Written after reading Mistress Eden's Drowning. A story in which Padmé is imprisoned by Palpatine for ten years. I won't tell you the ending in case you read it (do, it's very good). After reading it I wanted to write a story where Luke finds his mother in an old Imp prison. This is the result
He walked down the halls of the deserted Imperial prison. Many of the prisoners had been released or had died years ago. But something drew him to the place. He walked farther down the hallway. He got in the lift and took himself to the bottom level. He walked out. The pull was stronger now. It was drawing him to a single room.
He walked to the cell. The door was locked. A feeding droid stood at the entrance. He looked at its programming, it was scheduled to feed the prisoner inside the cell once a day. He looked across from the droid. There was one can left of rations. The prisoner would die soon. If it wasn't already. He used the Force to open the door.
Inside lay a woman in a white prisoner's gown. She was gaunt and pale, her hair riddled with pepper and salt. She looked up and her eyes went wide, "Anakin?"
He shook his head, "No, my name is Luke Skywalker."
Her eyes went wider, "Luke? My little Luke?"
Her little Luke? "Who are you?"
She seemed to pull all semblance of pride and dignity she had left and said, "I am Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker, former Queen and Senator of Naboo, wife of Anakin Skyalker, one time Jedi Knight, and mother of Luke and Leia Skywalker."
She knew way too much to be lying, "Mother?"
She smiled, "My son."
He knelt next to her, she looked like Leia might look, if she had lost everything. She was dieing, he knew that. He had to tell her, "Mother."
She looked into his eyes, "I'm leaving son. Tell Leia."
He nodded, "I know, that's why I have to tell you."
"Tell me what?" she whispered.
"Father died a hero. He died a good man."
She smiled, "Thank you, my baby. Thank you. I always knew…I knew there was still good in him."
He smiled.
"Goodbye, my child, my own. I love you so much," she reached up and touched his cheek. "I'm proud of you."
He choked, "I love you, mother. Leia remembers you. She loves you too. I'll see you someday."
She smiled, "Someday."
And Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker was no more.
Anakin felt the hot tears falling down his face. He didn't know why he was crying, whether he was crying for his son and his daughter, and their almost chance at having their mother and the memory of his mother's death, or crying over the fact that in a moment he and his wife would be reunited. In moments.
He watched Luke's tears falling down his face. Oh my son. I know your grief. I killed an entire tribe after mom's death.
But the thought was pushed to the back of his mind as a beautiful creature stood before him in the white prisoner gown. But on her, it looked like an angel's gown. She made it beautiful. Her hair no longer peppered, but pure chocolate brown. His angel. He smiled, "Padmé." He ran to her and picked her up. He spun around and around. "Padmé." He brought her down and kissed her head, "My angel. My beautiful, beautiful angel."
She smiled, "Oh, Ani, I knew that you'd do it someday. I knew you were still my Ani somewhere. I'm so proud of you," she looked at her son, "both of you."
Oops. Anakin set down Padmé and made himself visible.
Luke picked up his mother's body—her body is way too light—and slowly walked out the cell.
"Luke."
Luke turned, "Father?"
There stood his father in full Jedi regalia, smiling like a man starving man who just found food. His father seemed to realize he was smiling ridiculously and said, "I'm not disrespecting the fact that your mother just died by smiling like a dog who just found the bone he thought he lost and thought he would have found a few years ago. Ow!" he rubbed his arm, "She just hit me and informed that she is not a bone. Anyways, it's just that I just held my angel for the first time in…" he appeared to be doing mental math, "before you were born. And the last time I held her I wasn't exactly me anyways. Let's just that's not a fond memory for either of us," he looked at a space next to him.
Luke nodded, "I understand."
Anakin's face took on a more serious visage, "I lost my mother when I was nineteen. I hadn't seen her ten years. She lived on Tatooine. She'd gone out picking mushrooms early in the morning. Her husband—Cleigg Lars, Owen's father—said that she usually did. Tusken Raiders attacked her and kidnapped her. Cliegg Lars and the neighbors did everything they could to find her, but they didn't have the Force to help them. I'd been having dreams for a month about her death when I couldn't take it anymore. Your mother and I went to Tatooine to find her. We got to the Lars's and found out what had happened to mom. I left and went to go find her. I found her and she died in my arms."
Luke sighed and nodded. He looked up, "Is it natural to want to kill the Imps for hurting her so bad?"
Anakin closed his eyes, "I don't know about natural, but when I found my mom I didn't just want to kill the Tuskens, I didn't just kill them, I slaughtered them. It was the first time I really acted on Dark Side emotions. In other words, I would discourage you from acting on your emotions."
Luke nodded, "I'm going to go up and talk with Leia."
Anakin smiled, "That's probably a good idea. Your mother and I will be watching." He looked at the space next to him again and then back at Luke, "I'm so proud of you, Luke. You've grown into a fine young man."
Anakin turned invisible again and turned to Padmé, "You wouldn't believe what a brave boy you've had."
She smiled, "He's your's too."
Anakin smiled and shook his head, "Oh no, milady, he's so much more like you it's not even funny. Leia, however, I will admit that I unfortunately had some influence on."
Padmé smiled, "Why don't you show me this child that you unfortunately had some influence on?"
He bowed, "It would be an honor." He straightened and frowned, "But then you have to promise that I get you all to my self."
She grinned, "I think that would be fine."