With Kalder back in the field, Naluma took the reigns of the Jedi Academy once more. Luke stayed for a few weeks until an overwhelming compulsion from the Force led him to Naboo.

"Come with me, Luma," he said with his arms wrapped around her from behind early one morning in spring on Khalkha. The birds chirped outside their open window while a fire crackled in the massive fireplace. He nuzzled her neck and ran his fingers down her bare arm.

She turned over and locked her gaze with his. "I'd love to, but I just got back in the saddle here, Luke. I can't leave right now. The Padawan need me. Plus, we've got that new one Kallay is bringing—super young. You know she will need some extra care the first few months."

"All right, but I'll call every night." Worry stained his eyes.

Nodding, she ran her fingers through his hair. "Thank you." For understanding ... for caring. The thoughts slipped through her brain into his and they enjoyed their Force-bond, the purple and blue tendrils intertwining between them. She traced her fingers over his bare chest, his pecks firming at her touch and eliciting a gasp.

When Luke arrived in the Lake Country, three-year-old Breha took to her Uncle Luke like a Gungan to water. Lor San Tekka and Leia looked on as the little girl spoke in her special language to her uncle. She squealed with joy when he tossed her in the air above him only to be caught by his secure hands.

The strong lake breeze buffeted the party standing on a hillock near Luke's X-wing. R2-D2 beeped a string of curses as he lowered himself from his socket.

Luke ignored him. He grabbed Breha into a bear hug, rubbing her nose and then burrowing into her neck, applying a shield of protection around his niece to keep hidden the Force abilities growing within her even now.

However, when Breha saw R2, she jumped down and ran to the small droid. She stopped in front of him and stared in wonder.

As the droid swiveled his blue dome, he angled his camera lens down. R2 stood still when the one-meter-tall girl ran her fingers across the chrome and blue head, tracing the grooves of each part. 

Breha pulled her fingers back from droid and tilted her head.

R2 beeped a question.

Without warning, Breha flung her arms around the droid and kissed him on the side of his dome.

R2-D2 sighed. The little droid's projector fired up, a blue butterfly flittering around Breha's head and touching her nose. But when she tried to catch the butterfly, the image dissipated.

Luke looked at his sister shivering in her light cloak and smiled. Leia smiled back with a light nod.

When a gust of wind whipped through the field, Lor San Tekka said, "Master Skywalker, perhaps we should go inside."

The Jedi Master scooped up Breha and carried her under his arm while tickling her. He beamed as she giggled.

C-3PO met them at the door of the small cottage Leia was renting on the shores of Lake Varykino. "Oh, Master Luke, how good it is to see you."

"You, too, Threepio."

R2 beeped a few strings of Astromech at the golden protocol droid.

"I can see it's you, Artoo. Now don't you track mud onto my polished floors, you malfunctioning rust-bucket."

"Hey, Treepio, don't you talky to my friend like dat," Breha said as she climbed down from Luke's arms.

Leia said, "Threepio, why don't you get us some refreshments?"

She turned to her daughter. "Breha, would you like to show Artoo your toys?"

Breha looked up with her big brown eyes, first to her mother and then to the astro droid. "Can I?"

Leia nodded. "I think he'd like it."

R2 beeped his approval.

Breha turned. "Come on, Artoo."

As Breha and the droid rolled down the hall, Leia led Luke to the sitting room. Leia asked, "I get the feeling this isn't just a family visit."

Luke shook his head.

"What's wrong with Ben?"

Luke leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees. "He's at risk, Leia. We had an incident. Breha's not safe, either."

"What's going on?" Leia stood.

"Sit down. She's under my protection now. I'm shielding her."

Leia sat down, but remained stiff as a droid.

"Leia, the dark side is moving. It's searching for a scion of Anakin Skywalker to control. It was influencing Ben—"

"How do you know?"

Luke bit his lip. "It used Ben to attack Naluma."

"Luke, not Ben. He's not like that. I want to see him."

"You can't. You must protect Breha. You must lead her into the light, Leia." Luke turned to the cleric of the Force. "Lor San Tekka, I will need your help, too."

"Master Skywalker, you know I cannot use the Force. I can only feel it."

"That is enough. I need you to guard Breha. Just observe. If you detect any darkness within her or around her, contact me or Naluma immediately."

Leia said, "What can I do?"

"Train."

"I'm too old to start the training again, Luke."

"Nonsense. Age has no meaning. It matters not. The power is within the Force, not within this crude matter." Luke pointed to his chest.

The sitting room echoed in silence for a long moment.

Breha's voice from the hallway jarred them out of their thoughts. "Artoo, you take the princess doll, and I'll be the bad monster. Fight me off. Rowrrr!"

Tears sprang to Leia's eyes. "When do we begin?"

Three days later, Leia's training had progressed more easily than Luke had expected.

He stood behind her on the lakeshore. "Breathe."

Leia, dressed in dark leggings and a light poncho, stared out across the lake. She inhaled and then exhaled.

