The Will of the Force

Chapter 8: Training

Before Leia even entered the room, Padme felt her daughter's excited force presence racing towards her. Sure enough five minutes later the eight-year-old burst into the room, interrupting her meditation with a torrent of enthusiastic speech. 'Mum! Gueswhatdadsaidwecouldstartour forcetrainingtodayheandLukearealreadywaitingforuscomeon!'

'Whoa, slow down Leia. Take a breath I can't understand you when you talk so fast,' Padme said, standing up and surveying the bundle of energy with a twinkle in her eye.

The girl did as instructed and began again. 'Dad said Luke and I could start our training today! They're waiting for us outside. Come on!' she tore out of the room just as quickly as she entered. Shaking her head with a smile Padme followed her. Of course Anakin would decide to begin the twins' training when the rebellion was preparing for the final battle with the Emperor the next day.

Are you sure this is wise Ani?

Yes. They've been bugging me about it for weeks and, his tone became more somber, if something happens to us tomorrow I want them to have at least some basic instruction.

Padme couldn't argue with that.

When she reached the others Luke and Leia were bouncing about, eager to start.

'I think the first lesson to learn is patience,' Padme said. It was met with horror.

'NOOO! Teach us to levitate stuff or use lightsabers!' Luke pleaded.

Anakin laughed 'Patience is an important characteristic in a Jedi, one that I lacked during my youth. It... cost me greatly.' His tone was far away as he said those last words and Padme knew he was remembering Mustafar. He shook himself out of the stupor and continued, his voice lighter 'Anyway, today we're going to start with learning to recognize the force flowing through you.'

When the twins rolled their eyes, clearly wishing for something more exciting, Padme added, 'Without first pinpointing the force within you, it's impossible to learn and master any of the other abilities and techniques.' That quelled their complaints and they, albeit reluctantly, sat crossed-legged on the ground awaiting their first lesson. Padme and Anakin did likewise, situating themselves so they were directly in front of the twins. Anakin indicated for Padme to begin.

'Close your eyes and clear your mind.' Once the twins had done so, she continued. 'What do you sense?'

Leia replied first. 'A tension.' Luke nodded in agreement.

'That's the force inside of you. Now reach out through that tension. Do you sense anything different?

This time it was Luke who answered before his sister. 'Destruction, harmony...' he trailed off as he concentrated, then resumed. 'Life, death.'

Padme looked at Anakin, who nodded and asked a final question. 'In between all of that?'

The twins replied in unison. 'Balance.'

'Very good,' he said as the twins opened their eyes.

'In time, you will learn to control this tension, and when you do, you can perform impossible feats. Like this,' Padme raised her right hand and flowers exploded all around the patch of grass they were sitting on. Leia's mouth gaped, but Luke looked unimpressed.

'That's girly.'

'Well, how about this?' Anakin raised his left hand and flowers began to swirl in the air, arranging themselves in a replica of a TIE Fighter, Luke's favourite model.

'That's not so bad,' he grudgingly conceded, eyes sparkling at the sight of the ship.

Padme and Anakin spent the rest of the day beginning to teach Luke and Leia basic levitation and trying not to dwell on the battle ahead. They soon discovered the task was hazardous when Leia, in her exhilaration at having been able to lift a boulder before her brother, lost concentration and Anakin almost ended up with a 'pancake foot' as Luke called it.

Dusk was setting when Padme decided to call it a day. She countered the twins' protests with a firm 'Tomorrow is a very important day. Your father and I need to be at our best, the fate of the galaxy, and the future of the Jedi, is at stake.' Just as Padme hadn't argued with Anakin earlier, Luke and Luke knew that what their mother said was true and returned to their quarters, arguing loudly about who had performed the best levitation.

Later that night, the rebellion leadership – Anakin, Padme, Breha, Mon Mothma, Yoda, and Piett – met to go over the plans for the next day one final time. 'Piett will be leading our ground forces on Coruscant, focusing on securing the Imperial Palace,' Breha began.

'I have a few debts to settle Your Majesty. Rest assured the Palace will be ours before Palpatine knows what's hit him,' Piett replied grimly.

'I don't doubt it. Now, Mon and I will be remaining here to coordinate the efforts of our forces in other sectors.'

Yoda spoke up "Remaining here, I too am. Watch over Skywalker twins I will.'

'Thank you Yoda,' Anakin said warmly. He and the little green Jedi had worked past their differences over the past five years, seeing Anakin fight for the rebellion had convinced him that he was redeemed and had overcome the dark side. Padme had a sneaking suspicion that once the Empire was defeated, Yoda intended to make Anakin the Grand Master of the new Jedi Order.

'Anakin and I will be leading members of the 501st into the throne room to kill Palpatine.' She said.

Yoda nodded. 'Most important task, this is. Rebuild and thrive while the Emperor is alive, the Republic and Jedi cannot.'

'We understand Master.'

Breha clapped her hands. Right well, I think that's everything. If nobody has anything else to add-' she paused as they all shook their heads, 'I think we'd all better go and get some sleep. One way or another, our actions tomorrow will be long remembered.' Bowing to Yoda, Padme and Anakin headed back to their quarters. Before getting into bed, Padme stopped to check on Luke and Leia. Luke was starfished on his back, the covers scrunched up beneath him, hair sticking up at all angles even in sleep. She gently used the force to straighten the sheets and tuck in him, planting a kiss on his forehead. Leia was the polar opposite. She was curled up on her side, long dark hair falling over the pillow, free from its daytime braids. She too received a soft kiss and Padme desperately hoped that this would not be her children's last night with their parents. That tomorrow evening, they could reunite to celebrate the fall of the empire and the rise of the New Republic.

As she walked quietly to the bedroom she shared with Anakin, she reminded herself that whatever happened was the will of the force. She sighed. What she said to the twins was true. For better or worse, the fate of the galaxy and all who lived in it would be decided in tomorrow's battle.

A/N: Just a heads up that the next chapter will most likely be a bit short, as I'm not good at writing battle scenes :( 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed :)