^^^ our queen, now and always
15 years later
It was a day like any other.
Lyanna Fireheart got up at daybreak, the first light of the twin suns peeking out over the sand dunes casting a bright light on her eyelids. She opened them, looking at the soft brown curtains failing to shadow the room and yawned loudly, her eyes watering. Her gaze fell on the clock on the nightstand beside her. It took a moment until her vision was cleared and she could read the numbers; 6:10.
She cursed softly under her breath and stretched, having to disentangle herself from the warm embrace she'd found herself safely encumbered in. His heavy arms were draped around her middle as usual, keeping her body tight against his as if he was afraid she might still leave.
The familiar scent of forest and pine was heavy on the air. The queen smiled, reluctant to get up and leave the warm cocoon they'd created. She was afraid she couldn't anyway, with his grip so tight, but with a few quick practiced manoeuvres she managed to escape from his hold.
She stretched and yawned loudly, leaving a sleepy Obi Wan behind who had barely managed to open his eyes and muttered a soft "be safe, my darling" before he fell right back into a deep slumber.
She grinned down at him, enjoying the way his hair had turned into a messy chaos and lay in thick strands across his forehead. His face, which looked like it hadn't aged a day since they had bonded, looked as peaceful as she had ever seen it. Once again she was grateful that both their nightmares had stopped coming after so many years of waking up drenched in sweat and with screams of terror on their lips.
Peace had come to them at last.
The once-queen let her finger glide over his bare shoulder with the faintest of touches. His torso peeked out from under the thin sheets and showed the hard-earned muscles, the skin turned to a golden hue due to the merciless dessert sun. It remained free of the signs of aging most humans his age would've shown by now.
Being a Valerian had its perks, including slowing the process of aging in a bonded, other-worldly partner. It was something she'd discovered with great relief after a few years together, when the grey hairs he'd sported during the clone wars had gradually disappeared.
She would have him for longer than she'd first anticipated, and she was more than grateful. Lyanna bend down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Say hi to Luke for me." She whispered before pulling back, earning a soft hum from her husband and a crooked smile. She doubted he'd even remember what she'd asked and knew he'd only remember the warmth of her lips instead.
With reluctance she pushed herself off the bed and came to a halt before the mirror on the wall, her eyes coming into contact with her own reflection. It took but a few seconds for her to become accustomed to the sight. Her skin held a healthy rosy glow, her belly a bit rounder than before but the muscles on her arms as prominent as ever, her hair now short, straight and a tint of silver. At the roots of the silver strands the red came peeking out yet again, making her let out a sigh of frustration.
She'd have to dye it again soon. It was the only thing she could change that would lead people astray when looking for her, for she refused to wear coloured contacts daily. If not only for her own comfort, she loved the green too much to cover it up for it reminded her of the forests on the planet she had once loved.
Besides, she didn't want to change everything about herself for the Empire. She refused to let them turn her into another person, to let them loose herself in fear of being discovered when they had taken everything else of hers already. It was her own little rebellion of sorts, the only one she could afford to have.
The queen's lips pulled into a thin line, accepting that for Obi Wan (before he'd lose his mind to worry) she'd go to the barber soon. For now, she braided her hair away from her face and curled it into a crown on top of her head. It reminded her of a golden halved crown she'd had the honour to wear once before. Luckily, she thought as she looked at the result, this one wasn't half bad either.
Her eyes then glided down over the corded muscles that graced her arms, over the scars that marked her skin. Above all, she focussed on the black inscriptions she'd tattooed all over her upper arms. It was an ancient Valerian language from about a 1000 years ago that now adorned her body, telling the stories she'd never wanted to forget.
Her fingers traced the words until she shook herself out of the trance and pulled on a long-sleeved shirt to hide the words. She hummed a Valerian lullaby as she got dressed and left the room, snatching an apple from the tray in the kitchen and pulling on a protective layer of clothing that would shield her sensitive skin from the sun.
Leave it to Obi Wan to choose a planet that would give her skin cancer within months if she wasn't careful.
The queen was ready to head out when her gaze landed on a picture on the counter. Her head tilted to the side as she considered it, her eyebrows furrowing. It was one of a planet she often visited, showing the green hills and luscious forests there. Almost instantly she felt the wind carrying multiple scents waving through her hair, heart the rustle of her wings beside her.
The queen smiled as she picked it up, enjoying the scenery of the photo before turning it over, her eyes gliding over the simple message that had been written there in curly handwriting. Already the edges had turned dull due to the numerous times she'd done the exact same thing.
In case you're ever in need again of a hard-earned break from your husband and all those little devils, you know where to find me.
- A.B.
ps: oh, and I wouldn't mind if you brought them with you. And that is excluding the old man, of course.
She scoffed and rolled her eyes, smiling despite his sarcasm and put it back down. "Soon." The promise was easily made before she walked through the door and mounted her hover bike.
