Yuri, he simply doesn't understand why he will get another sibling. The timid child prefers to be alone and by just taking care his little sister is enough for him to lose patience.
Now, they're added not only one, but two siblings! The young boy silently wished that he wasn't born the eldest.
The little boy rests his head on the shoulder of his aunt Kairia and the boy slowly closes his eyes, still sleepy. Seibei notices his children dozing off so he tells his sister to put him in his bedroom but Kairi insists, "Yuri will cry again if I put him back in his room. Your son will surely know."
Even though in a weak state, Yari speaks to her husband with softness, "Let the children stay."
She is still struggling from the overwhelming pain, "They want to see their siblings first, you know how much they anticipate it." Her children already told her beforehand that they want to see their sister and brother first.
Seibei has no choice but to do what his wife wishes; he glances at Kiaria who is handling his other children, "Let them rest first, Ria."
The woman nods at him
As they were about to speak, his father walked in such haste and at his back, everyone in the room saw the Nubian midwife and of course the lady of the Naberrie House, Sola Naberrie.
Seibei stands up from where he was seated to meet Sola but the woman composes herself with a sharp and cold demeanor to the man; "I'm here to help Yari, nothing more of your nonsense plead, Seibei."
Kambei, his father, didn't say anything to Sola who had piercing eyes toward the very man who betrayed his own clan and the rebels. Anger is bubbling inside her chest but she convinces herself that she's doing this for her dear friend, nothing more.
The old man mumbles under his breath to Sola and thanks him despite her disgust towards his son. The woman nods and slips a small smile to Kambei. At least, she will not be alone with Seibei, she thought as she helps the midwife to prepare for Yari's upcoming childbirth.
Seibei wilfully left where he sat earlier and just gave Yari a quick kiss on her forehead. From the eyes of his wife, he isn't unsure what those tired mahogany eyes mean. Is it guilt? Or regret? Or remorse? He couldn't think much about it.
She whispers, almost out of breath because of the overwhelming pain coming from her pelvis, "I'll be fine. Don't mind me."
Words didn't come out to his lips and decides to let Sola take care of his delicate wife. Sola tells Yari as she sits beside her, holding her frail hand,"This will be difficult, Yari."
The frail woman smiles at her, "Thanks for helping me, Sola."
The woman gently squeezes her hand and kisses it with affection, "These are my godchildren, of course, I should be here."
Yari lets out a small laugh, knowing that no one in the galaxy anticipates her birth like Sola Naberrie. Even though the presence of the people she dearly loves are present, she wished that both Evita and Eirlys were here.
Sola could see the solace in her dear friend's eyes, fully knowing why so she spoke once again, "I surely know that they would love the twins, Yari."
"I know. I just missed them dreadfully."
As she is about to continue to speak, Yari feels the pain overcome her belly, letting out a scream. Sola calls for the midwife to assist her as Yari's labor is about to begin. Seibei watches as his wife screams more, sweat lingers on her forehead, Sola tells Yari, "Push, Yari!"
She arched her back to the pillows as she held on the bedpost, trying all of her energy to push the child out. It is the longest six hours of his life but seeing the twins and his wife fine and well, the man finally let out a satisfied sigh.
His eldest son, Yuriah is beside his godmother Sola, holding his brother and already bundled on a cotton towel.
They thoughtfully planned their first child, Seibei Yuriah I. In fact, they were told by doctors that Yari shouldn't be bearing a child because her body wouldn't take it. But Yari was persistent when she's pregnant with Yuri and Kira while Seibei is still unsure how he will embrace fatherhood in a galaxy that is already divided but then, Yuri and Kira are always seen as a blessing amidst the difficulty of raising his children in a household that has familial fude.
Being pregnant with the twins, Seibei didn't react much to Yari's sudden news. He wanted only one child and a son who can carry his name but then, he just gave his wife a hug and words of assurance that he is happy for the new addition of the family, but then, Seibei doesn't have the faintest idea of how he will adjust himself for two children. For the first time in his life, he was terrified-genuinely terrified of how he would raise his children. Anxiety did overcome in his mind as he was left in his own vices when one evening he thought a lot of things, some are the things he regret and those intrusive thoughts that plagued his mind.
Fatherhood is fatiguing for him, if he's being honest with Yari who is a lot more anticipated by the twins.
But seeing the smile across the faces of his father, his sister, his son and Yari, there's nothing he can ask for on this wonderful day. As if, for a moment, there is no war that could hurt him and his family. It felt surreal, a beautiful scene that he wishes that it will not be whisked away by the ongoing war.
