Please see first chapter for disclaimer and other infro
A/N: Well, I knew this time would eventually come. I humbly present to you the final chapter. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to Toni, my long-time beta reader. Without her, this story would not exist. I would also like to thank KD Skywalker for being my Star Wars spring-board and above all, my friend. And lastly, I would especially like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story, especially the ones who have stuck with this for the two-year period in which it was written. Thank you for your patience, and I hope it was worth the wait.
Ch 17: Epilogue- The Wedding of the Century
Anakin adjusted his Jedi tunic. He looked at himself in the mirror and admired the stunning looking man in the mirror. Even though he had as daughter old enough to be a wife and politician, he still felt young at heart and even looked like the handsome Jedi he once was.
Tucking a few stray blonde strands behind his ear, he took a deep breath. Today was the day. The weekend had begun as a tribute dinner to his daughter for solving a trade dispute. The weekend would now end as the sun set on the mountains of Alderaan with a full-scale wedding. Convenience of most of the dignitaries already being planet-side helped the women of the Skywalker family plan the wedding of the century in less than twenty-four hours. The obligatory Holo-reporters had been invited as not to cause an uproar back on Coruscant. Many Senators including Mon Mothma had just arrived for the ceremony to begin. Prominent Jedi, including Mace Windu and even Yoda had turned up to the wedding, on Obi-Wan's request. Anakin couldn't deny the brilliance of the idea.
The very same suspicious looking Holy Man who had married Anakin and Padmé had somehow been called in, most likely by the pull of the office of the Chancellor. In short, the event would go perfectly. He hoped.
He made his way from his quarters down to where Han, Luke and Chewbacca were. He didn't bother knocking on the door and he stormed in, facing the trio. Luke turned towards Anakin with a panicked look on his face. "Dad, please talk some sense into Han. He is getting cold feet!"
Cold feet? On his wedding day? Was the guy a walking cliché?
"Han?" Anakin said forcefully. A little too forcefully perhaps. This was no time for semantics, there was a wedding and the groom was expected to be there.
"Paps...I don't think I can do this," Han said, fear etching his scoundrel features. Avoiding the urge to somehow remove his arms from his sockets, Anakin opted for the more serene Jedi way.
"Han, think about this. The whole galaxy, not to mention Leia is waiting for a groom to appear and a wedding to happen. It would be...unwise of you to abandon them, abandon her at this time," he said as calmly as possible.
And if you don't, I will not be very happy. In fact, I may have to use my lightsaber.
"Besides Han...you are already married."
With the realisation that he was being entirely ridiculous, Han visibly calmed. Anakin smiled to himself. Another crisis successfully averted.
--
"Do you Leia Skywalker-Organa take Han Solo to be your husband, in all legal rights according to the Republic?" droned the Holy Man, oblivious to the thousands of people and holocameras in the grand ballroom of the Alderaan Royal Palace.
"I Leia Skywalker-Organa, take Han Solo to be my husband," she replied, her beating heart betraying her calm Senatorial exterior. Anakin could feel her nervousness through the Force. He could also feel the love emanating from the two as they exchanged their vows. He was truly happy for them both. He spied his wife standing beside Leia, her eyes threatening to tear up in front of the Holo-cameras. Luke stood next to him and Anakin felt his brotherly pride building up. He stepped forward and Leia picked up the ring that sat in his hand and placed it onto Han's finger.
"Do you Han Solo, take Leia Skywalker-Organa to be your wife, in all legal rights according to the Republic?"
"Yes, yes I do," Han hurriedly replied forgetting all semblance of nobility. Leia coughed and Han remembered his place, waving off his slip-up. "Yes I Han Solo, take Leia Skywalker-Organa to be my wife."
"Does anyone here object to this union on personal grounds?" asked the Holy Man.
Suddenly Anakin felt all eyes on him. Raising his eyebrow he did a quick scan of the room and confirmed that yes, everybody was looking at him. He wanted to say a smart remark but the death glare currently being delivered by Padmé forced him to keep his mouth shut.
"No? Very well then. It is done. I present to the Republic, Mr. and Senator Solo."
The entire room erupted in applause and Leia and Han kissed. Anakin hugged his daughter and shook his son-in-law's hand in front of the Holo-cameras. "Congratulations," he said as Leia planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you, Daddy," Leia whispered.
"Yeah Paps. Couldn't have done it without you!" Han said, eyeing off his new father-in-law, expecting him to decapitate him somehow. Anakin let out a laugh.
"You just concentrate on keeping my daughter happy and there will be no cause for me to decapitate you. But be warned, my lightsaber will be ready at a moment's notice."
Han laughed but Anakin could feel that he still feared him.
Good.
--
The reception was in full swing. The liquor was flowing, people of all species and background were talking and politics had been left outside. Han was currently dancing with Padmé and Leia was dancing with Bail.
Anakin passed Obi-Wan, at the bar, where else, and simply nodded to him. He spied Luke in the corner and went to talk to his son. While the debacle with Leia had happened, Anakin felt guilty for ignoring his son this weekend. It wasn't every day Luke was away from Jedi business much like himself so he should have paid more attention to him.
"Luke!" Anakin called out. But instead of just finding Luke in the corner, Anakin came across his son linking arms with a stunning redhead. Dressed in a figure-hugging green dress, her eyes sparkled as they turned around to face Anakin.
"Dad," Luke greeted him warmly. "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Mara Jade."
Oh boy.
A/N 2: Do I smell a sequel? g