With a simple flick of her wrists the engine started roaring beneath her like a great beast, the sound reverberating through her entire body. It was nothing like the thundering wind in the sky, darting through the clouds with nothing but the sound of her feathers accompanying her but it was as close as she could get while on this planet.
The sensitive skin between her shoulders was aching due to neglect, throbbing and protesting. Soon. She promised. Soon, you'll have the chance again. The seidr within her changed from a whirling storm back into the dormant state she had so often forced it into.
The queen shrugged and pulled the helmet over the top of her head, securing the clasp and leaning forward. With another loud roar of the engine she was sure would awake the inhabitants of her home, she started on the long journey from their house in the rocky mountains to the closest town of Tatooine.
The twin suns glared down upon her as she rode, the heat reminding her of the force she had previously so easily commanded. Due to years of unuse, hiding her powers from the galaxy, the fire had turned treacherous in her hands. Every time she summoned the familiar flames they felt odd, violent and unpredictable.
Maybe it was the fact that the last time she'd truly used them, an entire planet had ended up in flames. Fire was a power for renewal and hope but in some circumstances it would lead only to destruction. After seeing what they could do, she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to use it again.
At the same time, the fire was a part of herself she couldn't ignore, much like the darkness she had fought against for so long. She loved the warmth, the chaos of it, the way it brought hope for people that needed it the most. It had saved her more times than she could count, and only once had she truly lost control of it. She was the fire, and no matter how much she wanted to get rid of it, she couldn't.
In any case, even if she'd wanted to, the fire alone wouldn't be able to compete with the entire Empire and the moment she'd use it would be the moment they would sense her presence. Or rather, the emperor would.
She'd bring not only herself, but everyone else she loved into danger.
Yet, at the same time, they already were in danger. If the Empire were to discover their little hide out, as they almost had 5 years ago when Reva came for Luke, there would be no saving them from whatever would follow. Darth Vader would hunt them down to the ends of the galaxy if only to get his revenge on his former master. And this time, Lyanna wasn't sure if they could face him again.
The thoughts occupied her during her journey to the town. As she entered the streets the people already walking there greeted her warmly, her figure now a familiar one after so many years of tending to them. Some even called her new name, the one that few knew was one she had been given by her adoptive father and not her true one.
She stopped the bike before her very own practice, looking at the large white building standing amidst the meagre homes of the desert town. At first, it had been but a small institution. Now, after so many years of hard work, it had turned into a hospital housing the best specialists on the entire planet, perhaps even of the star system.
People from all around came here to seek help and they, they never refused. The queen had even convinced some local wealthy merchants to fund her project using the negotiation skills she'd long before perfected.
Maybe Obi Wan hadn't always been happy with the project but even he could see its value. The queen was practically hiding in plain sight, somewhere the Empire wouldn't think to look.
The Valerian smiled as she looked at her accomplishment, taking off her helmet and waving the few rebellious white strands of her hair away from her face. Even after so many years, the sight of the cold colour still startled her every time she saw it. She missed the red hue, the way it lighted up in the sun like fire, the way her hair had curled around her head in thick waves.
Alas, it was one of the many things she had had to give up to remain hidden.
"Good morning to you, doctor Nightwing." She quickly glanced aside, startled, and met the familiar eyes of one of her assistants. One that had become a close friend of hers. She'd been the first one she'd met on this planet when she was in a desperate search for medical aid.
The clone commander they had brought with them had awoken during their journey. A quick call with a certain young padawan and her commander had solved the mystery of their betrayal quickly and had set them on their next quest; removing the chip in his brain that was taking control of his actions.
This nurse, a woman barely older than 35, had provided the necessary equipment when Lyanna had rather bluntly asked for it. She'd not even asked too many questions, only offered aid when the clone had almost started a fire fight within the hospital.
"Are you coming in?" The woman continued, eyeing her figure still perched on top of her bike.
"I'm right behind you." Lyanna smiled, nodding at her. She swung her leg over the bike skilfully and secured the lock. The nurse grinned back and resumed her path towards the building, halting at the threshold.
"Oh, and Cirilla?"
The queen perked up, watching her curiously. "Yes, Dana?"
"Do you know what day it is?"
Lyanna frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. "No, I'm afraid not." She cocked her head to the side. "Please tell me I didn't forget a birthday."
"No, no, of course not, not a birthday." The woman chuckled softly and then smiled warmly at her. "It's been exactly 15 years since we've met today."
The breath halted in Lyanna's throat. 15 years since she came here, 15 years and one day since her last night on Valeria, since her brother's death and the destruction of her childhood home.
The realisation felt like a kick to the stomach. The queen sighed, looking down at the leather gloves protecting her hands. Usually she remembered, but the day had seemed so normal up till that moment. It was the first year it hadn't been the first thought on her mind after waking up. The first year she hadn't dreaded the coming of the day for weeks before.
