Star Wars - Leia, Jacen, Gadell (OC) - "Gloveless"

[driftinginnines]

Title: Gloveless
Fandom: Star Wars: Expanded Universe, Legacy of the Force era
Characters: Gadell Vessau (OC), Leia Organa Solo, Jacen Solo, Tenel Ka, Allana
Word Count: 2168
Date Finished: March 5, 2007
Author's Notes: This was written for a challenge on a message board -- the name of the challenge was Hey, I know you! and the requirements were:

1.) It had to be first person
2.) From an original character's point of view
3.) Include the word humbled and the phrase "your mom"

Gloveless

I emerged from the Queen Mother's quarters into the waiting area of the salon and I was absolutely shocked to see a woman there. Was it that late already? Was it time for the Queen Mother's next appointment? I recognized her immediately, as I had met her a few times before, and tried to look as nonchalant as possible as I sauntered my way over to the seating area.

"Good afternoon," I said hesitantly, delivering a small bow. My muscles had tensed up right away at the sight of her -- I mean, this was Leia Organa Solo. And if this regal woman, this Mrs. Leia Organa Solo, had any idea what was going on in the room I had just exited from -- who knows what kind of fresh hell would break loose.

She stood, nodding to me and reached out to shake my hand. I took both of hers in mine and shook them gently, placing a small kiss on the back of one. I couldn't help it. She smiled softly, seating herself back on the plush sofa I had found her on and I took a seat across from her in an over sized chair.

"How is the Queen Mother?" She asked.

"Oh, she's doing alright. She's been very busy today. Meetings all day."

"Am I the last?"

"Unfortunately, no." I shook my head, placing my hands in my lap. "I believe she has another one or two after you." I had peered down to the ground, the news I relayed serving to depress myself in the process. More meetings meant more time cooped up in the salon, wrangling angry politicians and rambling civilians who wanted an audience with the Queen Mother. I tried to brighten my expression though, perking up a bit. "Can I get you something to drink? Some caf, maybe?"

"Yes, please. That sounds good."

I got up and wandered to the kitchen area. I was praying that her super-Jedi senses couldn't detect my heart, that kriffing thing was racing at a horribly quick pace. While I was fixing her a cup of caf, she inquired about something that made my heart stop and my throat close up.

"What about Allana? Is she doing alright?"

I pasted the biggest grin on my face and spun around, carrying the beverage over to her. Once I handed it to her, I figured I'd had enough time to compose some sort of answer and I sat back down in the chair across from her. "She's doing very well. Tenel Ka has been teaching her a few things about the Force here and there. It's very interesting to watch how she picks up on all of it."

I always saw Leia Organa Solo as this prim and proper woman; someone who never took any shavit from anyone. My opinion of her was instantly humbled as she leaned forward and spoke, setting her already half-empty mug of caf down on the low table. "You've seen Allana, right, Mr. Vessau?"

She always seemed like some sort of untouchable politician, always thinking and working through situations, always on the mark, always working, never any time for anything else. And here she was, curious about Allana.

"I have." I nodded, suddenly wary of what I could say and what I couldn't. "And you can call me Gadell."

"Alright, Gadell." She took her caf back up into her hands, her eyes narrowing as if she was going through choices of what she thought she could ask me. "What does she look like?"

"She looks like her mother." I answered before a heartbeat passed. It was the most obvious answer, and the safest.

This sly little grin crossed Leia's face at that point, and not that she looked any kind of old to begin with, but that smile made her look like a teenager again. Like she did in all those holos you'd always see from the Rebel Alliance days. "Really?"

I nodded, that cheesy smile still plastered on my face. What was I supposed to say? Sure, she looked a lot like Tenel Ka -- but what do I say after that? Oh yeah, Leia, you would not believe! She has your son's little lopsided grin too! I mean-- I have no idea why she does cause they aren't related at all! But yeah!

"I know this is going to sound very straightforward and probably even rude," she started. I already knew what was coming next. "But has she told you who the father is?"

"Oh, come on now, Mrs. Solo." My smile grew a little relaxed after that. This woman sure had a charming way with people. It was no wonder she was one of the popular and influential political figures ever. "You know I can't--" I stopped as I heard the door slide open behind me. I shifted, saw who was standing in the door frame and took a few moments to stare at the ground before I dared to look back at Leia.

Her eyes had widened at the sight of who exited. It was a tall man, easily taller than Leia, dressed in a simple black Galactic Alliance Guard uniform -- minus the gloves. He usually kept those on at all times, and I mean all times. You would see him on the holonews, or at a military function -- or even in a busy shop in the middle of the capital on any given planet. Always wearing the gloves. I have seen him without them -- and only during two instances. One, when he's playing with Allana; hide-and-seek, hoth tag, reading to her, tucking her in to sleep at night. And two, when he's with Tenel Ka -- alone. He would eat dinner with her, walk with her through the gardens... Force, if I had a credit for every time I had seen those gloves left in the salon when the two were locked alone in her quarters. That always got a smirk from me. But it was always nice to see her in his company though, she softened up a bit. Whenever he's absent she plays this almost mopey thing -- yeah, emotionless my backside.

Here he was now though, gloveless, tan hands on either side of the doorframe.

