chapter thirty-three

       THE PLAN HADN'T WORKED.

       That's what Lando had said, anyways. But it's not like Amora needed him to tell her that. She was still here, after all.

       Apparently while she was sleeping away in the servant's quarters that night, Jabba had gathered up a few of his buddies to stake out and expose Leia for who she really was. Amora hadn't been able to transfer the intel about what Jabba actually knew, so the plan, which involved Leia breaking Han out of the carbonite, was cut short. She had managed to remove him from the block just before she was caught, reducing the scheme into more enslavement that needed to be undone. Leia was now just like her, another pawn to be rescued.

       However, Amora was still elated by the single silver lining: Han was free. Well, not free, but no longer stuck in a coma inside of a block. She'd imagine that to be the most difficult task, making it through Jabba's security measures to reach Han, but Leia did it. She was caught in the act, but she still did it. Word around the palace was that Han had been thrown into the dungeon for an undetermined fate.

       When Amora had awoken that morning, these were only rumors floating around in the crevices of conversations, afterthoughts that carelessly fluttered from the lips of hungover aliens to her eager ears. What meant nothing to them was Amora's sliver of faith that something had gone right. It didn't matter if it wasn't true. Those rumors were the blinding light that forced her out of the servant's quarters to check it out herself. It wasn't until she emerged into the throne room for work were the rumors confirmed.

       Han was gone.

       Where he once hung proudly on display in front of Jabba's view was now a blank space on the wall, the remaining carbonite removed in shame. But with the loss of one trophy, Jabba gained another. Han's absence was promptly filled with Leia, taking the empty spot of Oola at the palace's front.

       Amora leaned against the bar counter in uncomfortable boredom. Last night's incident had caused such a ruckus that Jabba was unable to get a full rest. His parties usually would've started by now, no matter how early in the morning, but he had declared himself too tired for festivities. Amora certainly wasn't complaining. It was just less work for her, not to mention that Nizuc was knocked out (possibly from alcohol instead of sleep). But, as it turns out, it was almost just as worse to have nothing to do. It was excruciating to watch Jabba snore all day, but she supposed it was better than watching another party. It would only be torturous for Leia and Threepio, possibly for Lando as well, and she really had no idea how Artoo and Chewie were doing.

       Amora hadn't spoken to Leia at all, but the few glances they exchanged told her enough, and even those weren't necessary to read her opinion. Jabba had forced her into a demeaning, gaudy outfit that revealed much more than Leia ever would by choice. Her placement front and center of the palace did her no favors, either. Luckily, she was near Threepio for any sort of comfort he could provide. Not that it was much, but he was a familiar face. Both of them appeared awfully bored as well, but it was expected when you were anxiously awaiting a rescue.

       Speaking of the rescue, Amora didn't know where Lando was. Probably lingering around the rim of the room in a far corner in order to avoid recognition. After Leia was busted, he most likely wanted to increase caution. That meant more secretive placements, more time with the other guards, and most importantly, less information passed to Amora. She had no idea what was meant to happen next. So for now, she played around with a cup of water in front of her to pass the time.

       But it was unbeknownst to her that she wasn't isolated from all watchful eyes in the palace. She wasn't aware of the hooded Jedi being led into the room whose vision had immediately latched onto her figure at the first possible chance.

       Her focus was still on the water cup and her mind still far away from here. Because while Luke could feel sickened emotion radiating from her heart, Amora couldn't even identify his presence in the room. She didn't know how much his heart ached every morning she wasn't there. She didn't know how many nights were deemed sleepless because of horrid Force visions. She didn't know how he longed to reach out to say something, anything, to her through the Force to let her know that he hadn't forgotten, but couldn't find the words.

       What was there to say to the girl he let walk into a trap with his full knowledge? Luke's guilt had a habit of eating him alive, the responsibility over his friends only thriving as his powers grew stronger. However, the guilt over Han had simmered down some several months after the incident. The imperial control over Cloud City was inevitable. But the guilt over Amora? It tormented every thought alongside the reoccurring loops of what-ifs. What if he had made it to Bespin quicker? Or what if they had left together? What if he had told her that he loved her sooner? Would that have changed her mind?