He sits beside Yari and his wife tells him, her eyes never left her daughter that is gazing silently to her mother, "She's beautiful."
Seibei looked at the baby, he couldn't see more than that wet tuft of black hair that his daughter got from Yari. Curious caramel eyes that reminds him of the very clay of Mandalore, a daughter whose eyes have the reminder of the home that he left; evident already from the serious gaze of the baby, the blood of a Mandalorian is running through her very veins.
His heart is flipping in his chest, almost with anxiety. It's an unfamiliar feeling as the child's eyes mirror him in a way that sickens the pit of his stomach. As if, the newly born knew the world around her already.
"Did you give her a name already?"
Yari paused for a second as she's still fond of the baby and peers at her husband as she finally had a name in mind for their daughter, "Her name is Kaileen."
Kaileen Ha'ko-Gozen. Such a name made Seibei Gozen feel strange. In a way that the child in the arms of his wife is something he should anticipate on seeing growing up.
10 BBY, Theed
Naboo
Eight year old Kaileen never liked Tatooine.
She hated that sand planet from the very fiber of her being. Also the heat and barrenness, as she still wonders why that planet has inhabitants living in it.
The young girl prefers to stay all afternoon in the humble abode of Sola Naberrie, Elyjah's new Dejarik board is a lot more entertaining where she spends most of her time or sometimes, play at the courtyard of the Naberrie's than be at the scorching heat of a barren planet with nothing but sand to every vicinity. But then, Yari tells her that she needs to look upon her business which is repairing ships passing by the planet. She only visited twice on Mos Eisley and those visits are the worst moments she experienced.
The girl wants to protest but then her mother would just simply stare at her, leaving her no choice but to comply. But between her and her twin brother, Rokubei is a lot more excited to visit Tatooine, in which, the child doesn't understand the excitement across his face whenever their mom tells them that they will be flying to the rock planet. She's still bewildered and Kaileen hopes that they will not stay any longer.
Her eldest sibling, Yuriah chuckles under his breath as he sees the sour face of his sister. Meanwhile, Kira remains silent as she returns to her vices as the girl will be taking classes with Ryoo and Pooja. Yuriah gently pats the head of his sister but Kaileen moves away, already annoyed that no one takes her seriously.
"The Tusken raiders will kidnap you, Kai." Yuriah teased, already annoyed as she put out her tongue as her brother tried to scare her.
"Yuriah, please." His mother looks at him, telling him to stop teasing his little sister.
The mischievous boy simply laughs while the young girl pouts; she doesn't have any reason to say no and it drives her mad that she's trapped again on this trip.
They left early in the morning, when the sun was still asleep at the horizon. The child groans as her mom carries out of her bed, as the girl has no choice. Yari tells them that they should arrive before lunch so they can visit a dear friend of hers. Kaileen groans as she sinks herself on a chair, hoping that the floor can swallow her whole so she will not go with her mom. She crosses her arms as she doesn't want to look bitter to be dragged along with her mom's trip.
Kambei, who is already awake, sees the reaction of his granddaughter and refrains from laughing. He never saw a child who loathes so much to go back to that planet. Well, he couldn't blame the child because even him; he never liked Tatooine.
Kaileen looks at him, there is a plea in her amber eyes, begging him to make some alibi from refraining her to visit Tatooine so he tells Yari, "You know that Kaileen doesn't want to visit that planet. The poor child might bore to death."
Yari glances at Kaileen's grandfather, "Don't worry, Beru has a son who can keep her occupied while I'm handling my business in Mos Eisley."
Defeat is evident across her face. Another boy? Kaileen utters in her mind bitterly. She has none of it for boys; as she has two brothers inside the household, well, Kaileen hasn't played a girl with the same age as hers.
As she unwillfully boards the starship of her mother called War Winds, the young girl sees the cyber-warfare droid TEC-NO8 entering the ship with peculiar boxes. She notices ever since she wakes up, her mother's droid is putting large brown boxes inside the ship with no end.
"Techno, what is that?" The child asks with certain curiosity.
"Something we need for our journey, Miss Kaileen."
As she's about to ask a question, Yari is beside her droid who is busy putting all the boxes, "Kai, let Techno finish his work because we are already late."
Late? The girl is confused by her mother's remark. Why are they running late to go to a planet such as Tatooine? They just mean business, right?