Lyanna glanced up at the blue sky and to the galaxy that lay beyond, wondering. What was Valeria like right now? Was it still a planet covered with only ashes; barren and desolate? Or had the first sprouts of life peeked out from under the cover of darkness, the first green leaves now glowing in the rays of the sun, like the prophecy had promised they would?
More importantly, had the people returned to their former home?
The Valerian sighed, closing her eyes. No, Stefan would never risk their discovery this early. He'd hidden their tracks so expertly even she had found no trace of them. Even after years of searching, she'd found not a single lead that could bring her back to them. Lyanna opened her eyes and slowly started taking off her gloves, her mind occupied.
She hadn't noticed that her friend had walked up to her until she'd laid her hand on her shoulder. "Ciri?" Dana prodded and looked at her, worry evident in her features. Those brown eyes studied her closely, darting between the two of hers. What she saw there made her take in a deep breath filled with remorse. "You miss your family, don't you?"
Lyanna scoffed and looked down again, avoiding her penetrating gaze. She'd lied to her, of course, for her own safety. Or rather, hidden certain truths and bended them into another story. Dana believed that Lyanna's parents had been medics like her and had been killed by the jedi during their so called 'rebellion'. Lyanna, or rather Ciri in Dana's mind, had fled the battle and came here, bringing the one clone who'd saved her with them.
Not a lie entirely, but not the full truth either.
"Yeah, yeah I do." The queen bit her lip.
"I'm sorry I reminded you; it was... thoughtless." Dana apologized genuinely. She sighed and squeezed her skin. "I'll give you some time alone. But, if you need anything, you'll know where to find me."
Lyanna smiled as she glanced at Dana's warm eyes. "I'll be fine, but thank you." The nurse nodded at her and turned back towards the hospital, ready to begin her shift. The queen's eyes darted back to the sky as she sunk back into her mind.
Were they out there? Her people? Were they living as she was, undercover and amidst those that would wish them harm? Or were they living in another galaxy altogether, so far from the Empire's reach that they could live as they had always done? Safe, free, unbothered, the way they had lived before the jedi came to her planet? Were they ever even coming back?
A great sacrifice we must make, an eternal slumber before we can wake.
The dawn of Ragnarök will come, and reborn we will become.
Reborn. Lyanna repeated the word inside her head. Somewhere, deep inside herself, she knew that the new version of Valeria that would be better. They had learned from their mistakes and would never dare to repeat them. Under Stefan's leadership, they would become the version of themselves they had always dreamed about.
She had all faith in that.
She believed with her whole heart that in time, they would come and that they wouldn't stand for the Empire's atrocities. They would fight, and they would do so with all their might. The Valar'jar, the famed warriors from Valeria, would prove their mettle once again and thrive.
They would be a tidal wave of rage, courage and righteousness, bringing down the oppressive authorities of the empire in each planet of the galaxy. When that time came, they would reignite hope within all hearts that dared to listen and create a rebellion so strong that even the Emperor and all his armies wouldn't be able to beat them back.
They wouldn't ever again have to destroy a planet, an entire civilization, just to survive. No, they wouldn't halt at surviving. They would live.
Lyanna smiled to herself as she imagined the battles that were to come, the life that would be able to emerge after. The promise of a future without the empire was reason enough to take the risks.
Oh, she would fight. She would make the Emperor pay for his mistakes and show him who he had truly messed with. She would wield that devastating power again and use it to build, not destroy. Above all, she would make a better world for those that came after her.
From the ashes, we shall rise.
Once again the prophecy of her forefathers would ring true. She would make it come true. She was the phoenix, the queen of Valeria, and she would not forget or forgive. She would not bow to the Emperor's regime. She would fight.
But until that day she would have to wait, bide her time and enjoy the precious time with her husband and all those that came or would be coming with that. She locked her hoverbike and hooked her helmet underneath her armpit as she made her way towards the hospital's entrance. "Soon."
~
"Obi, I'm home!" Lyanna shouted as she shut the door behind her after having checked the security system for any intruders. As always, the light flickered a bright green. For a moment she closed her eyes, letting the tiring day fall off her shoulders, the stories and tragedies she'd heard and endured in the hospital.
She shrugged off her jacket, letting out a deep breath as the air cooled off her now bare skin. With the back of her hand, she wiped away the excess sweat that had gathered on her forehead during the journey. Her eyes scanned the living room for the one she was searching for, finding it completely empty save for some scattered toys on the ground.
Luckily, she knew exactly where to find him.
Snatching a meiloorian fruit from the tray she made her way down to the cellar, humming softly. She pushed one of the secret buttons on the shelf and watched as it slid open to reveal a hidden door. With a few twists and turns, she unlocked the entrance that led to their secret little hide out, a small clearing shielded by cliffs from all sides where they had spanned a huge canvas to block the view from ships that might pass over.
There, they could do everything they needed without gaining unwanted attention. They could train with the force, the seidr, and with their swords for the fight that was to come.
