TheBridge

Luke stared blankly at the dark haired girl, his mind trying to process what in the kark she was doing here.

“You…you’re the Princess ,” he stated, and internally kicked himself for that ridiculously obvious statement.

“Yes, well observed,” she hissed, glaring at him and seizing his arm. “Come on!”

She dragged him swiftly toward an innocuous door which led to a small storage area for cleaning droids and supplies. Numerous little lights blinked and cameras swiveled at them curiously. The Princess ignored this.

“What in the hells are you doing here?” he asked her.

“I came for you, you complete nerf ,” she whispered back, eyes narrowed. “When you decided to go haring off to Bespin to find Captain Solo and his friend, I was told to go and save your reckless carcass!”

Instead, a small band of townsmen walked cautiously beneath the vast expanse, having lifted their Sheriff from the wagon in order to approach the large house that was the heart of Alliance Ranch.

Max dreaded meeting the eyes of the tiny figure who stood illuminated in the doorway—the bright glow of the rooms behind her shooting out into the yard.

Then the men had passed her and she was directing them into the house where Piett’s room was. She turned back to Max who was waiting for her.

“Come further in,” Leia Organa said, her composure supreme for one so young. She had lost her parents a mere two years before and now, the man who had been such a rock of support to her, might not live the night.

“Doc Henley?” she asked fiercely, the light glinting off of her coiled braids.

“On his way here as we speak, Miss Leia,” he told her, the weight of this night pressing unmercifully on his shoulders.

She nodded, clenching small fists at her side and staring sightlessly into the dancing flames for a few moments.

“How bad?” she said at last, so quietly he almost didn’t hear.

He hated having to say this to her. To this 16 year old who had already borne too much grief. But she appreciated honesty and he would not shirk his duty to her.

“It’s bad,” he said as gently as possible.