A LETTER FOR LEIA
(From THE FORCE AWAKENS)
Twilight was falling on the now quiet Takodana battlefield. Scattered rubble smoldered
on the ground and the acrid smell of spent weaponry still fogged the air.
Leia Organa-Solo sat motionless on a large boulder, staring into the distance; she'd experienced both loss and victory today. Wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't hear the crunch of approaching footsteps and jumped slightly when the soldier spoke quietly. "General Organa-Solo."
Leia turned slowly. "Yes?"
The young Rebel held out a creased envelope to her. She gave a tired, wry smile and reached for it. "New directives already?"
"No, ma'am." He answered.
Giving the soldier a quizzical look, her mouth dropped when he said…"It's from your husband.
He asked me to give it to you if anything happened to him."
She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she tried to speak. "Th….thank you."
The Rebel gave a quick salute and his retreating steps echoed as Leia stared down at the envelope in her hand.
Slitting it open with a fingernail and unfolding the paper, emotion clutched her heart and tears welled in her eyes when she saw Han's familiar handwriting on the page.
'Leia, you may have already sensed I'm no longer alive
before you get this. You know I won't be coming back.
I came back to you time and time again - even after all
our years together I was always anxious to get back to
you. Not for just our intimate times, but I loved the
banter between us. Why do you think I enjoyed getting
you so riled? I liked to see that fire in you come to life.
That fire and determination will sustain you now. Keep
going, fighting for what you believe in - your efforts will
bring freedom and a better life for many. I wish you a better
life than I gave you. Your love was the best thing that
ever happened to me. The second best was when you
presented me with our son. You'll be the one to reach
him now, Leia. The Ben we knew, the Ben we raised is
not the same Ben, but he is still a part of both of us.
I love you Leia - remember me when you see the
stars in the sky. Han
She took a deep, cleansing breath; and in the darkness surrounding her, tightly
clasped the letter lovingly to her heart. Raising her head to the night sky, blinking away
the moisture that filled her eyes, she gazed at the star filled canopy of space.
They did seem to shine brighter than they had before.