The moment the door opened, she heard the sounds of huffs and grunts, of wooden sticks meeting with harsh blows and feet shuffling over the sandy ground. It took a while for her eyes to become accustomed to the light but when the figures emerged from the fog a broad grin appeared on her face.
"Mind your footing, Anduin!" Obi Wan commented as he easily dodged the next attack of the young boy, twirling around him and smacking him on the back with his training sword. The poor boy vaulted forward and had barely managed to keep himself upright.
"If this were a real fight, you would've been a leg shorter." The jedi complained as he circled around his son, studying how he regained his balance with a few quick trained moves. "Be aware of your surroundings, always." He'd donned his jedi robes, his brown boots almost torn through and the light brown faded.
Still, Lyanna considered with a smirk, he looked rather handsome. It almost reminded her of the first time they met, deep in the woods, both covered with leaves, twigs and dirt. His hair was the same messy chaos and his face almost as determined as then. The only thing missing was his friend, the former padawan that was now lost to them.
Slowly the queen's smile faded. 5 years ago Obi Wan saw him again. He'd faded into the machine, became more thing than man. The boy they knew and loved was gone. Now, Anakin was but a figment of a memory. She tried desperately to hold onto the image of the playful jedi, and not the machine she'd met in the throne room, the one that had murdered her own brother. But all she could remember was the moment he'd driven his sword through his chest.
With a quick shake of the head, she drove away the memories and focussed back on her son.
The boy huffed and smiled, bowing over to catch his breath. Lyanna watched as his red locks fell before his face and his blue eyes twinkled with mischief. He was lean but well built, showing off the hard work his father had been putting him through for years.
"If this were a real fight, my opponent would be smoking dust by now." Anduin's voice was as smooth as his father's, but he had inherited the cunning and charm of his grandfather. Now 13 years old, he already had the cutting words of an adult and the wit of a person twice his age. Much to Obi Wan's dismay, it seemed he'd inherited the sarcasm of both his parents too.
The moment she'd looked into his eyes after his birth, Lyanna had known what she would name him. They had decided on another name entirely before, but the look in his eyes when he'd first opened them told a million stories that could only fit with one.
She smiled and leaned her back against their house, happily eating the fruit and watching their little training session while they were still oblivious to her presence. It were moments like these that were most precious to her. Watching Obi Wan be with them, being a father to them, it made her heart swell with adoration.
It was what he had forbade himself when he joined the jedi order but had craved the entire time he was a part of it. The longing for closeness, for a sense of familiarity. He craved the close relationship and the security that came with a family such as this. He'd always wanted to take care of someone close to him and now he had multiple. The role of a father was finally and truly his.
"Aidan, please remind your brother of the rules." Obi Wan sighed as he glanced towards the younger brother on the edge of the training site, one that was almost a complete copy of himself.
Sand coloured hair and eyes a vibrant emerald, there was no mistaking the likeliness between the two of them. Only the dense freckles scattered around his nose betrayed his mother's side. Had it not been for those, Lyanna would've started to think he'd been a clone if his father. He glanced upwards while he held his father's lightsaber in his hands, waiting for his chance to spar with the former jedi. The boy of eleven smirked, twirling the saber between his fingers.
While he hadn't inherited any Vanir powers that they knew of, he was exceptionally skilled in hand-to-hand combat. He excelled in the many jedi battle stances and combat tactics, making Lyanna suspect he'd inherited more from his father than they already knew. He hadn't shown any signs of force sensitivity, though, something Obi Wan both regretted and sorrowed.
"Well, brother, I think you know father doesn't like you to use the Seidr. You could at least wait until mother is here to convince him to let you conjure a few sparks, for as you know she almost always succeeds with a few honeyed words."
Lyanna scoffed softly, not wanting to interrupt the moment. While Anduin was extroverted, always seeking attention and telling the grandest tales, Aidan had been a silent observer. He was a scholar of a kind, reading all the books and scripts his father provided him with greed. When he did speak though, he would always render anyone speechless with his thought-through retorts.
Anduin let out a bellow of laughter at that, throwing his head back while his father could only grovel between them. The older sibling had been teaching his brother how to annoy him, and he wasn't letting him off the hook. "Right you are, little brother." The eldest prince grinned. "So, another bout, father? Or should we wait for mother to join us for a little bit more spark?"
"Where did I go wrong?" The jedi mumbled quietly as his hand caressed his temple, no doubt a headache forming there.
"Anduin, don't embarrass your father like that." The queen finally spoke up and pushed herself off the wall. The 3 males quickly turned to look at her, the jedi's shoulders tensed for but a split second before he relaxed. He'd been so concentrated on the training that he hadn't even noticed her presence so near.
"You know he's already close to a heart attack after agreeing to train you." She joked and stood upon her toes when she'd arrived at his side, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Even after so many years his cheeks flushed but his eyes weren't afraid to look straight into hers.
"Hello, my darling." Obi Wan smiled down at her adoringly as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side. He bent down and placed a long, tender kiss against the top of her head, breathing the scent of her in deeply.