"Mom..." Jacen Solo froze in the entrance way and I felt my heart drop for the dear boy. A secret he had tried so hard to conceal was on the verge of being discovered by his own mother. Oh, I remember thinking to myself that Mrs. Solo knowing was probably a lot easier and better to deal with than someone else finding out -- especially another Hapan.

Leia's eyes went from her son's to mine and I couldn't look away. He and I just stood there staring at her, waiting for anything to break the silence.

"Jaaaaaaaaacen!"

There is was, that was it. Allana's voice was usually so welcoming and alarmingly cute, but now it was sort of like a death knell for her father.

She grabbed the back of his legs and peeked around them, her gaze shifting excitedly from me to Leia. Allana didn't even know Jacen was her father, but I could tell that Leia realized it in a heartbeat -- especially once her eyes landed on the little kid.

"Jacen..." Her wise features fell gracefully and I could see her eyes tearing up. I couldn't tell if she was moved, disappointed, shocked, depressed, excited -- or maybe even a mixture of all of the above. I wasn't that trained in the Force yet, and I was never good at just telling people's emotions by their expression. All I could do was stare to Jacen, hoping he had some brilliant idea here to fix everything.

Of course, that was when Tenel Ka decided to show herself in the doorway behind him. She recognized what was going on instantly, and I could tell her heart had climbed into her throat. Now her, that woman, for some Force-awful reason I could read her like a holonovel. I'm not sure why. But everyone had always claimed she was so emotionless and expressionless -- and I could never see it. I knew exactly what she was feeling since the moment I met her.

The Queen Mother shot daggers at me and dragged them over to Leia, shock pasted all over her face. She knew it wasn't my fault for this whole mix-up. Her and Jacen had lost time with the brat and had no idea how late it was, I'm sure. She told me once that having a child does stuff like that to you. Makes you forget everything else; she said it was a wonderful feeling -- I don't see how something like this whole ordeal was wonderful. So I need to remind myself to tell her to remind me never to have a child.

"She doesn't know." Jacen shook his head, relaying these words to his mother. He spoke of Allana and how she knew Jacen as something other than her father, one of his hands now reaching down and resting absently at the back of the child's head.

"Who dunno what, Jacen?" Allana tugged at his pants, her eyes still locked on Leia.

Jacen gently pulled away from his daughter and moved towards his mother, his hands suddenly cupping her cheeks. I could tell by the way she almost recoiled and quickly moved her fingers over his -- she hadn't seen those hands in years. The hands she held while crossing streets, the hands she helped wash when little Jacen would bring back some dirty animal from somewhere. He had the blood of hundreds, possibly thousands, on those hands, no doubt, and watching her pull them away from her face and stare down at them... if she didn't know Allana was his daughter already, she knew now -- because he never took those gloves off for anything.

The two of them had been through so much, and I know Tenel Ka was feeling the same way I was -- we felt like intruders on this moment. And Allana just looked damn well confused. They pulled each other into a hug, Jacen almost picking his mother up off the ground, and Tenel Ka held Allana back from going to investigate the situation. All I could do was stare.

Once Leia let go of him and peered into his eyes for a few moments, she moved away from him and straight over to Tenel Ka, quickly wrapping her in an embrace. I could hear what she whispered in the Queen Mother's ear. "She's beautiful."

Jacen and I looked at each other and I could see the relief scrawled all over his stubbly face.

The women exchanged a few words in hushed tones that I couldn't make out, although, Tenel Ka did get a genuine smile slapped on her face at one point, which calmed me slightly.

"Shall we get this meeting over with?" Leia had a gentle grin on her face and motioned to the side door, into the Queen Mother's office.

"That would be wonderful." Tenel Ka responded, her eyes shifting from Leia to the politician's son, "Can you and Gadell watch her while we discuss--"

"Of course." Jacen cut her off, clasping his bare hands together and nodded quickly. His gaze followed the women as they moved into the office and shut the door behind them.

A sharp exhale escaped Jacen's lips as he finally turned to me. His fingers had moved to the back of the sofa, where they dug into the upholstery -- and his eyes had gotten wide. "I can't believe of all the people to have an appointment with her now, it had to be--"

"Your mom."

"Yessssss." He dragged the word out for a few moments, still in a state of disbelief. Finally he turned to his daughter, who was standing defiantly by the entrance to the Queen Mother's chambers, her tiny hands on her hips.

"What was that about, Jasa?"

"Nothing, Allana." He crouched down and held his arms out. "Why don't you come here and play with Uncle Gadell and Jedi Jacen."

"Can I put makeup on you guys?!"

That was it. There was no way that was happening. Jacen and I responded at the same time. "No."

She meandered over to her father and climbed into his arms, his hands keeping a firm grip on her so she wouldn't fall. I couldn't help but smile. I was surprised to see Leia there earlier, even though she had been scheduled to have a meeting with the Queen Mother -- but I was sort of glad everything turned out the way it did. I know that was something that was weighing heavily on both Tenel Ka and Jacen, and I know Mrs. Solo is definitely a trustworthy person. She was someone who would keep their secret and help them if they needed it.

Although, I'll have to remember to yell at Jacen about that later. If he had an appointment to see the Queen Mother, like everyone else is supposed to, then this wouldn't have happened.