Okay, please let me know what you think of this. This is more...intimate than most of my pieces get. Thanks! Appreciate the input!
NIGHT OVER ENDOR
Flaming torches cast a flickering, orange glow throughout. As the night wore on and more draft was consumed, the voices became louder and laughter broke out amid the clusters of revelers more often.
Standing to one side, near the entrance, Leia surveyed the group. She was trying not to feel guilty about having a couple, okay three, drafts. Never a drinker, she was nervous about having too much and losing control like some of those around her now. But tonight was for celebration, not guilt. Han had handed her the first one. Just try a little, hed coaxed.
He had no idea shed had another two after that first one.
She feltmellow, relaxed and, for the first time since her adolescent seasons, free. She was free to enjoy herself, free to have a good time and yes, okay, free to have a couple drinks. Oh, all right three.
Thoughts of Alderaan had crept in as they always did. But tonight shed pushed those memories to the back of her mind. Han was right. There was no reason to feel guilty. He and Luke had both stressed that to her over and over. Usually, she found she couldnt help it. The feelings of guilt she had even used as a tool to feed her dedication to the Alliance when she felt her energy giving out.
Scanning the crowd again, she tried to be discreet. She wanted to know where Han was, but didnt want him to know that she wanted to know. He had enough ego already.
Over the course of the evening she had laughed and talked and danced. He had been right by her ever since the celebration had started, but had gone with Chewie to check on something a half hour ago.
There! There he was talking to Luke, Wedge and Lando. Pilot talk most likely, she thought, shaking her head. Would he start to look for her? Would he come over? She could go over to him and put her arm around him.
No, she couldnt. She wanted to feel like she was confident enough to do that, but she wasnt. She should be though, she argued with herself. Han loved her. She knew that. She also knew he wanted to be with her. Hed shown that blatantly to everyone most of the night by not leaving her side.
But she was certainly no clinging vine. She had people to talk to. One of the other pilots had been trying to get her attention all evening. Well, Leia hadnt noticed that but Han had commented on it earlier.
She no sooner thought of him than the B-Wing pilot appeared by her side again. Hed been drinking too, she realized.
Princess! Ive been looking for an opportunity to speak with you. He moved closer to her side. Draft was heavy on his breath. Can I get you a drink?
Firmly, she answered. No, thank you.
Not taking the hint, he started immediately on an extended dissertation of his experiences in the last battle. The last three battles in fact.
Another ego, Leia thought to herself. She found the effort to look interested in his bragging was too much. Tuning B-Wing out she thought of how Han irritated her. Often. But even given the colossal size of Hans ego at times, she had never had the desire to tune him out. Shed been irritated as hell, but, well, it was just Han. She wondered at the difference in her feelings between the drunk pilot standing beside her now, prattling on about nothing, and Han who could truly be brash when he wanted.
She tried to consider the most diplomatic way of breaking away from the B-Wing Braggart when she felt an arm on her shoulder. She knew it was him. She didnt have to look. No other presence made her feel this way.
Hans voice broke into the middle of the pilots dialogue.
Got somewhere else you need to be?
B-Wing stopped in mid-sentence. Huh? No sir, I dont have anywhere else to be.
Hans voice was firm. Yeah. Id say you do.
Oh. Uhokay. Yes, sir. Uhexcuse me, uhPrincess. Not about to argue with the General, B-Wing quickly retreated.
Turning to Han, Leias face displayed no emotion. Inside she felt exhilarated. It was ridiculous, she told herself, to react this way, but she couldnt help it. He had looked for her. He had come over. She was not going to let him know how excited that made her feel. No reason to make this easy for him.
You didnt have to be rude.
With a cocky expression on his face, Han took hold of her other arm and pulled her closer to him where only she could hear him.
You like me rude.
She had to smile, though she fought it. It was true. She did like it when he was rude. Maybe because she would never let herself go enough to be rudeexcept with Han himself.
He looked into her face and the cocky expression fell away. His face grew serious. She knew what he was looking for in her eyes. She couldnt form the words, but he read her answer. No words were necessary.