       It was impossible to make any sense of what could have happened, but that didn't stop Luke from trying. He was too desperate to cling to the idea that there was always a way out, or more specifically, for Amora. That there was always the chance she could be alright if he loved her hard enough. But Amora would probably call him crazy. He had always loved her more than she thought she deserved.

       But Amora wasn't aware of these thoughts drifting through his mind currently. Right now, she didn't need to know that.

       Her thoughts were far elsewhere from the unknown situation at hand, but she was finally brought out of her fantasy when several Gamorrean guards began to grunt and snort obnoxiously. Even then, Amora couldn't do anything more than roll her eyes.

       Jabba won't be happy.

       She didn't bother to look up from her glass to see what caused them to act up. It was probably just another emotionless bounty hunter coming for a paycheck, and they were no longer worth her time or effort.

       The water sloshed around gently while the bounty hunter was guided down the steps into the throne room, probably by Bib Fortuna. There was a stir in the sleeping guests at the sound of a visitor, but no one really arose.

       "At last!" Threepio shouted rather loudly. "Master Luke's come to rescue me!"

       Amora's head shot up and distractedly dropped her straw, it clinking into the ice forcefully.

       Luke?

       She stood up abruptly and snapped her head to the dance floor, eyes narrowed and searching. Luke being here was a possibility, of course, but it wasn't one she had thought of. It was too unexpected to feel real.

       Is Luke here?

       She couldn't see anything. The large group of sleeping guests separated her from the main room, especially now that they were slowly waking up and rising with curiosity. Yet none of their interest could match the breathless girl who craned her neck in a rushed attempt to see past the crowd.

       "I must be allowed to speak," she heard a voice calmly speak.

       The voice was too familiar, too reassuring, to be mistaken for anyone other than the farm boy who showed her all the goodness left in the galaxy. The memory of his warmth came rushing back all at once as Amora spotted the hooded figure who stood before Jabba a little ways away. She couldn't see his face, but his demeanor was enough for recognition. His stance, his posture, his stillness in the face of uncertainty was Luke. Mature and developed, but undoubtedly Luke.

       Amora paid no attention as Fortuna translated for Jabba. Her eyes had yet to move from Luke as her heart pounded with a sort of nervous excitement that she couldn't identify. Did he know she was here, just a few strides away? Had he felt the same heartache that antagonized her for months on end? Or more logically, did he actually have a plan, or was this just improv after the last plan went so horribly?

       The simplest of smiles grew upon her face as the initial shock of his presence settled, a giddy feeling bubbling in her chest. It was difficult to focus on the fear she should be experiencing when everything seemed to fall into place. For some reason, Amora wasn't scared. She had spent too long being scared. Now, with the odds slowly stacking up in their favor thanks to Luke, the threat wasn't so scary.

       He spoke with an authority that came so naturally as he stepped forward and removed his hood to reveal his fluffy, golden hair. "You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me."

       Jabba responded with a deep, unsettling laugh that could only mean one thing. He was confident, edging cocky, that he could destroy Luke and his "so-called" powers. Amora was leaning across the counter with her bottom lip clamped between her teeth in pure curiosity. She would be lying if she said she wasn't also confident, possibly cocky, except for the opposite reasons.

       "Nevertheless, I'm taking Captain Solo and his friends. You can either profit by this or be destroyed. It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my power."

       Even in Jabba's limited movement, he managed a crinkly smile with narrowed eyes.  The words he spoke sounded amused and uninterested. He didn't believe a word Luke was saying.

       Unbelievable.

       Amora could feel her heart pounding from outside her chest. His rejection of the offer shifted into a foreboding warning as Jabba pulled on a sly smirk and laughed darkly. She just wished she would've realized sooner.

       Quicker than she could process, Luke's arm shot out to the side, a blaster flying from a nearby guard into his hand.

       What the-

       A panicked Gamorrean lurched forward and fought to steal the blaster, giving Amora just enough time to forget about Jabba's plan. Her lips parted with worry as they struggled briefly, but no longer than a moment. The Hutt, shocked yet not distracted, slammed on the button that opened the trap door leading to the rancor pit. Amora shook her head subtly yet urgently.

       "No, wait-" she whispered breathlessly as if secret pleas were a match for Jabba's fury.

