>Ch.20<
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"I just don't want to fail everything we've fought for."
.
"It all makes sense to me now"
Alora's attention was on the Jedi knight, who was reminiscing his childhood.
"Why my Uncle and Aunt were so protective over me."
The two were sat across from eachother in a small vacant room.
Their little tour had come to an end and now they were just chatting away about their dreary past.
Actually, it was more Luke chatting away and Alora just sat and listened.
She kind of enjoyed listening to him.
"I can't remember who I was running from but I was being chased as a youngling. It makes sense now."
His head then raised and he caught Alora in time to see her glance away.
Luke knew he was a talkative person and he felt bad for not letting Alora have a chance to speak.
A guilty smile formed on his face "What was your childhood like?" he asked.
The young woman's bewildered eyes slowly moved back to the knight.
"About me?"
She didn't expect him to ask her anything.
Luke's brows creased when feeling an uneasiness shift inside her.
"You're childhood." He repeated softly.
Alora swallowed thickly.
She'd have to make it all up on the spot.
What could she say?
Her mind only drew a blank.
"I well-" she began nervously. "It wasn't the best. Not worth sharing I assure you."
It was a partial lie but it was all she could come up with in the moment.
"It couldn't have been that bad."
She suddenly got a vivid memory of Gideon approaching her in the orphanage back on Tatooine.
Though she was only a foundling she remembered every detail that day very well.
Her face fell as she remembered some of the things Gideon had told her when she was a little older, about her birth parents.
"After abandoning you, you no longer existed to her. She was free of you and free to live her life."
A feeling of rage began to awaken.
"And as for you're theif of a father, he was already gone after hearing the news of your birth. To him, you were only a mistake."
"I was adopted."
Luke instantly began to feel bad for pushing her. "Oh, I'm sorry."
Alora could care less for the sympathy he displayed towards her. He didn't know what she went through from that day forward—and he never would.
She sighed and turned her head away from him to conceal the anger within her eyes.
The room then fell into an awkward silence.
Luke pursed his lips, he didn't know what to say to break the ice.
If he had known she was an orphan he wouldn't have mentioned his childhood. He felt horrible for bringing up such a painful reminder.
"I suppose we should head back."
Alora shifted and gave a reluctant nod. "We should" she agreed.
~
On the way back to their meeting place, Luke thought of telling Alora funny stories of Yoda to lighten up the mood.
To his delight Alora did laugh at his stories yet deep down Luke still felt that something off about her.
It was like a sadness mixed with an overwhelming amount of rage and darkness?
Luke watched the woman carefully as they came to a stop. She looked away to avoid his gaze.
With a clearing of his throat he spoke "I'll be going on another trip in a months time." He brought up.
"I was beginning to wonder when you'd leave again." Alora teased and Luke forced a chuckle.
He got an idea.
"Well-" he began with a smile. "I was hoping you'd join me this time."
"You want me to join you?" She asked while she tried to hide the surprise in her tone with a straight face.
"If you'd like."
She tilted her head and raised an inquisitive brow.
'Maybe this is what Palpatine planned for. Her chance.'
"I know how bored you must be being on this space junk for this long." Luke explained. "Maybe you'd like to get a break from it?"
"Thank you for your offer" She smiled pleasingly.
And Luke went on "I can understand if you don't want I-"
"I'd like too." Alora interrupted.
The Jedi knight grinned at her quick answer "Good." He clasped his hands together. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
"I suppose." She teasingly hummed.
"I hope you rest well." Luke chimed as he ended their conversation.
"And you." Alora nodded before she turned on her heel and strode away.
He watched on, his narrowed eyes on the woman as she left him.
The darkness that seeped from her had gone dormant but Luke could sense it's traces left behind.
It was the same as he sensed on Endor and the very same he had sensed from when they first met...
Perhaps on this trip, being alone with her, he'd be able to see who Alora Ohnaka truly was and what secrets she was hiding from him.
He was determined to get to the very bottom.
~
' "Leia" a woman's voice echoed lovingly into her ear.
Then her brother's voice intwined with the woman's.
"Yes, it is you." '
The princess awoke.
Since that night on Endor when finding out what Luke was to her and what she was...she couldn't sleep.
With the same dream repeating over and over as her desperate attempt to capture her mother's face, it made it almost impossible for her to actually get some rest.
Sighing in defeat, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and headed for the door.
She thought a nice walk through the quiet halls would help with her mind.
Leia could hear two whispers coming from down the hall not far from where she stood.
So she listened in
""You want me to join you?"
"If you'd like."
Their was a short moment of silence on Alora's end.
"I know how bored you must be being on this space junk for this long." Luke urged. "Maybe you'd like to get a break from it?"