His hand trailed down her arm and clasped her hand. Turning towards the exit, he led her along with him.
Han and Leia went out onto the bridge walkway. Out in the night, the light was much dimmer. Scattered torches lit the way from bridge to bridge until they reached the lift-like contraption the Ewoks used.
The height of the lift was designed for Ewoks, so Han and Leia sat down with their legs dangling out while Han maneuvered the ropes to lower the lift.
The breeze picked up during their descent and Leia breathed in the clean, fresh smell of the pines. Han looked up and watched the star-filled sky as they descended down below the trees. With no civilization and no manufactured lights filling the sky, now that the fireworks were over, the Endor sky was almost black with millions of stars and planets blinking down at them.
Halfway down, the lift jerked to a stop. Startled, Leia turned and looked at Han to find out what was wrong. She realized immediately from his grin that he had stopped the lift deliberately.
Her heart raced. His eyes were bright, never moving from hers. Slowly, he moved closer to her, his mouth lowering to hers.
At first, his mouth was gentle against hers, almost as if he were testing for her reaction. At her response, he deepened the kiss, his hand coming up to cup the side of her face.
For Leia time appeared to stop. There was nothing else but Hans mouth over hers, her racing heartbeat, and the sensations of the breeze in her hair and about her legs wafting up under the slit in the skirt of her dress, mingled with the scent of the pines.
The lift rocked slightly as Han shifted to get closer still. Her mouth opened to his and Leia felt a rush of excitement so overwhelming her breath caught.
She had dreamed of this; of a time alone with Han where no one else could exist. His mouth possessed hers and she did not want it to end.
For Han it was incredible that he was here with her and that she was so responsive to him. She was lovely always, but there was a softer, sweeter core that she didnt show to just everyone. He knew she felt vulnerable but reveled in the fact that she trusted him. He would make sure she always felt safe with him.
Slowly, they drew apart but Leia could not look away from Hans eyes. She saw what he was asking in his gaze, but she suddenly feltshe was unsure of herself. She wanted him. She wanted him inside her which had shocked her in the past, frightened her in fact, but didnt now. She was not afraid of allowing Han inside her body, her life or her heart, but she was inexperienced. She knew what she had dreamed of doing with him, but what if?
Recognizing the self doubt in Leias expression, Han brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers, turned her hand over, pried open her fingers, and kissed her palm.
When he went to draw away, she reached up and caressed his lips. She wanted him to know for certain that the doubt was of herself.
Han reached over and worked the ropes again, lowering the lift the rest of the way. A few feet from the ground, he hopped down, turned and lifted her from the waist out of the lift and down to the ground.
Taking her hand in his, he led the way silently through the boughs.
When they reached the Falcon, their bodies were silhouetted against the low landing lights on the bottom of the ship. Han turned to her, taking both her hands in his.
His voice was rough. Leia?
She smiled. She couldnt help it. She had known him so long and so well. She would spend tonight and the rest of her nights with him, she already knew that. But he had only voiced her name a very few times in her hearing. She loved the sound of her name in his voice.
Reaching up on her toes, she put her hand behind his neck and pulled his head down to hers.
The wind was much stronger now. The centuries-old trees about them creaked and groaned as the wind flowed through them.
Anyone standing under those trees that night would see the hatch to an old Corellian freighter open, the inside lights casting a glow on a man and woman as they drew apart, the man putting his arm about her shoulders and guiding her into the ship. Darkness fell again as the hatch door closed behind them.
After a minute or two, the heavy thrung of the freighters engines revved up, and in the cockpit, lit only by the lighted instrumentation, the man and woman sat beside each other as the freighters thrusters lifted the ship from the ground.
Slowly, the Falcon turned around before lifting up and flying out into the night sky.
Back in the Ewok village, standing on the bridge walkway, Chewbacca roared up at the disappearing Falcon, just visible beyond the trees. Luke Skywalker, now standing next to the Wookiee, reached up and fluffed his fur.
Dont worry, Chewie. Han asked me to take you back.
Chewbacca gave a muffled response, his growl lower with emotion.
Luke sighed and released his breath, feeling free and relaxed. The scent of pine wafted around him. He answered Chewie with a half smile.