"Husband." Even after 15 years, she still got butterflies after that. She quickly diverted her gaze before she got even more distracted and looked towards the boys gathered around her.
"Mother." Anduin mockingly bowed before her while Aidan smiled at her genuinely. "I suppose you heard the last part of our conversation?" The older prince straightened and looked her squarely in the eyes. "So, what do you say, your majesty?"
"No fire today, I'm afraid." Lyanna said while she gently placed her hand on Obi Wan's arm, needing to feel his warmth. "We will need to conserve our energy, for our next trip to your uncle will be delayed for another few weeks."
"What?!" Both princes visibly tensed at the news. Anduin groaned loudly and threw his hands up in the air, turning away from his parents. "What is it now? Another stray jedi? An inquisitor a few planets away? Maybe a gut feeling?" He threw his sword on the ground in frustration. "We need to go now! She's exhausted, mother, you know that. How can you deny her this?!"
She saw his anger for what it was, concern. Lyanna sighed and glanced sideways at her husband, a sorrowful look in her eyes. Most of the time the decision depended on their feelings and that wasn't something she could easily explain to her children. If she had but a small doubt about their safety, she refused to let them go.
"Anduin, I'm sure your mother has, -" The jedi started to defend her, before a soft voice interrupted his speech.
"The Empire is on edge." The 4 of them turned to look at the small figure now in the doorway. In her hands a small doll with wooden wings was clutched, her long blond hair waving in the wind. Her eyes were the vibrant green of her mother's but their shape resembled the soft lines of her father.
There was a tiredness there. The poor girl was exhausted, her eyes red and swollen, bags dragging them down. Her limbs shook with the effort it took to hold her up. Her skin was as pale as snow, her lips coloured a shade of blue. "Something has scared them. They're afraid." She continued.
"Satine." Lyanna let out a deep breath and walked towards her, hooking her arms under her shoulders and easily lifting her up into her hold. She, the queen regretted, had inherited the brunt of her powers. The poor girl was cursed with visions of the past and future, never knowing which was which.
She was a Timeturner like her grandmother. It was a power, Lyanna regretted, that she had never learned to wield properly. She didn't know how to help her, how to teach her. "You should be in bed, sweety." The queen placed a kiss against the side of her head and held her tightly against her.
"I'm sorry." The little girl croaked and lay her head against her mother's chest. The visions she had exhausted her and because she wasn't able to control them they pestered her night and day. The energy it took to form them, which she did unknowingly and unwillingly, was draining the little she had left.
Obi Wan walked up to them, stroking the little girl's head and placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "My little princess, -" He muttered there with a sigh. "- it's not your fault."
The girl's eyes had fallen closed, her chest rising and falling rapidly as if she was short of breath. Lyanna locked her gaze with her husband, the concern evident in both of them. "Anduin is right, we need to get her to Arthas." She muttered.
The jedi drew back as he let his hand go through her hair a few times. "How long do you think you'll need?"
The queen sighed as she bounced the little girl in her arms, trying to lull her back to sleep. The two boys watched silently from a distance, their gazes saddened and their limbs tensed. "At least a few days to be sure, probably a week." She answered with reluctance.
Obi Wan nodded. "How long do you think she has?"
"If she doesn't rest enough, days." Lyanna admitted as her stomach wrenched. "And if something is truly happening out there, the visions will only get worse which means..."
She didn't need to finish her sentence for him to understand its meaning. "All right." The jedi glanced back at his two sons as he laid his hand on the small of his wife's back. He pondered for a while, his eyebrows furrowing together in thought.
"Give me some time to think." He said into her mind as he connected their gazes. "I'll figure it out." Lyanna smiled sadly, nodding.
"Come on inside, boys, I'll get dinner started." Obi Wan said out loud, pushing against Lyanna's frame and urging her towards the entrance of their house.
The two boys first met each other's gazes, reluctant, knowing that protesting would only work against them. The older of the two merely sighed deeply and bit the inside of his cheeks to keep another retort from coming out. Anduin took in a deep breath instead, puffing up his chest until he managed to drive the words away and replace them with something else. "Yes, father."
~
Lyanna swirled the contents of the meal she was cooking absent minded, staring over the kitchen counter at her son. She had full view of the living room and her three children that resided in it. Aidan, as always, was tucked into a corner of the couch with a book held before his face, learning about the jedi order.
Anduin was holding his sister on the other end, his arm wrapped around her middle and pulling her against his side while he read from one of her favourite story books. The little girl's eyes were drooping closed at the soft lull of his voice, her chest now rising and falling calmly as she listened attentively.
He'd always loved his little sister, taking care of her whenever and however he could. Ever since he'd laid eyes upon her new-born form, he hadn't been able to let her out of his sight.
He'd never had trouble controlling his power like she did and he hated to see the effects the seidr had on her. In a way, the boy felt guilty, for he loved the strength of his power, the way it lifted him while hers only tore her down. Each time he used the fire it felt like he was betraying her, and thus a part of himself.
Lyanna sighed defeatedly, glancing down at the meal she was making until she felt a pair of arms snaking around her waist. By instinct, she tilted her head to the side. It wasn't soon after that she felt a soft kiss on her now exposed neck and the warm breath that came with it. Normally, a bright smile would decorate her face almost immediately but now not even a ghost of it appeared.
"I can feel your thoughts racing." Obi Wan muttered as he buried his nose in the crook of her neck, his grip tightening around her and pulling her against his front.
"I hate seeing her like this." Lyanna said, sorrow seeping into her voice. "I hate being unable to do anything about it."
"You can't cure everybody, my darling." The jedi mumbled and placed his chin on her shoulder, following her line of sight to the two children cuddling together.
"Now, here I was, thinking you considered me a miracle worker."
Obi Wan chuckled against her neck, summoning a grin on his wife's face. He felt her heart fluttering through the bond, felt the spark of joy that erupted within her at the sound. As relief flooded his own heart he placed his hands on her hips and turned her around until she was facing him.
She obliged him, soon coming face to face. "Of course you are, my queen. The evidence is right there." He nodded at the children behind her as he walked closer to her form, practically pinning her as he put his hands on the counter on both her sides. "Three of them, even. It would be considered greedy if I ask for yet another one."
Another miracle.
Lyanna smiled fully, her green eyes locking onto his. As he glanced back down towards her his breath caught in his throat at the sight. Even after all these years, he'd never tire of the sight of those forest hues, especially not when life sparked in them like this. Especially not when he could feel her warmth through the layers of his tunic, smell the scent of burnt oak, feel her soft hands placed firmly on his chest and her breaths tickling the skin of his neck.
She'd enchanted him ever since that night in the forest, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"We'll find a way." Obi Wan promised as he placed his hand on the side of her face with his thumb underneath her jaw. "We always have."
She considered him for a moment, studying him closely. He'd changed so much in those past years that sometimes she hardly recognized him. His appearance remained the same, those unruly auburn locks that fell before his face, the wrinkles by his eyes that lit up his features, the blue of his irises that expressed all the warmth and calmness he possessed. At the same time, they radiated something she could only describe as safety, as home.
It was the inside that had changed, or rather grown, and she loved him all the more for it.
Where he was once overprotective, he now knew she could handle herself. He trusted her with everything, knowing that when she needed aid she'd ask for it. Where before he would focus on the facts, he now considered the emotions that came into play when making decisions. Above all, he'd opened himself to her. He had let go of the restrictions of the jedi order and given himself fully and utterly to her.
The man before her was everything she had ever wanted and needed. Still, he had given her so much more than she had ever dreamt of.
Her smile changed into an adoring, warm one as she lifted herself upon her toes, touching her nose against his. "I love you, Obi Wan." She whispered before she tilted her head, placing her lips against his. The electricity crackled underneath her skin almost immediately and her whole body sang with joy and anticipation. When his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against him those feelings multiplied a thousandfold. The worries of the day seemed to disappear with each second she was in his arms, her heart easing yet at the same time increasing.
He tilted her head further to the side and deepened the kiss, drawing her up and into him. The jedi pushed her against the counter while his hand threaded through her hair and then rested on the back of her head. The other grasped tightly onto her hip, his fingers digging into the skin through the fabric of her trousers. When they both gasped for air he took the opportunity to make a trail of kisses down the side of her neck, each peck sending a spark of pure desire down her body.
"I love you, my darling queen." Obi Wan whispered there and followed the statement with another kiss on the sensitive skin. He felt the warmth, the heat it evoked within her and reacted by instinct. The hand that had been on her hip, trailed downward while his eyes opened to watch his children. "You know, they haven't noticed anything yet, do you think maybe we could, -"
"Obi." She hissed and then giggled, quickly catching his wrist before he could continue his path down. "I am cooking." Lyanna continued and pushed against his chest, making him stumble backwards a few steps. "Behave." She didn't miss the irony of that word coming from her, for she was almost always the one to initiate said activities.
"All right, all right." He quickly put his arms up in defeat. "I'll wait." Obi Wan stepped back until he could lean against the cabinet behind him. "Please, continue." He crossed his arms before his chest and smiled, the charming sight almost snapping Lyanna's last string of control.
"Pfff." She scoffed, turning back towards whatever she had been cooking, finding out that some of it had been burnt already. She even heard Obi Wan's chuckle and felt her cheeks flame with heat. The both of them had had to learn cooking in a matter of days, and the results were still far from good. "Oh, for the love of, -"
"It is here."
Lyanna's body stilled. Her eyes snapped wide open and darted to her daughter's body, her muscles tensed and her knuckles turning white. Her entire body was on edge instantly, sensing something sinister.
"Satine?" Obi Wan sensed the commotion too and quickly pushed himself off the cabinet, coming to a halt beside his wife and watching with bated breath.
