Title: Ambivalence

Rating T

Summary: A Sith Lord should never have mixed feelings about someone. Especially if that certain someone is the traitorous Senator from Naboo. AU Vadmé

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Chapter I: Scars for Remembrance

Naboo, Theed Palace

"Quit fidgeting, you're going to mess up your hair." Reprimanded a women who was braiding the hair of her young mistress.

"Well it won't matter anyway, even if it does look horrid, I'm going to die anyway."

"Milady, enough of this. I will not hear you talk in such a manner. You're not going to die." The women chided, as her skillful hands finished off her final braid, tucking her mistresses' long brown hair into a headdress. Her voice however, had not been very reassuring.

"You know the rumors to be true," the young women whispered, "I will be lucky to come back with my head." Silence fell between the two women as the older women listened to her mistress. Finally, she spoke.

"Then I must pray that you will do what is asked of you."

"I cannot-"

"You must and you will. Promise me." The older women whispered harshly.

The young women remained stoic. "Promise me, please Padmé." The older women reiterated.

"I promise." Paddy's words fell into the air, empty and without purpose. However, the young women knew she could not break her word.

Silence fell once more between the two women. Both contemplating the outcome of what was to come. Finally the silence was broken.

"There, now you are fit for a queen." The handmaiden smiled slightly and turned away from the vanity. "I'll leave you alone for some privacy Milady." The handmaiden then walked towards the door, it closing softly behind her.

Padmé gazed upon the reflection before her. Her handmaiden had been right; she did have a look fit for a queen. Staring at her reflection, she was met with a stranger. Padmé's reflection seemed to belong to someone much older than her eighteen years. It was as if her face was not her own.

The young women's face had been painted white, custom of her native planet, Naboo. The bottom of her lips were painted white as well, with a single red streak down the middle. Her upper lip was painted red along with two red dots painted on her cheeks. This was known as balance and symmetry. The traditional makeup that adorned her face was called the Scar for Remembrance. It was a Naboo tradition to honor peace that a king named Jafan had brought to their world, uniting it as Naboo. Padmé's eyed traveled from her face to her hair. Skillfully her handmaiden had woven her hair into the royal, ornate headdress that sat upon her head.

Yes, she did look like a queen, only had her heart felt the same.

The galaxy was in turmoil, war had seemed inevitable. But instead the Galaxy had been presented with something even worse -a new Empire. At the top of Empire sat the Emperor, Palpatine. A man she had once trusted and called a friend.

It was this same Emperor that she was about to meet. Her heart sank at the thought of facing someone who she had once considered a mentor; now dark and twisted with power. Tonight would most likely be her last meeting. Publicly she had disobeyed him by speaking out against the Empire, branded as a traitor. If only she hadn't been so foolish, her naïveté might cost her life. Palpatine would most likely kill her for treason.

The thought unsettled her. But Padmé knew she could not give up so easily. "No." She declared, slamming her hand down on the vanity. "He will not win. I must be strong for my people, and for myself."

Suddenly, Padmé's thoughts became interrupted as the sound of the door opening became apparent.

"Milady, it is time." Came the soft voice of another one of her handmaidens.

Time seemed to be the only thing she had left, and now it had completely run out.

Padmé's steps were painfully slow as she and her royal entourage made their way toward the throne room. Padmé, who accused her tardiness on the heavy royal robes that she dawned, purposely dragged out the journey. It had been a lie of course, as Queen she was accustomed to such robes.

Finally they had made their way into the royal throne room. For a few minutes Padmé just stood gazing at the large wooden doors before her. Taking a deep breath, Padmé spoke, "Open the doors... I must go in alone." At the mention of her request the air seemed to grow even thicker.

"Mildly?" Someone asked, concerned at her request.

"Open the doors." She firmly stated once more.

Quickly everyone bowed in respect, their expressions weary as they carried out her request. Taking a step towards the entrance her entourage scattered out of her path, and she walked forward into the throne room.

The sight that greeted her should not have surprised her as much as it did. There atop the steps sat a cloaked figure upon the throne, it was Palpatine. He was on her throne. Had Padmé not been as nervous, she would have been infuriated.

This is what he wants. He wants you to feel intimidated. To be angry.

Padmé drew in a sharp breath,and forced herself to walk forward once more. The room so familiar, one she had walked thousands of times, now felt foreign and unnatural.

"Ah, my dear how nice of you to finally join me." The Emperor's voice had been falsely cheerful, but it darkened as he acknowledged the other beings occupying the room. "Leave us." It hadn't been a request, but a demand and those beings didn't need to be told twice. Hastily they bowed and scattered out of the throne room.

As Padmé drew closer to the Galaxy's monarch she could tell he had changed from her last encounter. Upon closer inspection she noted that his once kind appearance had become disfigured, his grey steely eyes replaced by piercing yellow ones.

"Your Majesty." Padmé greeted bowing deeply.

"How are you child?" Palpatine asked. Not yet voicing his true intentions.