       The blaster fired fruitlessly at the ceiling as Luke and the guard plunged into the pit. The sparks raining through the air were the only evidence of him ever standing there.

       Amora gasped shakily as Jabba's platform slid over the pit's only exit. "Wait, no! You can't-"

       "Oh no!" Threepio exclaimed with as much terror as his circuits could summon. "The rancor!"

       She could hear the creaky gate of the rancor enclosure lifting tauntingly slow. It would be only seconds until the monster was fully released. And there was no exit.

       Amora immediately regretted her initial cockiness. Her hope had been a little too much in this case. But she didn't want to ditch it completely. There had to be a way out of this... right?

       Horrendous growls overtook the disgusting laughter to form some sort of sick tune to accompany death. A few notes was all it took for Amora to break away from shock. Ignoring her job from Nizuc to stay posted at the bar, she fled for the viewing ledge with anxiety pulsing through her veins. The wild bodies grew closer with every stressed step until they finally became the barrier between herself and the pit. Amora's thoughts were blurry as she scanned for a way to the front, but there was too much movement, too much chaos, for any sort of entrance. She teetered on her tiptoes to see the best she could, yet ultimately realizing it wouldn't work.

       "Hey!" she spoke loudly to the large man in front of her while tapping his arm frantically. "I need to get through!"

       She didn't know why her worry urged her past the crowd to view the execution in full clarity. She couldn't help. Her proximity wouldn't change a thing. But she had to. She couldn't let him slip so easily through her fingers. She needed to get through.

       But the man hardly acknowledged her at all, instead brushing her arm away with a huff. He resumed his mindless yelling while crazily waving his money in the air.

       Amora didn't have time for this.

       Her arm shot out to tap his shoulder harshly once more while matching his volume. "Are you deaf? I said-"

       But in a swift motion, the man lashed out, turning curtly to shove Amora to the floor. "Get lost, slave!"

       She was more annoyed than hurt as she caught herself on the ground. She had been tossed around too many times on this planet and had grown used to the rude and disrespectful guests. And while she wished to avoid that right at this very second, it seemed to be inevitable.

       "Sleemo..." Amora muttered while shooting a glare at the man.

       But annoyance turned to panic when she realized that the man was Nizuc himself, exactly who she practiced so hard to avoid. Recognition flashed in his eyes at the same time and blinked into anger. With quick reflexes, Amora shot up from the floor and lurched to the left out of view.

       "Hey!" his voice trailed off as she raced away from his side of the ledge. "Get back here!"

       But Amora was much too far and he was much too drunk. She hardly had to try to disappear into the sea of bodies. It's not like she had to worry much anyways, since his button for her shock collar was hidden underneath the bar counter, but if this phase of the plan didn't work, then she'd be in a massive amount of trouble tomorrow. But that didn't matter. She didn't care about herself right now. She wasn't the one facing off against a rancor.

       She had carefully maneuvered around to the other side of the ledge, but Amora could even see the pit, a booming crash halted all cheering. Everyone around her stood frozen with disbelieving wide eyes that gazed downwards. The palace had never been so silent, not even in the dead of night. She froze as well, breathing heavily as she tried to read the room.

       They're not cheering... which is good.

       Jabba's angered outcry was the cue that prompted chaos. Roaring yells took the place of silence while fists waved wildly in the air. Something wasn't right. And Amora hated not knowing.

       She turned pressingly to a human in front of her and tapped his shoulder as quickly as she could. "Hey! Can you tell me-"

       But the man just brushed her hand away hastily to pay up the losing end of a bet with a nearby alien. There wasn't even time to ask someone else before Jabba yelled his thoughts for the whole room to hear. It must have been a request of some sort as several guards, including what appeared to be Lando, hurried towards the two stairways leading to the underground levels. Why some were headed to the dungeons, Amora didn't know, but she feared to reason they were heading to the pit. She scanned around herself once more and settled on a Quarren who wasn't already occupied with screaming.

       "What happened?!" she pleaded to the stranger next to her.

       The Quarren shifted his vision to her slowly, allowing for her to get a good look at him. His large eyes were glazed over, stunned. Whatever tough, cool persona he usually had was melting underneath the look of pure surprise.

       He shook his head before barely whispering. "He killed the damn thing."