10 BBY, Lars Homestead
Tatooine
For Owen Lars, Luke Skywalker is a dreamer.
As he always argued to Beru, the child's head is always at the stars, not the power converters that he needs to learn how to fix or even focus on his chores as a moisture farmer. It's alarming for him that Luke wishes to be a pilot and the only solution that he can divert the boy's attention is to let him be busy with moisture farming. In fear that the boy would end up like his father.
But Beru Whitesun-Lars is very much against it, in fact, she tries to reason out to her husband but as she expected in every conversation she had with Owen; he gives her a cold shoulder. Telling her that he needs some help for the moisture farm rather than poison the boy's mind of nonsensical fantasies.
Such intentions might be a benefit for Owen Lars but the boy yearns more on being a pilot. His toys of X-wings that Beru gave to his fifth birthday makes him more ardent for this profession as he grows up. A child who desperately wants to see the galaxy.
As he repeatedly dreamed of being a pilot with his own X-wing, billions of stars were shining right in front of him and adventures to the planets he wished that he would like to visit. There are moments when Owen goes to Mos Eisley for the whole two days, Beru would urge her son to come with her to Tosche Station and show him holograms of different planets across the galaxy.
At first glance when Beru took him to Tosche Station to look at the holograms of different planets; such pictures embedded his brain but then, it didn't feel real for him. The boy felt that such places are fictional as the world he only knew is the Great Chott salt flat and the outskirts of the Jundland Wastes. But he was left in-awe, and dreams to visit those kinds of planets as he grows up. For a boy whose head is far from Tatooine, young Luke wonders what is beyond the stars that he is looking at every night at the homestead. He remembers stories from his best friend, Biggs Darklighter about the stories of his father going to a planet that has oceans and forests.
He wished he could feel the water of those so called oceans, or feel the air in those forests. But then, all of his life, all he is enveloped is the dry and humid air of the Jundland Wastes. Nothing novel to a planet that is surrounded by endless dunes of sands, carcasses of animals and in fear of raiders. The boy vaguely remembers one moment where his Aunt Beru tells him about an oasis, not far from Anchorhead. Oasis are rare in Tatooine, according to his Aunt Beru but he has never seen one yet.
As his mind ventures, Owen noticed that the young boy stopped working and scolded him that startled him, almost dropping the wrench on his small hand; "Luke, you can daydream later. Finish first your chores."
The eight-year old simply nodded and responded; "Yes, Uncle Owen."
It is another big season for moisture farming and his uncle is replacing the vaporators, as Owen Lars has a certain quota to reach this season. Well, another busy season that Luke detest so much because he knew that he will just work all day. Moisture farming is a lucrative skill that his uncle taught him step by step, the young boy easily understands fixing such devices and Owen is surprised that the boy is indeed helpful rather than playing around the homestead.
Even though Owen finds Luke as his worker, Beru still urges her husband to let the child play but Owen's reasons are always the same.
"He needs to be busy."
"We need more help in moisture farming."
And other nonsensical reasons that Beru knew that Owen is stubborn enough to listen about Luke's welfare. Even in the darkest corners of her mind, she wants to question if he ever sees the boy as his son or someone he needs in field hand; but Beru prefers to stay silent.
It is midday as he is about to finish the third vaporator that he is fixing, as the sand already made the device battered. While he is focusing on his chore, Beru emerges from the homestead and calls Owen to let the boy rest while he explains that they need to finish the repairs as soon as possible but Beru tells him, "We have guests coming in our home coming today. Luke needs to take a bath and so do you, Owen."
"Who is our guest, Aunt Beru?" The boy asks.
"You will meet her later. Also, I remind you to fix your room, Luke. She is bringing her children in here."
As Owen has no choice but to comply with the guests coming to their home, he finally tells Luke that he can fix his room and take a bath. The child runs inside the homestead and does as he was told. Luke wishes the guests of his Aunt will not stay longer so he can go to Biggs and try to practice his bush racing skills. Even though such sport is incredibly dangerous according to his Uncle Owen, Luke Skywalker loves challenges and bush racing excites him.
As he hops in his bed and reaches for his hologram device, he sends a small message for Biggs that he will be practicing with him. After a few seconds, Darklighter responds; "You're finally free from the shackles of your killjoy Uncle Owen."
The boy laughs and before he responds, he hears his Aunt Beru calling him to take a bath.
"Coming, Aunt Beru!" The young boy tells her as he quickly grabs his towel that is placed on his door.