I know he is, Chewie. So is she.
Hovering alone over the other side of the moon of Endor, the Falcon maintained its altitude.
Inside, Han Solo stood in the doorway to the cockpit. His tunic was undone and his jacket had been thrownsomewhere. Leia stood in his arms, his hands bunched in her hair.
Lowering one hand, he pulled up the slit of her skirt, and pressed her into his hips. Leias eyes went wide. She felt as if she were melting and leaned into him. Hans hands went around to cup her backside and lift her up and closer to him.
His fingers unfastened the ties at the bodice of her dress and she gasped as he touched her with his hands and then his mouth.
Finally, he lifted her legs and wrapped them around his hips and carried her in that position down the Falcons corridor to his bunk where he lay her down slowly and carefully.
Leia couldnt believe her feelings and this moment were real. She felt as if she were dreaming and would awaken at any moment to find herself alone and empty. Could she really feel like this?
His hands moved lower and her breath caught. Apparently so, she thought before she let sensation and emotion take over completely.
Later, he was alarmed when there was pain, and she couldnt deny there was. But she didnt want him to stop, either. She didnt know entirely what was at the end of this journey, but she desperately wanted to find out. And she only wanted to find out with him.
He taught her intimacy was both reverent and fun. She didnt feel right smiling, but he tried to make her smile and laugh. She didnt want to cry afterward, but he wiped her tears and held her. Why did she cry? Shed feltso close to him, so far from herself, it had frightened and fascinated her at the same time.
To distract her he talked of sports game on the holonet, Chewies disastrous attempts at cooking, anything to stop her tears.
She laughed, talked some, grew tired and finally fell asleep lying next to Han with her leg on his hip and his arm over her breast.
Long into the night, Han watched her sleep. He went over all his encounters with Leia, trying to reconcile with himself that she was really there, lying in his bunk with him. And that she loved him despite himself.
Finally growing sleepy, Han leant over and kissed her forehead gently. Even in sleep his arm stayed around her, warm and secure.
END
NIGHT OVER ENDOR
Flaming torches cast a flickering, orange glow throughout. As the night wore on and more draft was consumed, the voices became louder and laughter broke out amid the clusters of revelers more often.
Standing to one side, near the entrance, Leia surveyed the group. She was trying not to feel guilty about having a couple, okay three, drafts. Never a drinker, she was nervous about having too much and losing control like some of those around her now. But tonight was for celebration, not guilt. Han had handed her the first one. Just try a little, hed coaxed.
He had no idea shed had another two after that first one.
She feltmellow, relaxed and, for the first time since her adolescent seasons, free. She was free to enjoy herself, free to have a good time and yes, okay, free to have a couple drinks. Oh, all right three.
Thoughts of Alderaan had crept in as they always did. But tonight shed pushed those memories to the back of her mind. Han was right. There was no reason to feel guilty. He and Luke had both stressed that to her over and over. Usually, she found she couldnt help it. The feelings of guilt she had even used as a tool to feed her dedication to the Alliance when she felt her energy giving out.
Scanning the crowd again, she tried to be discreet. She wanted to know where Han was, but didnt want him to know that she wanted to know. He had enough ego already.
Over the course of the evening she had laughed and talked and danced. He had been right by her ever since the celebration had started, but had gone with Chewie to check on something a half hour ago.
There! There he was talking to Luke, Wedge and Lando. Pilot talk most likely, she thought, shaking her head. Would he start to look for her? Would he come over? She could go over to him and put her arm around him.
No, she couldnt. She wanted to feel like she was confident enough to do that, but she wasnt. She should be though, she argued with herself. Han loved her. She knew that. She also knew he wanted to be with her. Hed shown that blatantly to everyone most of the night by not leaving her side.
But she was certainly no clinging vine. She had people to talk to. One of the other pilots had been trying to get her attention all evening. Well, Leia hadnt noticed that but Han had commented on it earlier.
She no sooner thought of him than the B-Wing pilot appeared by her side again. Hed been drinking too, she realized.
Princess! Ive been looking for an opportunity to speak with you. He moved closer to her side. Draft was heavy on his breath. Can I get you a drink?
Firmly, she answered. No, thank you.
Not taking the hint, he started immediately on an extended dissertation of his experiences in the last battle. The last three battles in fact.
Another ego, Leia thought to herself. She found the effort to look interested in his bragging was too much. Tuning B-Wing out she thought of how Han irritated her. Often. But even given the colossal size of Hans ego at times, she had never had the desire to tune him out. Shed been irritated as hell, but, well, it was just Han. She wondered at the difference in her feelings between the drunk pilot standing beside her now, prattling on about nothing, and Han who could truly be brash when he wanted.
She tried to consider the most diplomatic way of breaking away from the B-Wing Braggart when she felt an arm on her shoulder. She knew it was him. She didnt have to look. No other presence made her feel this way.
Hans voice broke into the middle of the pilots dialogue.
Got somewhere else you need to be?
B-Wing stopped in mid-sentence. Huh? No sir, I dont have anywhere else to be.
Hans voice was firm. Yeah. Id say you do.
Oh. Uhokay. Yes, sir. Uhexcuse me, uhPrincess. Not about to argue with the General, B-Wing quickly retreated.
Turning to Han, Leias face displayed no emotion. Inside she felt exhilarated. It was ridiculous, she told herself, to react this way, but she couldnt help it. He had looked for her. He had come over. She was not going to let him know how excited that made her feel. No reason to make this easy for him.
You didnt have to be rude.
With a cocky expression on his face, Han took hold of her other arm and pulled her closer to him where only she could hear him.
You like me rude.
She had to smile, though she fought it. It was true. She did like it when he was rude. Maybe because she would never let herself go enough to be rudeexcept with Han himself.
He looked into her face and the cocky expression fell away. His face grew serious. She knew what he was looking for in her eyes. She couldnt form the words, but he read her answer. No words were necessary.
His hand trailed down her arm and clasped her hand. Turning towards the exit, he led her along with him.
Han and Leia went out onto the bridge walkway. Out in the night, the light was much dimmer. Scattered torches lit the way from bridge to bridge until they reached the lift-like contraption the Ewoks used.
The height of the lift was designed for Ewoks, so Han and Leia sat down with their legs dangling out while Han maneuvered the ropes to lower the lift.
The breeze picked up during their descent and Leia breathed in the clean, fresh smell of the pines. Han looked up and watched the star-filled sky as they descended down below the trees. With no civilization and no manufactured lights filling the sky, now that the fireworks were over, the Endor sky was almost black with millions of stars and planets blinking down at them.
Halfway down, the lift jerked to a stop. Startled, Leia turned and looked at Han to find out what was wrong. She realized immediately from his grin that he had stopped the lift deliberately.
Her heart raced. His eyes were bright, never moving from hers. Slowly, he moved closer to her, his mouth lowering to hers.
At first, his mouth was gentle against hers, almost as if he were testing for her reaction. At her response, he deepened the kiss, his hand coming up to cup the side of her face.
For Leia time appeared to stop. There was nothing else but Hans mouth over hers, her racing heartbeat, and the sensations of the breeze in her hair and about her legs wafting up under the slit in the skirt of her dress, mingled with the scent of the pines.
The lift rocked slightly as Han shifted to get closer still. Her mouth opened to his and Leia felt a rush of excitement so overwhelming her breath caught.
She had dreamed of this; of a time alone with Han where no one else could exist. His mouth possessed hers and she did not want it to end.
For Han it was incredible that he was here with her and that she was so responsive to him. She was lovely always, but there was a softer, sweeter core that she didnt show to just everyone. He knew she felt vulnerable but reveled in the fact that she trusted him. He would make sure she always felt safe with him.
Slowly, they drew apart but Leia could not look away from Hans eyes. She saw what he was asking in his gaze, but she suddenly feltshe was unsure of herself. She wanted him. She wanted him inside her which had shocked her in the past, frightened her in fact, but didnt now. She was not afraid of allowing Han inside her body, her life or her heart, but she was inexperienced. She knew what she had dreamed of doing with him, but what if?