       If Amora's heart could ever skip a beat, it was now, almost immediately resuming to a rapid rhythm that screamed relief. She stared at the man with wide eyes until her face broke out into an uncontrollable grin.

       Luke was alive.

       Not only that, but he had killed the threat of death. Her gleeful laughter was a stark contrast to the frustrated low grumbles, representing the hope that flooded her soul. Of course he hadn't died. Luke was smarter than all these low-lives put together. Amora's excitement was too much of a distraction to figure out the scheme Jabba had planned next, or even to figure out who exactly the guards were pulling back into the room.

       Everyone around her was exchanging money, some happier than others, but there was a lack of outright cheer. Whether they won money or not, there was still a dead rancor below them. And they appeared even more angry as the guards entered the room once more, this time with certain prisoners that Amora could only hope included Luke.

       "Han!" Luke called out while the guards forcefully dragged him into the room.

       Han?

       "Luke!" he replied cluelessly, also shuffling into the room awkwardly.

       Han!

       Amora glared at the back of the rude human's head who blocked her way before stepping away to push past a different alien species she didn't recognize. Both Luke and Han were alive, merely steps away.

       "Are you alright?" Luke asked Han softly.

       "Fine. Together again, huh?"

       "Wouldn't miss it."

       Amora squeezed through the crowd and ignored the disgusting bodies that brushed against hers, their slimy skin being the least of her worries.

       "How we doin'?"

       "Same as always."

       "That's bad, huh?" he spoke nonchalantly. "Where's the girls?"

       "I'm here," Leia announced plainly.

       Amora finally burst through to the front of the crowd and located the familiar boys she missed so dearly, tears of joy threatening to spill onto her soft smile. "Me too."

       Han was still blinded and too utterly confused to find Amora, but Luke wasn't. He spun around the best he could while still restrained, briefly fighting against the guards to get a glimpse of the girl that constantly plagued his thoughts.

       As their eyes met, a wave of emotions and memories poured endlessly, the softness in their stare meaning more than any onlooker would know.

       If Luke's eyes were usually the sky, then now they were a lake, eerily quiet in a serene image of beauty, yet hiding the history that created tranquility. There's no remembrance of the treacherous rivers that crashed into a peaceful valley and wrecked havoc. Only of the delicate surface of water that keeps secrets of its pain. No one speaks of chaos and flooding that one more rushing river could cause. His eyes were beautiful, but destructive.

       Amora's stony eyes weren't a stranger to strong currents that threatened to whisk her away. They were heavy rocks formed by many years of hardships, yet were not invincible to the risk of floating away. But even the sturdiest of stones must eventually be forced out of their overbearing banks, carried away into far too many unknowns. And while the journey through the river is terrifying, the lucky ones who don't drown in the tide may find their way to a welcoming lake where they can nestle into the sandy waters away from any approaching river. Her eyes could be dangerous, but they'd much rather rest.

       His voice broke through her thoughts with the sincerity she knew too well to forget, his guilt and nightmares and remorse wrapped up into three simplistic words that Amora felt more than any abuse at the palace. I'm so sorry.

       Amora didn't have the ability to respond but even if she did, she wouldn't know what to say. And what could she say? There was nothing she could say to reverse the distressing year her irresponsibility had caused. And to know he was apologizing as if he had done anything short of his best, well, that was too much for Amora to comprehend at once.

       She could only do the one thing that always felt right around the sun-kissed boy. She smiled.

       And he returned it with the most pure, loving gaze she could hope for.

       Their charmed hearts were a felicity amongst the months of anguish, but even the most lighthearted of souls couldn't escape reality. Jabba ensured this to be true as he grunted in surprise. His slimy hand slapped around the side of his throne until it landed on the button that Amora feared.

       Bolts of hot voltage tightened around her throat and ripped her away from her moment with Luke, enrapturing a hollow scream of agony that caught everyone's attention.

       "Argh!" Amora cried out, knees banging the floor as her legs crumbled from underneath her.

       Dirt splayed across her legs onto the bruises that would only darken upon impact. Her whole body throbbed from the electric intensity that spread from her neck. Yet the pain was enough to distract Amora from the insufferable embarrassment that Jabba had a habit of causing her.