"Just breathe." Luke stepped closer to his sister. "Now reach out. What do you see?"

"Nothing."

"Your eyes will deceive you. Don't trust them."

Leia closed her eyes and reached out with the Force. "Light, great swelling light."

"What else?"

"Edges of darkness."

"Where?"

Leia gasped. "Beyond the hill. Down the slope."

"Extend your shield of light. Push back the darkness and hold a defense against it."

She pulled in her breath, pushing her diaphragm into her abdomen. She exhaled at a slow, steady rate, sending the light to fill the gaps.

"Stronger."

It grew even larger.

"It feels your presence now. Stronger still."

Leia wavered as something blasted against her shield. Luke joined his hands with hers and pushed back.

Leia asked, "What was that?"

"Darkness. It cannot abide the light." Luke looked across at the setting sun. "Enough for today."

The secured communicator interrupted dinner that night. Leia hurried to the receiver as the rest of them silenced every sound.

Breha whispered to R2. Leia glared at her. Luke tapped her on the arm and put his finger to his mouth. The girl clutched her mouth.

"Hello?" Leia greeted. After a few seconds, she smiled. "Yes, he's here. Good to hear from you, Naluma."

Leia handed the communicator to Luke. A dreamy smile crossed his face. "Naluma." He nodded.

"No, you did the right thing. Hold him to it. He's exploiting the situation. I'll be back in a few more days. Need to research something in Theed ... yeah, I want to check in on Sabé and Cordé, too ...  I will ...  Love you more."

Leia asked, "What's up?"

"Ben."

She leaned forward. "Is he safe?"

"Yeah. Just pulling some pranks on Naluma. Not the first time. Won't be the last."

Lor San Tekka looked from Leia to Luke, his discomfort palpable to everyone. "I think Breha and I will take a little walk. If you'll excuse us."

Leia nodded. Once the group was out of the cottage, she asked, "Give him time, Luke. It's a stage. He's wanting a father in his life right now. If only Han would step in and father him."

"Han comes by frequently. But he doesn't understand Ben. I don't even know if I understand Ben—but he and Han are on opposite ends of the spectrum."

She asked, "Han?"

"Yeah, he still runs shipments for us. Sees Ben at least once a month, sometimes more. By the way, I almost forgot. He sent you some credits. They're on my X-wing."

"He doesn't suspect anything about Breha, does he?"

"No, and he never will. Trust me on that, Leia. The only people who know about Breha are you, me, and Lor San Tekka—and Naluma," Luke assured. "And wherever you delivered her."

"Polis Massa—complete confidentiality. That reminds me, Luke, did you know that we were born there?"

"No."

"They gave me this holoimage of our mother—" Leia crossed to the fireplace and pulled a hologram from the mantelpiece.

"Padmé ..." Luke mumbled as he took the image from Leia.

"How did you know her name?"

"Father mentioned it."

"What else did he tell you? Did he mention anything about Ben?" Leia asked with urgency.

"Nothing about Ben." Luke's voice wavered in vagueness.

Luke held the image up to Leia and realized how the resemblance carried through to his sister. While he viewed the holo, Lor San Tekka and Breha stepped through the front door. Breha's resemblance to her grandmother was uncanny.

Breha listened intently to R2 spout off something in Astromech before answering. Over the last few days, she had learned the little droid's language better than Luke.

As Luke recognized Breha's sunshine yellow Force-signature, his face transitioned from one of recognition to one of disturbance.

"Luke, what is it?" Leia asked.

"It's Breha."

"What about her?" Leia asked. "What have you seen?"

"I can't tell you, Leia."

"Luke, is something going to happen to her? Please, I must know," Leia pleaded, clutching his arm.

"Leia, I've seen her in my future, that's all. It was a fleeting Force-dream, and she looked fine. Relax."

"How far in the future?" she probed.

"Maybe fifteen or twenty years. She will be a strong, beautiful woman, and strong with the Force."

Leia breathed a sigh of relief.

Luke looked at Breha, figuring out the timing of the dream.

Leia spoke, "Don't worry too much about, Ben. I'm sure he'll grow out of this phase soon. You just be the father he needs and not the Jedi Master."

Luke said with a grimace. "It's not that easy, Leia. He seems to prefer the darkness. I don't know if I can ... If the worst does happen and there is no turning back, I will send an emergency message to take Breha and leave as soon as possible."

Lor San Tekka said, "Don't you worry, Master Skywalker. I will take care of them when the time comes."

"Thank you, San Tekka. Your words give me peace."

Leia looked up at Luke as she bit her lip. Luke wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

Did you know . . .

● The characters ran away with the beginning of this story when I started editing. I had no idea Leia was going to be trained further.

● The training sequence was inspired by The Last Jedi trailer. :-) I wish the movie was as promising as the trailer. :-(

Tell me what you think . . .

● What Easter Egg lines are in this scene?

● Do you think Leia will be able to keep the darkness at bay?