It's quite an interesting afternoon for Luke as he anticipates the arrival of Aunt Beru's guests, unlike the sour look of Owen who wants to finish checking the vaporators. The dining table in the kitchen is already prepared with a lot of food that Luke has never seen before, and of course, the delicacy of his Aunt Beru; a chunk of blue cheese that is made from the Bantha milk.
Beru could see the boy's eyes to the blue cheese she just put on the table and assured him, "The moment they come in here, you can eat all the blue cheese you want."
There is giddy in his eyes; "Really, Aunt Beru?"
Beru affectionately messes the ruly hair of the boy, making the boy giggle in delight, "Of course."
She winks at him and Luke smiles back to the woman he accustomed as his mother figure. Between Owen and Beru, Luke has a warm and parental connection to Beru Whitesun, a hardworking and determined woman who has a heart of gold.
A woman who looks delicate and fragile on the outside but in the eyes of Luke Skywalker, she's more than how his own uncle perceives his own wife.
His line of thought is interrupted when they hear Owen calling them that he sees the guest coming. Beru holds the hands of the little boy and tells him, "Let's greet our guests."
The boy nodded and walked together to the entrance of the homestead. Luke is at awe to the glossy landspeeder, when landspeeders on Tatooine are extremely expensive. From the front seat; he saw a woman wearing sand goggles and long black hair cascading at her shoulders. He notices instantly that she's not a Tatooine native, probably from another planet as he keenly observes them.
Owen and Beru greets the woman named Yari as she hops out of the landspeeder, giving warm hugs. The woman notices the young boy beside Beru, "Is this Luke? My, you have grown fine and handsome."
A wide smile formed across her cheek as Beru prided her boy, "Indeed he is."
The boy flushed in red that made the women laugh and slowly hid behind the skirt of Beru, as he felt embarrassed but Yari tells the boy, "Luke, I would like you to meet my son and daughter."
A boy the same age as him jumps out of the landspeeder, his clothing is different from his and he looks more posh, than the boys he frequently plays and sees in Tosche station.
"I'm Rokubei but you can call me Roku." The boy reaches his hand to shake his and Luke looks up to Beru, having no idea what he will do.
"Shake his hand, Luke." Beru instructs him softly.
Their greeting is peculiar from the young boy of Tatooine but the Nubian child is perplexed as to how he doesn't know how to shake hands.
Luke did as he was told and shook Rokubei's hand; "I'm Luke."
"Nice to meet you, Luke." Rokubei responds with a smile then from the landspeeder, another child remains seated and Yari is urging her daughter to leave the vehicle but the girl didn't take heed to her request.
Owen and Beru look at each other, quite surprised at what's happening. Rokubei can see that his mother is having a hard time convincing his stubborn sister to leave so he runs back to the landspeeder and tells her; "Stop being a brat, Kai. You're being rude."
Kaileen's arms are still folded, already mad that her mother still insists on taking her to this barren wasteland. She would rather talk with Techno the whole day for all she cares!
Yari is at her limit, the child is difficult to handle. Maybe Kambei is right to leave Kaileen on Naboo.
"If you will not greet your godmother, Kaileen Avila Gozen this very instance, I will not let you visit Elyjah for the whole month."
She snapped a glance to her mother, and couldn't believe what she's hearing. She's being unfair and hateful to me!
Kaileen groans under her breath and has no choice but to jump out of the landspeeder all by herself. Along with her brother and mother, the three of them walk toward the Lars couple and their son, straightening the jumper she's wearing and the cross leather bag that Ryoo Naberrie gave her last year.
Beru kneels in front of the young girl, making Kaileen startled with the nearness of a stranger. But the girl didn't feel any anxiety or even uncomfortable, in fact, the eyes of Beru Whitesun gave her that certain calmness; that feeling that she knew this stranger long ago.
"Kaileen, you've grown already! I only see your pictures through your mother's holo messages. I'm glad to see you."
Beru looks at Yari and compliments her daughter, "She got your eyes, Yari. A mother's daughter."
"Well, she's more like Seibei. Even their grandfather told me that Kaileen has more of that Mandalorian blood."
Beru gazes back to the young girl in front of her then lets Luke come closer to Kaileen. Luke at first hesitates because of the scrutiny written across the eyes of the girl. She's way more scary than Camie Marstrap, he thought as Beru pulls the boy to her.
"Luke, this is Kaileen. And Kai, this is Luke."
