Fame and Fortune

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-four

Coruscant

Chief of State Mon Mothma was standing by her duraglass window inside her elegant apartment, looking out at the endless stream of space traffic when Leia Organa was admitted inside.

Not certain the older woman had heard her enter the room, Leia gave a slight cough to indicate her presence. Mon Mothma turned to face her and Leia could see disappointment sketched into her worn features.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me," Leia said carefully, watching Mon's reaction.

"How could I refuse?"

"I wasn't sure you would see me," Leia replied. "With everything that's being said about me in the media."

The Chief of State stepped away from the window and moved gracefully over to where Leia stood. The Princess could see that the mantle of being the Leader of the New Republic was wearing heavily on the woman. There were lines in her face that hadn't been there the last time Leia had seen her, only a few years earlier.

"Why are you here, Leia?"

"I would like your support in my custody battle. Maybe you could even vouch for me in court."

"I'm not certain I can do that."

Leia felt her face flush. "I've always done your bidding, Mon. Why can't you do this for me?"

Mon Mothma sat down delicately on a crescent shaped, white sofa. "I have never understood you, Leia. I don't believe Bail and Breha would have understood you, either."

"That seems unfair."

"Is it?" Mon responded tartly, tilting her head up to gaze at Leia. "Maybe, just maybe, I might have understood your youthful infatuation with the smuggler. Solo was not from your society or class, but in the face of war and death, I could, just barely, understand your attraction to that... man. He was very handsome and daring so he naturally turned your head, muddled your thinking. Hormones can do that in youth. Still, in the end, you did the right thing by breaking off that, that unseemly affair and marrying someone that was suited to your station in life."

Stunned at the President's cold words, Leia could barely formulate a reply. "I love Han."

"Loved. He's dead, Leia." She sighed, shaking her head sadly. "He was a great help to us during the rebellion era. I did not wish that type of end upon him."

"Just because someone dies, doesn't mean that your love for them dies," Leia pointed out, her lips trembling. She didn't want to break down in front of this woman or suddenly spout the truth that Han wasn't actually dead.

"Nevertheless," Mon continued with her chastisement, "He's gone. It doesn't matter anymore. What matters is how you are behaving now. You've left your husband for a Corellian entertainer! Your parents would be sorely disappointed in you."

"I didn't leave Isolder," Leia snapped, feeling outraged at Mon Mothma's assumptions. "He forced me to leave the Consortium with no notice whatsoever. He divorced me on outrageous charges, and he stole my child."

"You are having an affair with another man."

"Isolder has had affairs! Endless affairs since our marriage!" Leia shot back furiously, desperately trying to maintain her composure. "His mother keeps concubines! Isolder hasn't touched me since I found out I was pregnant, and even before then it was by appointment only!"

"Really, Leia, I'm not interested in hearing about your failings as a wife."

"My failings? What about Isolder's failings? He never loved me! He married me to give Hapes a female heir and for no other reason. Why did you feel it was your duty to pressure me into a loveless, arranged marriage?"