If Padme Survived
Chapter 1
The agonising pain wrenched my back and tortured my limbs. Whether this really was the pain of childbirth or the sting of my husband's betrayal I would never know. I knew what to do though as I pushed as hard as I could. Obi-Wan took hold of my hand just at the right moment as I made the final push. Next thing I knew there was my baby, who turned out to be a beautiful boy! 'Luke', I struggled to breathe as I whispered his new name. Then the pain struck again but this time it seemed to rip a hole in my heart, tugging it and crushing it into a pulp. Then I named my second baby 'Leia'. Seeing her innocent face filled me with unbearable emotion. Somehow I knew my next words would be my last. 'Obi One', I gasped 'There's good in him', now feeling the blackness creep towards me. 'I know... there's still', I couldn't fight it away anymore. As I let it consume me, I knew this was the end, the end of everything.
There he was, looking at me with his wonderful brown eyes. As if nothing in the universe had changed. I ran over to him and wrapped myself in his arms. His warm embrace made me feel whole again, as if a gap in my heart had been filled in with warmth. I tore myself away from him to look back into those dreamy eyes, when I heard gun shots. I whipped round to see where they had come from. 'Anakin, what was that?' I gasped, suddenly realising I hadn't breathed since I had began to hug him. Turning back around, I screamed as my beautiful Anakin had been replaced by a towering monster. I began to run, but my feet were just sliding backward and as I was unable to move, I shouted 'Anakin, Anakin! Where are you?' Then the deep, evil voice spoke from behind me 'It's me Padme'. With disbelief I glanced back around at the dark creature.
'You're lying!' I screamed at it as I tried to run away, but this time my legs were paralysed, as though they had been frozen.
'Come with me Padme, come with me and we can rule the galaxy together!' he said.
'Anakin? No it can't be', I stared at the thing that couldn't possibly be human 'There's nothing left of you!'
'We can rule the stars together; have power over everything and everyone. I can save you. I can save you, I can save you...' and at that he drew his lightsaber that glowed a brilliant blue.
'Anakin, please don't do this!' but he was becoming blurry now, and he was laughing, a deep, foul, demonic laugh that tore my heart apart.
'No!' I screamed and at that moment I saw the faces of my two radiant babies. Leia's beauty refilled my heart as I reached out to touch her innocent face but I couldn't quite reach. Luke's strong features reminded me so strongly of his father. At this my body began to feel warm, seeing my two children gazing at me, the incredibly powerful instinct of a mother's love seemed to ease the imprint of pain I had gained from my life.
My body surged forward as though a rush of energy had been injected into my system. I gasped for air as my body shrieked for oxygen. I was alive. But how could I be alive. Picking up a white flower that lay beside me, I marvelled at its beauty, its utter perfection and the way it still glowed even though it was no longer alive. But I was alive. Somehow, I had managed to hang on to the final threads that hung from my life. I got up from the bed I was lying on and crept towards the marble door. Very tentatively, I opened it just a crack to see if there was anyone outside. I had already come up with a plan and it involved no one, not even Obi One seeing me. It was too risky, as for some reason I felt as though Anakin could not know I were I was going. Even though I knew Obi One would not tell him, there was a chance they would still be connected by the force. I went through the door, creeping my way down the pearly white corridors and had to hide behind a pillar as a couple of Gungans bumbled past. 'Huge tragedy' one of them sighed. I assumed they were talking about me.
The other replied in a whisper that was almost inaudible 'I overheard from Master Obi-Wan Kenobi that Anakin Skywalker has turned to the dark side!' the other Gungan drew in breath as he looked around. I had to cover my mouth at this as the shock hit me like a stack of bricks. A little cry escaped my mouth and I slumped to the ground.
'What was that?' the first Gungan said. I had to get out of here before I was caught by them. I decided to run because it would only be a matter of time before I would be discovered to not be dead. I sprinted past them at full pelt, which was harder than I had expected as I had only just realised I was wearing a silk dress that trailed the floor. Their shouts of amazements were the last sounds I heard as I ran past the corner and scooped up a gun that hung from the wall. I screeched to a halt and hung over the balcony to see where abouts I was. Suddenly a pair of black gloved hands cupped my mouth and another grabbed my waist in an attempt to pull me backward but I had had too much experience with defending myself to just let it happen. I kicked and thrashed as I tried to reach for my gun but then came the blow that plunged me into darkness.