He sheepishly waves his hand as he doesn't want to be in front of this girl while she raises her eyebrow but because Rokubei rolls his eyes to his annoying sister, Kaileen instantly becomes sweetheart; "Hello, Luke."
Beru wants to laugh but observes her son who looks rather flabbergasted to the sudden change of the girl who looks like she's about to throw a dagger to him, "H-Hi."
Words stumble in his tongue. There is mischief from the eyes of the girl. Luke Skywalker knows that Kaileen Gozen is trouble.
Afternoon went by but for the young Nubian girl, every passing day on Tatooine is hell for her.
Kaileen is still eating the crackers with the delicious blue cheese that Beru gave her earlier and as she grabs her leather bag in the dining room, she hears the adults talking about water shortage and they mention a certain Jabba that made the child laugh.
Yari hears her daughter's laughter and tells her with a strict and firm tone, "What I told you about eavesdropping, Kai?"
Kaileen is trying to suppress her laughter but she couldn't help it, "Jabba is a funny name."
Beru lets out a small laugh that makes Owen and Yari take a gander at the woman sitting at the other end of the table, "Kai is right. It is indeed a funny name"
Yari playfully rolls her eyes at Beru, couldn't believe that her friend elicits a childish response and goes back to Kaileen, "Play with Luke and Roku, Kai. This is a conversation for adults only."
The girl obeys her mother and goes back to meet Luke who is already waiting for her, already holding his starship and x-wing fighter toys. The raven-haired Nubian crosses her arms and gives him a dead stare; "I'm not going to play with that."
"Why not? You don't like x-wings?" The boy asks her.
She already sees those kinds of toys in their home. Mostly to Yuriah who has a massive collection and how he warns his siblings never to touch it or there will be consequences. Kaileen never understands boys and their obsession with ships. Having a household with boys around her; Kaileen had enough with it. At least, her godmother and godfather, Sola Naberrie and Paul Sikora have daughters whom she adores so much.
For her, boys are the bane of her existence.
Kaileen prefers to be occupied by walking around the homestead alone. The Lars homestead is a safe haven in the middle of a barren land, the crater walls were composed of hard packed soil, laced with magnetic ore, that served as insulation from the heat of Tatooine's twin suns, and from the chilly night-time temperatures. Her foot takes her to the homestead's garage, where an idle skyhopper is placed. Her eyes roam around and what caught her is a J-shaped stem with blood red large petals that are coned. The young girl curiously touched its velvety petals as she moved closer to smell its petals.
The aroma of the flower made her smile, as she never smelled something so pleasant. Her moment is interrupted when she hears the voice of Luke Skywalker; "You shouldn't be here, Kai. Uncle Owen might get angry at you if he finds you in here."
Luke notices her fingertips are playing at the petals of the Funnel flower that is placed in a porcelain jar. Kaileen sees him looking at where she's holding and quickly moves away, "Okay. I'll be going somewhere then."
"Can I be with you? Or I mean, I can show you around." The boy asks, also, he is quite nervous that Kaileen might do some tomfoolery.
"I can handle myself, Skywalker." The young girl tells him, affirmation is evident in her voice, or her way of saying that she wants to be left alone.
Meanwhile, Luke is getting irritated with the Nubian girl. As he reflected, Kaileen Gozen is used to ordering and getting her way. At least, Camie Marstrap is more tolerable than this girl from Naboo!
He didn't speak any further as he let the girl be on her way. Luke wishes that she will not call for his help if she comes up with a womp rat.
But as time goes by and from the strict eyes of Owen, Luke notices that Kaileen is nowhere to be seen. His heart is racing as he runs to every room and to the courtyard, sweat is forming on his temples. This is not because of the Twin suns but his overwhelming fear that Kaileen might wander off. So he asks her brother who is silently sitting in their living room, not far from the dining room. Unlike the plucky girl, Rokubei prefers to bury his nose in a book that he just brought.
He is indeed right, Kaileen is going to cause headaches so he asks Rokubei about his sister, but the boy replies to him briefly; "Kai is just around the corner. She will not hop in the landspeeder and just leave. Mom has the keys."
"She can ride a landspeeder?" Luke says with certain shock in his tone, as he is confused that a child with the same ages as him can drive a landspeeder. His uncle can't even let him use the skyhopper.
Rokubei's eyes never left the book that he is invested in, "Yes. You hear me right. Dad is really cross when Kai figures it out all by herself how to ride one time when we're at Mos Eisley."
Unbelievable, the boy thought. He asks once again, "Are you not worried about her, Roku? The wastelands are scary."
