Their Lady Adyé [Star Wars]

Ghostly Visitors

Just now? Athara was torn.

On the one hand, she wanted nothing more than to sleep for a standard month, she was so exhausted. Not to mention sore and achy. Athara had experienced a lot in her life, enduring things most people could never even dream of surviving. But the way she felt just now was something entirely different from anything she'd experienced before.

But on the other hand?

As much as she loved Han—he was the big brother she'd never had, really, and arguably her best friend—and despite the way she and Leia had come to tolerate each other since their truce, she just wanted them to go away. She couldn't even say it would hurt her feelings if Padme were to leave as well, fond as Athara had become of her mother-in-law. Even Ben, her beloved nephew, was getting on her nerves where he sat next to her knee, face alight with curiosity.

She just wanted to be left alone with Luke...and their brand new daughter.

Their perfect little baby girl.

She had a daughter. They had a daughter. A surge of fear spiked through her, causing her breath to hitch painfully.

And considering the sudden wave of apprehension she could sense from Luke? The feelings she could see clear as day in his eyes as he met her gaze? He felt the same fear.

How were they going to protect this precious little life they were suddenly responsible for? Especially from the demons they both bore? Especially Athara...

But then her daughter mewled softly, her tiny little fist escaping from the soft swaddling and the fear in Luke's eyes—the fear for their child—was gone, replaced by feelings so potent they took Athara's breath away. And her own gaze dropped to her baby.

Athara felt like her heart was about to swell right out of her chest as her attention narrowed in on the tiny being nestled safely in Luke's arms. She just couldn't help it. Her very existence now inarguably revolved around the precious bundle held by her Farmboy.

She was happier than she could ever imagined possible. Incandescent was the word that came to mind when she tried to find one that would suit. And even it came nowhere close. As she looked to her husband—part of her still couldn't believe she had him in her life either—and her newborn daughter—that she definitely still couldn't believe—her aches, pains, even her exhaustion seemed to fade, melting away. Just now? She felt like she never wanted to sleep again. And never had she felt more satisfied to feel the physical toll of her ordeal. More than that, she felt like her body couldn't possibly contain her emotions, she felt so much in that moment.

Even the overwhelming anxiety and crippling fears she'd been battling since she first became aware of her pregnancy paled in the face of the love and joy she felt just looking to the child she'd just brought into the Galaxy.

She was tiny, and she was beautiful. She was the most beautiful thing Athara had ever seen. And judging by the awed brightness in her Farmboy's eyes, it was the same for him.

She couldn't stop smiling, the emotions coursing through her overwhelming to say the least.

"You did good, Athara," Han said, settling on Athara's other side, an arm wrapping around her shoulders as he too looked over to his brand new niece. Athara smiled, leaning into her dearest friend's side.

"Thank you, Han." The smuggler smiled down at her before giving her one last squeeze and rising to return to Leia's side where she stood next to Luke. They still weren't close by any means, but even Leia had embraced Athara in congratulations, stiff and restrained as it may have been. On the other hand, it was obvious that the former Senator adored her little niece already, her dark eyes having lit up as soon as she saw the soft-swaddled bundle. She was still smiling down at the newborn, her arm around her brother's shoulders as the other tenderly brushed against the tiny hand that had escaped the blanket.