Their daughter was standing in the midst of the living room, her eyes wide open, unseeing, only the whites of them showing. Anduin was trying to shake her out of the trance, yelling and prodding at her body to no avail.
"The Empire's fall is imminent." Satine continued while her parents rushed around the kitchen counter, both arriving at her side within mere seconds. Even their presence did nothing to wake her. No, her breaths remained rapid and her eyes watered with tears.
"Mother, what is happening?!" Anduin asked in a panic, his blue eyes widened with fear. He'd never seen her like this before. Never had her visions overtaken her like this.
"The spark has ignited." Her voice cracked, sounding other-worldly.
"Ssh, princess." Obi Wan whispered against her ear as he wrapped her into his arms, kneeling beside her. "I've got you. We're right here with you. Just breathe, breathe with me. Focus on my voice."
"They're coming." Came the little girl's answer. "They're coming."
Lyanna glanced around hopelessly until her eyes landed on the holo device in the corner of the room. The light had started flickering and an alarm sounded, signalling that a message from the Empire was about to be broadcasted.
"Aidan, go, turn it on, now." She ordered as she monitored her daughter's heartbeat with her finger against the inside of her wrist. If something was truly happening, surely it would say so on the news.
The little boy darted to the machine within no time. The device flashed before it cast an image into the open space. All their heads, except for the little girl's, turned its way. When the image stabilised, the child collapsed into her father's arms, exhausted, the visions finally relenting.
"There you go." Obi Wan hushed her whimpers and cradled her closer. "You're all right, we're with you. It's over."
The queen glanced at her quickly to make sure she was all right before looking back at the figure now before them, one that was so familiar to her she could picture him by heart. "Stefan?" She mumbled brokenly as she raised herself onto her shaking feet.
It was the first time her gaze landed on him in 15 years. She'd almost suspected him to look different but in truth, he hadn't changed at all. It was almost as if she was looking at a memory, a torturing vision of the past. Yet, there were scars on his face she had not seen there before.
"King Stefan?" Anduin muttered before he too looked at the figure. In its blue light he could see the broad jaw, the muzzle on his cheek and the sternness of his eyes and recognized him from the many stories his mother had told him about the commander.
"They must have hacked into the Empire's broadcasting system." The prince concluded.
"This is a message for all people out there, -" The king started, his voice booming through the open space. "- for the ones that have been oppressed by the Emperor, who have been straining underneath his gruesome regime, for the ones that have suffered countless losses by his hands and that have felt compelled to work in dire circumstances. The ones that have struggled to survive in an environment made only to benefit the Empire and not its people, and have suffered countless injustices because of it. The ones that have seen their culture fade in the darkness of the Empire's, and have witnessed their traditions disappear with it. Above all, this is a message for those hiding in the dark, those fighting against the horrors of the Empire even when it puts their own lifes on the line, in the hope of a better future."
Aidan frowned as he straightened, stepping away from the machine and considering the man before him closely.
"I know what it is like to suffer because of him, I know what it is like to lose everything by his hands. Almost 15 years ago, 3 days after the so-called rebellion of the jedi and the birth of the empire, my planet was attacked. Unprovoked, unjustified, they came to us and slaughtered everyone that dared oppose them."
Obi Wan quickly glanced towards his wife and saw her expression contorting. He even felt the pain tearing through her heart through their bond and could do nothing but watch.
"In the end, that meant everyone. They tore down our capital and murdered countless innocent people, families, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters only because we refused to bow down to a foreign tyrant."
The jedi pulled Satine against his chest as she opened her eyes, looking at the Valerian with a small smile playing on her lips. Relief flooded her expression when she finally came face to face with the man she'd seen so often in her dreams.
"We were led by two of our greatest kings and queens: Aidan Stormrage and Lyanna Fireheart, one you may also know as the phoenix. With them we managed to save the most of our people and slip through the Empire's grasp, performing one of the greatest battles in history and taking thousands of the empire's soldiers with us, but it was not without a price. We lost our king and we lost the planet we called our home."
Lyanna's brows knotted together as tears built in her eyes. Flashes of that day appeared before her, the flames that had swallowed her ancestral home and the storm raging above it. The sight of her brother and the look in his eyes as he died in her arms. She stalked closer to the flickering image, watching the face of the man she had missed so dearly.
"We lost everything fighting the Empire. We were sent out, searching, wandering out in the darkness of space, a place we had never been before. Without a home, without a place to go to, to be safe. We were lost, as many of you are right now."
Anduin came to a stop beside his mother, his gaze just as entranced as hers. "But this is not a message of despair. No, it is a message of hope." Stefan almost growled as he straightened. "We have found a place to settle, to build, to grow stronger. We have trained for 15 years, scheming and planning a rebellion to topple the entire Empire and take down the regime that has been oppressing so many people this entire time."
Even Obi Wan pushed himself onto his feet, eyes trained on the light while he lifted his daughter into his arms. "Now, the time has finally come. We are ready to take on the Empire. We are ready to fight, to free all of you, to finally be able to live as we want and deserve to. But we need your help to achieve it."