Recognizing the self doubt in Leias expression, Han brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers, turned her hand over, pried open her fingers, and kissed her palm.
When he went to draw away, she reached up and caressed his lips. She wanted him to know for certain that the doubt was of herself.
Han reached over and worked the ropes again, lowering the lift the rest of the way. A few feet from the ground, he hopped down, turned and lifted her from the waist out of the lift and down to the ground.
Taking her hand in his, he led the way silently through the boughs.
When they reached the Falcon, their bodies were silhouetted against the low landing lights on the bottom of the ship. Han turned to her, taking both her hands in his.
His voice was rough. Leia?
She smiled. She couldnt help it. She had known him so long and so well. She would spend tonight and the rest of her nights with him, she already knew that. But he had only voiced her name a very few times in her hearing. She loved the sound of her name in his voice.
Reaching up on her toes, she put her hand behind his neck and pulled his head down to hers.
The wind was much stronger now. The centuries-old trees about them creaked and groaned as the wind flowed through them.
Anyone standing under those trees that night would see the hatch to an old Corellian freighter open, the inside lights casting a glow on a man and woman as they drew apart, the man putting his arm about her shoulders and guiding her into the ship. Darkness fell again as the hatch door closed behind them.
After a minute or two, the heavy thrung of the freighters engines revved up, and in the cockpit, lit only by the lighted instrumentation, the man and woman sat beside each other as the freighters thrusters lifted the ship from the ground.
Slowly, the Falcon turned around before lifting up and flying out into the night sky.
Back in the Ewok village, standing on the bridge walkway, Chewbacca roared up at the disappearing Falcon, just visible beyond the trees. Luke Skywalker, now standing next to the Wookiee, reached up and fluffed his fur.
Dont worry, Chewie. Han asked me to take you back.
Chewbacca gave a muffled response, his growl lower with emotion.
Luke sighed and released his breath, feeling free and relaxed. The scent of pine wafted around him. He answered Chewie with a half smile.
I know he is, Chewie. So is she.
Hovering alone over the other side of the moon of Endor, the Falcon maintained its altitude.
Inside, Han Solo stood in the doorway to the cockpit. His tunic was undone and his jacket had been thrownsomewhere. Leia stood in his arms, his hands bunched in her hair.
Lowering one hand, he pulled up the slit of her skirt, and pressed her into his hips. Leias eyes went wide. She felt as if she were melting and leaned into him. Hans hands went around to cup her backside and lift her up and closer to him.
His fingers unfastened the ties at the bodice of her dress and she gasped as he touched her with his hands and then his mouth.
Finally, he lifted her legs and wrapped them around his hips and carried her in that position down the Falcons corridor to his bunk where he lay her down slowly and carefully.
Leia couldnt believe her feelings and this moment were real. She felt as if she were dreaming and would awaken at any moment to find herself alone and empty. Could she really feel like this?
His hands moved lower and her breath caught. Apparently so, she thought before she let sensation and emotion take over completely.
Later, he was alarmed when there was pain, and she couldnt deny there was. But she didnt want him to stop, either. She didnt know entirely what was at the end of this journey, but she desperately wanted to find out. And she only wanted to find out with him.
He taught her intimacy was both reverent and fun. She didnt feel right smiling, but he tried to make her smile and laugh. She didnt want to cry afterward, but he wiped her tears and held her. Why did she cry? Shed feltso close to him, so far from herself, it had frightened and fascinated her at the same time.
To distract her he talked of sports game on the holonet, Chewies disastrous attempts at cooking, anything to stop her tears.
She laughed, talked some, grew tired and finally fell asleep lying next to Han with her leg on his hip and his arm over her breast.
Long into the night, Han watched her sleep. He went over all his encounters with Leia, trying to reconcile with himself that she was really there, lying in his bunk with him. And that she loved him despite himself.
Finally growing sleepy, Han leant over and kissed her forehead gently. Even in sleep his arm stayed around her, warm and secure.
END
FORCE THIS!
http://www.geocities.com/galaxygirls_fanfic_gallery/home_page.html
