Eternal Balance II: Chapter One
By Allied to Darkness

A/N: I AM BACK! does happy dance Hey, did ya miss me? Yay, the sequel! Just to warn ya, the beginning may confuse you, but it will make sense at the end on the chapter. R'n'R!

"Very suspicious of you, he was," Master Yoda told Akaia with an amused smile, glancing up at her.

The woman let out a small laugh. "Ah, yes. Master Roswi was not too fond of my presence in the temples…He always told the council 'She'll be the death of us all!'," she mimicked the long-dead master as she and her green friend walked the halls of the temple.

"Know you, he did not," Yoda responded pointedly. "Expect the worst of you, he did."

Akaia nodded solemnly as she inhaled deeply. "As did most Jedi…"

"Until meet you, they did," The old Jedi Master finished. "Low, spirits were in your absence."

"I did what had to be done," She told him in a monotone voice. "I didn't really consider others' reactions."

Yoda stopped at the door to the council chambers, as did Akaia. "Even the wisest of us…lost, they get. Blurred, lines become. Journey alone, we cannot."

Looking down at the Jedi Master, she tilted her head slightly, giving him a questioning glance. He then nodded a goodbye and entered the room, the door sliding behind him. Contemplating his words, Akaia turned around and moved silently back down the hall, passing various knights and padawan on the way. Journey alone, we cannot…the words echoed again in her brain. Mentally shaking off the uneasiness they gave her, she felt a light tug on her sleeve. She looked down to her right, finding a red-headed little girl, no more than eight or nine. The youngling's dark blue eyes widened in awe. Akaia smiled softly, kneeling down to the little girl's height. "Hello there."

"A-are you Lady Akaia?" The little girl asked in amazement.

Wow, I haven't been referred to as Lady Akaia in centuries…she thought amusedly. She nodded. "I am."

The youngling's eyes lit up at that. "I knew you existed! All the Jedi said you didn't but I knew it!"

"Well then thank you for believing in me," Akaia replied gratefully.

"Are you here to protect us?" The little girl asked with curiosity and hope.

The young woman paused for a second. She seems so hopeful…I can't just say no. "Of course." She immediately scolded herself for the lie. She still stood by reasoning. She wasn't on any side and particularly liked it that way. A wide smile formed on the youngling's face as she scampered away right after.

A few feet away, there came laughter, causing Akaia to stand and look towards a nearby pillar. There stood Anakin, leaning casually against the pillar and staring at her with a grin on face. The young woman raised an eyebrow, as she took a few steps towards him. "How long have you been there?"

"Just long enough, Lady Akaia," he replied mockingly. She glared playfully at him.

As they walked further to the pillar, both were enveloped in its shadow. Stepping closer to her, Anakin wrapped his arms around her waist as her arms encircled his neck. He leaned down, letting their lips meet in a brief kiss before Akaia pulled back.

"Anakin, we in the Jedi temple!" she scolded him quietly. "You should know better!"

He smiled mischievously. "I should, shouldn't I?"

"What if we're caught?" she whispered harshly.

"We won't be," he answered.

Her brow furrowed. "You don't know that."

"We won't be caught," He repeated comfortingly. "I promise you."

Hiding her worries, she rested her head on his chest as he held her more tightly. This is how things should always be...being selfish isn't that bad. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "...I missed you."

"I missed you, too…" He began in a whisper.

"…Lady Feroce."

Akaia's eyes shot open as she sat up on the stiff bed. She was now face to face with a droid. That's who, or more accurately what, had called her by that horrible name she'd been given. She rolled her eyes, plopping back down to her pillow. Staring at the ceiling, she sighed. It was only a dream…she thought miserably. The same one as every night. She glanced back at the droid. "What do you want?"

"The General requests a meeting with you," it said in that awful, cold, robotic tone.

She shut her eyes tightly. "Fine. Just…get out."

"He requested it'd be immediately."

"Get. Out. Now." She replied more forcefully. With that, she heard the clanking sound of metal footsteps and her door slide open and closed.

What right does Grievous have to send some droid to wake me up? She thought angrily. If a Jedi won't kill him, I may just do the job myself. From the day she met General Grievous, she hated him. In fact, she hated every being she'd come in contact with since that fateful day three years ago. Each one reminded her of her decision…did she really do the right thing? Her resolve faded more each day as her master's day of reckoning grew closer. What he had named the "Death Star" was being built at the very moment…things were worse than she could have even conceived. And now that she was mortal, this plan of hers was all she had left…She gritted her teeth in frustration and opened her eyes.

Lady Feroce got out of bed and began to head out of her sleeping quarters. Only one fact kept her going day in and day out: Anakin, wherever he happened to be, was alive and safe.

And, to her, that made all she had done worth it.

TBC

A/N: I know it was short! But oh well, the next chapter will be longer. I like to call the beginning 'fake fluff'. Poor Akaia. Oh yeah, don't expect anything next week cause I'll be on vacation in St. Louis! But I'll get out one more chapter before then! See ya!