"Thank you for your offer" Leia could hear a smile in Alora's tone.
"I can understand if you don't want I-"
"I'd like too." Alora sounded desperate and Leia smirked.
"Good."
A short pause.
"Will I see you tomorrow?"
"I suppose." Alora hummed.
"I hope you rest well." Luke said finally.
"And you."
Shortly after Alora's footsteps faded, Leia appeared to her brother with her arms crossed and a wide smirk on her face.
There was an obvious attraction between the two that Leia felt.
"When were you going to tell me about you and Alora?"
Luke's expression was puzzling at first but after processing her question his head cocked.
"About Alora and I?"
"I heard you begging her to go with you on your trip" Leia pointed out between a chuckle.
Luke firmly shook his head. "I don't have feelings for her if that's what your thinking."
His twin sister snorted. "You do know I can sense the same as you. You like her."
Luke scolded her. "Leia, whether I like her or not I cannot pursue her-"
"Yet you're taking her ALONE with you on you're trip?" Leia retorted "Not very Jedi-like if you ask me."
"Leia, there is something dark about her." Luke seriously remarked. "I'm needing her alone so I can see it."
"Of course." She nodded with a sly nod.
"You don't understand." Her brother was not having it. "Alora can be a danger to all of us!"
Leia knew Luke was notorious for getting them into dangerous situations but she wasn't at all concerned. They always managed to get themselves out of it.
Honestly she was more interested in Luke's hidden attraction towards the girl than the danger she presented.
"You definitely attract danger" Leia joked and Luke rolled his eyes.
"Leia."
"I'm only teasing." She shrugged while composing herself. "I understand the danger but I can't help but point out you also have growing feelings for her."
"My feelings mean nothing." Luke was clearly annoyed. "She is a threat."
"I know." Leia huffed. "Can we at least try to joke around a little after everything?"
Luke sighed, he'd been on edge since Endor.
He just hated that after all the loss they endured in their victory, he still felt an imminent threat.
"I'm sorry. I just-" he licked his lips. "I just don't want to fail everything we've fought for."
"You haven't." Leia said as she laced her fingers with his. "You fulfilled the prophecy."
"I know but-" his eyes filled with concern. "What if Palpatine found a way around it?"
Leia frowned at the thought. She couldn't make sense of it.
What was the point of their father's sacrifice then?
"But Vader turned and brought balance." She argued.
"His turning may have bought us some time but what if Palpatine foresaw our victory and planned against it?" Luke insisted.
Leia couldn't grasp the possibility of Palpatine having the power to find a loophole in the ancient Jedi prophecy.
"But the balance."
"The force may have balance for now but as I said, Leia. What if?"
"I don't think we should worry about it right now, Luke." The princess sighed, dropping her hand from his hold. "We have a Galaxy to rebuild."
Her brother's eyes then softened. "I apologize I didn't meant to-"
Leia lovingly smiled to show she wasn't at all bothered. "It's alright, I understand."
"I think I just need some sleep."
The princess made a sound of agreement. "That's for sure." She chuckled.
Luke laughed along.
When they both relaxed, Leia embraced her brother into a tight loving hug.
"I love you." She whispered as she comforted him with a pat to his back.
Hugging her, the Jedi knight returned his brotherly love. "I love you, too."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Luke." Leia said as she broke away to look at him. "You haven't failed any of us and I know you never will."
"Look at all you've accomplished so far."
Luke's gloomy face brightened up a bit.
"You are a Jedi knight." She reminded him. "Act like one."
"Thank you." He smiled.
"Don't thank me." Leia softly chuckled. "I'm only doing my sisterly duty."
Luke snorted at her remark before deciding it was finally time for him to turn in. "I should go to bed now."
"Of course."
His sister then gestured him away. "Hurry before Han sees you and gets jealous."
The Jedi knight gave the princess a repulsed look.
He hated being reminded of their short-lived romance. It was before they even found out they were siblings so they had an excuse besides Leia used him to get revenge on Han and it was only one kiss so...
Leia knew what Luke was thinking and she couldn't help but make fun of him for it.
To her it was all a joke.
"I'm kidding, you know."
He just shook his head and rolled his eyes at her before turning to leave.
"Remember what I said, Luke." She called from behind him.
On his walk back, Luke thought a lot about their talk. Including his feelings towards Alora, the dark feelings.
He couldn't help but wonder why she had gotten so acquainted with the rebellion over the years.
What secrets she'd been keeping from him all that time?
Was she an enemy or an ally?
Why did she have darkness surrounding her?
All these questions unanswered by the time his head hit his pillow but he was adamant sooner or later on their trip he'd find that all out.
Patience for now was his answer.
[A/N]
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