       As expected, he smirked cockily, matching it with an irritating chuckle that prompted the room's infamous laughter. Her humiliation was their favorite pleasure.

       Amora's friends were the only kind souls that spared her. Leia kept the composure of a princess while averting her eyes with frustrating pity. Han seemed too confused to even realize what happened. And Luke... well, Luke was livid. There was a certain darkness in his eyes that was usually filled with a light glint, his fists clenching as he struggled to stay relaxed. Not even Chewie (who Amora had yet to notice) had an equal rage. It was probably a good thing that Amora didn't see his anger.

       Her focus was too filled by her own pain to notice Luke's glowering scowl at Jabba, the glare challenging the high and mighty morals of the Jedi knights. Yet seeing Luke's emotion only fueled Jabba's ego. He continued reciting his original speech with a revolting grin.

       "Oh dear..." Threepio mumbled sadly. "His high exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately."

       Amora, still regaining movement on the floor, froze. The stuffy room flushed with a chill that sent panic through her bones. Was this part of the plan? Lando never mentioned this.

       With shaky hands, she pushed herself off of the floor and stood slowly. The shame that these monsters constantly tried to inflict on her wouldn't work. Not if she didn't let it.

       And anyways, there was something a bit more pressing going on.

       "Good. I hate long waits," Han spat sarcastically.

       Amora was too conflicted to roll her eyes. She was held by an uncertainty that couldn't settle as her eyes flickered back to Jabba's lazy grin. On a light note, they had been caught in traps worse than this before. Whether it was because of Luke's plans or Threepio's intelligence or Chewie's strength, they always managed to slip away from trouble (sometimes destructively). But then again, they were being sent to an unplanned execution. So was she confident? Amora couldn't decide.

       "You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc."

       Sarlacc? Amora had never heard of a Sarlacc before. It must've been a creature native to Tatooine. But based on the tremble in Threepio's voice, maybe it was a good thing that she didn't know of it... for now, at least.

       "Doesn't sound so bad," Han scoffed bravely.

       This time, Amora did roll her eyes. He couldn't pipe down during his death sentence? Not even when he was just awoken from a year-long coma?

       "In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a thousand years."

       Chewie (who Amora was delighted to see) tilted his head back and roared sorrowfully, filling her heart with dread. She wanted to be hopeful. To keep up the faith in her friends that she treasured so dearly. She was clutching onto it like a lifeline.

       "On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?"

       But Luke was nowhere near Han's barely hidden stress as he sensibly spoke. "You should have bargained, Jabba."

       Amora gripped the fabric of her costume helplessly as the guards tugged the boys away to the palace exit at Jabba's signal.

       "That's the last mistake you'll ever make."

       A mixture of anxiety yet also joy pooled in Amora's heart, the exhilaration of possible freedom at the hands of death flourishing as she watched the palace empty out to follow the guards. Even though she should've been frightened out of her mind, the excitement was strong. Amora wasn't as scared as she thought. If Luke was confident, then she had reason to be as well. She trusted him. After all, it was a miracle she wasn't dead at this point. It was a miracle that any of them weren't dead. So they had to be doing something right. She was worried. Without a doubt. But her hope was stronger.

       "Hey!" a voice barked roughly in her ear, the owner also suddenly gripping her forearm until nails dug into her skin. "I'll deal with you later."

       Amora didn't need to look in order to recognize Nizuc, although she still wasted no time in glaring at his awfully strong hold. His breath was warm and musty, but she didn't allow herself to squirm. For some reason, his threats weren't as daunting. She didn't even let out a word as he wrenched her from her spot and melted into the thick crowd. All her thoughts were hidden by a characteristic smirk that had been absent for so long.

       She couldn't wait for these monsters to finally get what they deserved.

~  ☼  ~

author's note -

ik theyre captured but the gang is back together!!! its literally been so long like im so happy. its also been so long since i updated and im real sorry about that. i got caught up with school starting and am still rly busy cuz (but i wont go into detail about that) but i will not be ditching this book. it will be finished eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later. but for right now i just wanna thank everyone whos voted, commented, added to reading lists, or just reads every update. for everyone who has been around for a while or for everyone who just found this book, thank u so so much and i hope youll be back again! :)