His hand settled on the sword he had clasped on his hip. "So, I urge you, wherever and whoever you are, take on arms. Call on your brothers and sisters, your family and friends. Tell them the time has come to fight back. Look to the Empire's agents and tell them enough. We have suffered for far too long underneath the empire and we won't accept it any longer, we refuse to bow down to them. Tell them that this time, we will fight and we will do so together."
Anduin's fingers threaded through his mothers. On her other side, Aidan grasped her hand tightly. "I believe with all my heart that we can defeat them. I believe that with our powers combined, we will tear down the Empire and make them pay for their crimes. I believe in us and above all, I believe in hope."
"Wait for our signal and join us when we come. We will defeat them; this I promise you." Lyanna smiled softly as a single tear glided down her cheek. She watched her friend, watched his sturdy face, his muscled frame as he took in a deep breath.
"Now, I turn myself to you, my queen. My... closest friend." Her breath stalled and her body froze. This, she had not expected.
"15 years ago you named me king of Valeria. 15 years ago, you urged me to leave you behind on the planet that was destroyed not soon after. You forced me to abandon you in its destruction even though it would tear my heart in two. Now, I know in my heart that you were not taken with it. I know with certainty that you're alive and that you're out there, searching for us."
She walked closer to his projection, longing to touch him. "I am here, Stefan." She whispered as the tears continued to build. "I am right here."
"15 years ago you gave me the grandest honour of my life. Now, I'm handing it back to you."
She feigned backwards. At the same time, the grip of both her sons tightened reassuringly, keeping her in place. "We need you, the phoenix, the saviour of Eagle's Fall and chosen queen of Valeria, to lead us in this fight. We need your light, your courage, your ability to inspire."
Stefan stated, the certainty in his voice growing with each word until he fell to a sudden stop.
The breath quivered in her throat as she saw him struggle, the tremble of his jaw and the flaring of his nostrils. He was fighting back the emotions that were tearing at him, knowing he could show no sign of weakness.
"Above all, Lyanna Fireheart, I need you." The commander stated. "And I know you will answer the call."
Lyanna took in a deep breath and straightened, squeezing her son's hands in her own as a tear glided down her cheek. Stefan smiled broadly, staring straight into the lens of whatever camera was filming him. "I know you will all answer the call, and burn down this Empire with me." He put his fist against his chest in a swift move. "For the rebellion, and for Valeria."
The light of the hologram flickered until it vanished, leaving the room in darkness. Their eyes adjusted to the new lighting even as their minds ran over it all. For a moment all they could hear were each other's deep, startled breaths.
"Mother?" Anduin broke the silence and made her glance down upon his figure.
Lyanna was still trying to swallow the lump that had grown in her throat but when she met his sturdy gaze the emotions disappeared quickly.
There was iron in his blue eyes. A steely determination, one that simply said enough. For a boy so young, he looked more like the seasoned warriors she'd worked with before than a boy of 13. It was then she realised that he had been made for this, for the rebellion and the fight that was to come. He'd prepared for it all his life.
Even at this age, he wanted and needed to fight.
She glanced to her other side and met Aidan's emerald eyes. He mirrored the same expression, his lips pulled into a thin line and his brows folded together. He nodded slightly in confirmation, a silent sign of approval.
The queen took in a deep breath as she turned to the other two in the room. Satine, with her arms wrapped around her father's neck, smiled softly. For the first time in a long time, she looked fully awake, alive and full of energy.
This was what she had been waiting for, a chance to use her powers for good.
The green eyes darted to the blue ones. The ones that had accompanied her through all her hardships and the ones she hoped would do the same now. She didn't know what she was searching for then. Approval, maybe, or perhaps she wanted him to hold her back. To give her a reason to stay in that perfect cocoon they'd made for themselves.
Obi Wan stared back, just as uncertain and afraid as she was. Doing this, joining the rebellion, it would endanger their family. The peaceful way they had lived would be impossible, gone the moment they decided to fight.
At the same time, it would give their children the chance of a better future, one where the Empire didn't endanger them every step of the way. Maybe they would even be free in time, not forced to live in hiding as they did now.
Obi Wan sighed deeply, glancing at each of his children before he closed his eyes. It seemed he'd given up fighting against something in his head when he looked back at his wife. His jaw clenched and his face hardened, but something new had sparked in his eyes.
Hope, Lyanna realised, as she felt it fluttering in her own chest.
For the first time in a long time, Obi Wan Kenobi felt true hope.
The jedi nodded at her, confirming what they both knew had to happen. So, Lyanna straightened her spine and rightened herself as she took in a deep breath.
They would be the spark. The spark that would become a raging wildfire, an exploding star, and swallow the Empire in a blaze of glory.
One side of her lip tilted up into a devious grin, her eyes narrowing in determination as she glanced at each member of her family.
"Shall we begin?"