The Nubian boy closes his book, as he knows that Luke will not stop him pestering about Kaileen's welfare, "Luke, my sister can handle herself. Believe me, she's not going to touch your things here."
Luke knew that he had no hope for Rokubei's assistance to find the missing girl. He promised to his Aunt Beru that he would keep the guests entertained but Kaileen vanished quickly. So, Luke decides to look outside the homestead and he crosses his fingers that he would find her right away but from every corner of their homestead, still, there is no sign of the girl.
He scratches at the back of his neck, his aunt and uncle will surely tell him why he isn't responsible enough to watch over their guests. Also, he doesn't want to hear Owen scolding him. From where he is standing, the supposedly lost girl sits at the top of the entrance dome, biting the apple that she safely kept in her leather bag.
She leans her back at the pourstone wall, folding her legs as she giggles under her breath to see how the sand-haired boy looks more distressed than her own mother.
Kaileen loves this unexpected hide-and-seek and she waits a minute longer to see if the boy will notice she's at the top of the entrance dome. In no avail, the boy didn't still notice her and even leaned at the entrance dome, as he was already tired looking for Kaileen.
Luke, leaning against the dome, he sighed and dusted his white robe. His observant eyes scanning over his surroundings once again as he decides to get inside the homestead, the blistering heat of the Twin Suns is getting on his skin even though he lived and breathed this rock pile for eight years already.
He was about to enter when suddenly, he felt the pain of a round, solid object thrown at his head.
At the ground, a seemingly fruit is still rolling on the sand and possibly from the assailant. He looks around to see who did it and as he moves away from the entrance dome, he sees the girl, already standing as if she's high and mighty.
"Took you long enough to find me." He hears her voice, strong and affirmed unlike those he heard before. "A pity that you will lose in an actual hide-in-seek game."
Luke Skywalker puts his hands on his hips, he couldn't believe that the girl thought that finding her is a hide-and-seek. He walks closer as he looks above the entrance dome to where the girl is standing, "I thought at first the Tusken raiders already got you. How will I explain to your mother and brother if that happened, huh?"
Kaileen rolls her eyes and sits down to glimpse the sand haired boy, "Tell them that my body is already a dinner for the Tusken raiders or possibly, my remains are all over the wasteland. How about that kind of narrative?"
He only gives her a disgusting look, making the girl laugh as if it's a joke; "You're peculiar."
"Thanks for the compliment, Skywalker. I appreciate it." She says with sarcasm, in turn, making Luke roll his eyes in annoyance.
But then she adds as she is still astonished by his persistence to look for her, "Why bother looking for me, Skywalker? My brother wouldn't care if I got lost in the Jundland Wastes."
"Aunt Beru told me. If it weren't for her, I might do the same as your brother." Luke says bitterly.
This is ridiculous, Luke thought as the girl is too carefree, as if the word danger is written on her forehead.
"I'll be going inside. I hope the Tusken Raiders will not find you alone." The boy uttered but before Luke enters the entrance, Kaileen jumps in front of him as she already feels guilty about what she did to Luke.
The boy is startled by the girl, almost taken back to her presence but Kaileen apologizes first, "I'm really sorry for what I did earlier."
She sighs heavily and whines under her breath, "I'm really bored, Luke. I wish Mama would just let me stay on Naboo. I hate this place."
Blue eyes stares back at her and without any second thoughts, "I forgive you. If you did want a hide-and-seek or other games, we should've done it with Roku earlier. Our homestead is large, you know?"
"Roku wouldn't bother to play. He would rather read, he is extremely boring. Can we just go somewhere?"
Luke laughs and an idea enters his mind, "Well, I have something else in mind."
Curiosity peaks the girl, "What is it?"
"It's a surprise. We'll ask Aunt Beru first if it's okay to let you come with me to Tosche Station."
Giddiness is evident in her eyes that Luke finds it amusing, "Oh, I would love to go!"
And maybe the girl from Naboo isn't what he thought at first impression.
author's note:
IM BACCC. tbh i enjoy writing this and ngl it took me weeks to finish this but then i love writing in my own pace <33 and more bebe!kailuke content in the next chapters 🥺🥺🥺🥺
also more beru and luke interactions cause they are my fave mom and son 😭😭😭
also disclaimer! chapter one-five (?) are solely based to issue #7 of star wars (2015) comic series & bits of star wars webtoon series 🧘♀️ but most of the ideas are from me 😁 ✌