"I am well, Your Majesty." Padmé answered, her eyes trying to stay focused on the dark figure.

"Lying will get you no where. Tell me are you afraid?"

"I'm sure you already know." Padmé replied, her voice almost a whisper.

Palpatine cackled. "Of course, I could sense your fear across the palace- your apprehension. But there's more than fear I sense. I sense... acceptation. You have accepted your fate."

Padmé's voice became stronger; it would not fail her this time. "I do not fear death."

"Why not my dear?" It wasn't a question, but a statement. "If you do not fear death now... you soon will."

Suddenly, two of the Emperor's personal royal Red Guards came and grabbed her arms, restraining her, forcing her onto the ground. Padmé attempted to free herself, but her attempts were futile.

This is the end. I'm going to die.

"I will spare you're curiosity... for now."

Padmé felt her body go rigid, but she didn't dare speak

"I suppose you know why I have summoned you?"

"I'm unaware-"

"Tell me, have you ever heard of the Avahzenua?"

Padmé stayed silent, indicating to the Emperor that she had not heard of them.

"They were an ancient group of people beyond the outer rim. For their time, the Avahzenua were incredibly advanced beings. However, they relied on what would be considered uncivilized methods today. What the Avahzenua people were most known for was not a single weapon, but their advancements in melee weaponry. Perhaps you've seen one."

Without hesitation the Emperor withdrew a small pouch from his cloak. Carefully he unwrapped its contents, the object shining from catching light off the palace windows.

Proudly he held up a small blade, its handle was dark red, covered in unusual symbols carved onto its hilt.

"Akin to now, what is known as a virboblade," he held up the blade, "The Avahzenua developed the first of its kind, to what now is known throughout the Galaxy as a standard blade, or knife. This is one of the last remaining of its kind."

"What happened to them?" Padmé asked, regretting to admit her curiosity.

"Ah, glad you asked, my dear. A little known fact of the Avahzenua was they were a very religious people. They believed in what could be akin to dark teachings. They were dark necromancers, however, they hadn't always been.

Their king of sorts, at the time, believed strongly in their ways of the old. Avahzenua beliefs were tied strongly with what they believed to be light magic. When their king died- tragically young, he had left no heirs. The people elected a new king. His name, though lost in time in their native language, translated to Red Leader.

The Red Leader uprooted all original Avahzenua beliefs. This caused much distress to the people. So he elected an enforcer. Two out of hundreds, were chosen as candidates. At the time however Red Leader didn't know they were related- brothers in fact. The brothers were warriors, and well beloved by the Avahzenua people. It was decided that to win the king's favor, both brothers would fight till there was only one remaining. Though it pained them, the brother's battled. When the younger brother was on the brink of death, the elder brother killed himself, to sacrifice himself for his brother. Because of his brother's death, the young brother went insane. He believed he had been robbed of death himself, it was an Red Leader used this to his advantage. The younger brother became his ultimate enforcer, following the king's dark teachings, and destroying anyone against his rule. That was until he fell in love with a woman. Eventually, the woman helped the younger brother realized his mistake in following the king's dark teachings and disobeyed the king. The brother turned away from Red Leader and the Avahzenua people became divided amongst those who followed the king and the brother.

Ultimately, they were destroyed. Each side had destroyed the other. The king's faith in his enforcer, became his downfall. Eventually the younger brother ended up killing the Red King and himself in the process. The woman mourned for the brother and all that she had lost. Never did she marry. All that was left of their once thriving cultured-destroyed, and in ruins. Their arrogance lead to their folly."

"Will that be your downfall? Padmé stated, surprised at the strength of her own voice. "Will your arrogance create war within your inner circle, or the people, whom you say are in your best interest?"

Instead of gaining the effect she wanted, Palpatine just laughed. "Always a bold one. However it makes no difference, you publicly disobeyed me, now you will repay for your crimes."

Padmé shut her eyes. "My death will gain you nothing, but the loss of support of the Nubian people!"

"My dear, who said I was going to kill you? I see no need to make you a martyr. " Palpatine didn't need the force to see the surprise on the young Queen's face. "Death would be too easy. No, instead you will learn the importance of not disobeying."

At his words one of the guards grabbed her left arm, pulling up her gown's sleeve, "No!" Padmé shouted.

Palpatine smiled as Padmé screamed in protest, as the other guard drew out a virboknife. "Like the Avahzenua, you will learn not the to disobey. You will learn what it means to have balance.

With a quick slash, the guard had cut a horizontal line across her right forearm. Padmé's other arm was pulled from her grasp, "You will learn what it means to have symmetry.

The guard then took the knife and dragged it from the top of her forearm, straight down to the palm of her hand as Padmé screamed.

"You my dear, will learn the true meaning Scar for Remembrance, and will never dare humiliate me again."

The Red Guards released Padmé and she fell onto the ground.

"Now I believe, you must get ready for Jamilla's coronation. Take her away."

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