dedicated to remuslupout for always being there for me when i needed help with my writing, and for making the best covers in the world. thank you <3
The sands and hot suns of Tatooine were all Ryha Dallie had ever known, and to her knowledge, all she would ever know. She'd grown used to the beige and heat of her home planet, and had even grown used to the fact that she was a slave on it, too. Ryha had grown used to a lot of things that others may have found unbearable, but that was okay — she was alive, she was healthy, and most importantly, she had something most people on Tatooine didn't.
Ryha Dallie had a best friend.
Anakin Skywalker was another thing that she had always seemed to have always known. They were around the same age, Anakin being a year her senior, but that didn't matter to them. They had a bond that was stronger than anything in the galaxy — nothing could break them apart. And even though she lived with her master and the rest of his slaves, Anakin and his mother were the only family she had, and the only family she could have needed. Unlike Anakin, Ryha wasn't fortunate enough to have her parents with her during her childhood. In fact, she didn't even know who they are. For as long as she could remember it'd been just her, until she met Anakin.
How they met wasn't uncommon for slaves on Tatooine — Ryha had been sent out to run errands by her owner, and Anakin just happened to be the one that was working the shop where she needed things from. Her order was simple enough, but Anakin found himself making up excuses for her to come back; saying that things were broken, or that the part needed to be tweaked in order for it to work to it's highest capability. Eventually, there was nothing left to fix, and therefore no more excuses for Anakin to see his Ryha. That was, until Ryha started showing up on her own, after she had finished her daily tasks for her master. She and Anakin quickly became inseparable — they did everything they could together. She kept him company while he fixed up racers and let him talk about them for hours, and he let her babble on about her dreams of one day getting out of Tatooine, and what life would have in store for her after she fled. And to that, Anakin's response was always the same:
"I'll get us out of here one day. I promise."
So, just like she did every day, she joined Anakin at Watto's Shop after she'd finished her chores. But, unlike every other day, she was not alone with her best friend. As soon as she ran through the shop like she always did, she was met with the sight of a tall man being led outside by Watto, a strange looking creature that she had never seen before, a droid, and a young woman talking to her Ani.
"I'm a pilot, you know. And one day, I'm gonna fly away from this place." he informed the girl.
"You're a pilot?" she asked, doubt lacing her tone.
"Mhm, all my life."
"Ani?" Ryha asked sheepishly, gaining both the boy's attention, along with the mystery girl's.
"Ryha!" he grinned, putting down the spare part he was cleaning. "About time you got here!"
Ryha fell into Anakin's arms, just as she always did, and burrowed her face into his neck, seeming to hide from the strange creatures in the shop. She was used to almost everyone in her town on Tatooine, and she knew that these people were a long way from what she was used to.
"And who's this?" the girl asked, seeming to melt at the sight.
"This is Ryha," Anakin announced, hugging his best friend tight. "She's coming with me when I fly away from this place. Don't worry, she's a little shy, but she'll come around. She just doesn't know you yet!"
Ryha's heart leapt at his promise and how sure he sounded, just like it did every single time he said it.
"Nice to meet you, Ryha." the girl smiled. "I'm Padmé. Your friend here was just telling about how he's a pilot."
"Like I said, all my life!"
"And how long have you been here?"
"Since I was very little — three, I think," he babbled mindlessly, seeming to enjoy his conversation with the stranger. "My mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but she lost us betting on the podraces. After that, I met Ryha, and I've been working here and being a pilot ever since."
"You're a slave?" she asked, seemingly shocked at the revelation.
"No, he's a person," Ryha spoke up for the first time, finally looking up at the girl from the crook of her best friend's neck. "And his name is Anakin."
Ryha was always a very calm, gentle child, whereas Anakin was the more reckless, loud one in the friendship. That's what she supposed made it work, in a way. For what one was lacking, the other made up for it. But if there was one way to get Ryha to become more like Anakin, it was to bring up their status. She was used to being a slave, yes, because that's all she had ever known. But Anakin... she knew even at her tender age that he wasn't meant for that kind of life. He was meant to be everything that he already was: the greatest pilot to ever live.
"I'm sorry," the strange girl apologized. "I don't fully understand. This is a strange place to me."
Suddenly, all of their attention was spread to the odd creature that had been left to look around the shop, and his clumsy chase after a droid.
"Hey!" Anakin shouted after him. "Hit the nose!"
The creature — whatever he may have been — thankfully followed his instructions and turned off the funny little droid, making Ryha giggle quietly into Anakin's embrace. He was something else, alright, and if this was how he was all the time, Ryha wanted nothing to do with the strangers that had entered the shop.
"We're leaving," the tall man announced, walking back into the shop with a frustrated look on his face.
And just like that, Padmé and the strange creature began to exit, but not without a goodbye.
"I'm glad to have met you, Anakin," she smiled, looking down at the pair. "You, too, little Ryha."
"I was glad to meet you too!" Anakin called after the girl.
"I'm not little..." Ryha muttered, pouting slightly.
"When you pout like that, you are," the boy laughed, breaking away from their embrace. "Besides, you are little. I'm a whole year older than you!"
"That doesn't mean I'm little, Ani."
"Then what does it mean?"
"It means that you're just old!"
Anakin was about to comment further when Watto came in, grumpy as always.
"Outlanders. They think we know nothing." he grumbled in Huttese.
Shrugging, Anakin responded, "They seemed nice to me."
Turning to the girl he'd become more than acquainted with, Watto looked down at Ryha.
"And what did you think of them, child?"
Ryha looked down at the floor and shrugged as well, not wanting to engage in conversation with the man who quite literally owned her best friend.
"Clean the racks, then you can go home." he ended up speaking, making Anakin and Ryha jump up with joy.
Racing over to the racks, Anakin and Ryha finally had the chance to talk.
"You want to come over for dinner tonight?" Anakin asked, hopping right to work. "I think mom's making your favorite."
"I don't know, Ani..." Ryha spoke quietly, like she always did. "I don't want to bother her..."
"Come on! You know she loves you. She won't mind at all! Promise!"
"...Fine," the little girl smiled, happy that she gets to be with her family tonight. "Now lets hurry up and finish so we can go."
n// hello!! welcome to "home", my first star wars fic :) ive been working on this one for a while and im really excited about it, so thank you for reading! i hope you enjoy it, and come to love it as much as i do! happy reading <3