Tattooine:
Shmi Skywalker walked out of the market in Anchorhead like it was any other day. She was used to her simple life on Tattooine. After almost two decades of living alone her life had been far from eventful.
As she entered her small apartment, she noticed a shadow in the tiny living room. He's here, he's finally found me, Shmi realized.
She walked into the living room, where she was greeted with the sight of the Son that she hadn't seen in fifteen years.
She stared at her Son in silence as she took in his appearance, "You're certainly even taller than you look on the holonet, Darth Vader.
Vader stared at his Mother in disbelief, "Y-You knew?" Vader asked.
"A few months after the rise of your Empire, Obi-Wan showed up on my doorstep. He told me everything," Shmi stated.
"How did he find you?" Vader asked.
"Because instead of enslaving the Galaxy, he was searching for me because he was considerate enough to make sure that I knew the truth."
"The Jedi Order turned against me," Vader stated.
"Because of the fact that you murdered your Father," Shmi replied.
"He would have found you, and he was going to force me to leave the Order because of the fact that I was stolen from him as he said."
"Obi-Wan told me that had he won your custody that the Council would have appealed directly to a higher court. He also said that that court would have ruled in their favor, and even if that had failed, they could have appealed to Palpatine and you know that he would have ruled in your favor," Shmi stated.
"Time that I would have spent in his home," Vader hatefully replied.
"That's not the case. The next day, before news of his death spread, he was indicted in the Republic Courts for multiple charges. He would have been arrested the day of your hearing and you would have never had to deal with him."
"He would have bought his way out of those charges."
"The Judge that he would have had to face was the same one who prosecuted the Slavers that you and Obi-Wan captured the year before. He was a good Judge, your Father would have gone to prison for at least ten years."
Vader was silent in response.
Shmi sighed as she spoke, "The bottom line is that you just wanted to kill him. You wanted to shed his blood because of the fact that you couldn't let go of the hatred that you carried."
"And you forgave him for what he did to you?" Vader asked with a sneer.
"I certainly didn't spend the last twenty years hating him. Let's see, when you were seven years old, I remember destroying the control to my transmitter before running with you into the streets of Coruscant with nothing but a small travel bag and the clothes on our backs. I remember getting safe passage to this planet and then I remember finding an apartment in Mos Espa and work. I didn't sit around with hatred consuming my soul, I spent my time working and raising you. Had I allowed hatred and grief to consume my soul, I would have been a horrible mother."
Vader was silent for a moment before he spoke, "I'm here because I want you to come and live with me. Think of it this way, I have everything. You will be able to retire, you will be provided for."
"While you continue to soak your hands with the blood of innocent beings," Shmi stated in anger.
"My Father certainly wasn't innocent," Vader bitterly replied.
"And you certainly didn't make yourself the better man by killing him," Shmi countered.
Shmi sighed as she contemplated Anakin's statement. While she hated letting him care for her she thought of one thing, could she help him to move back towards the light? Obi-Wan had said that there was good in him.
Shmi had one option, leave now and if Vader didn't slowly start to or try to change, she would just return to Tattooine. It wasn't like she needed his money to live.
Her other option was to just shut him out, she immediately decided that the first option would be her choice.
She quickly scooped up the holoimages that sat on her table as she walked towards her small bedroom, "Help me pack then, 3PO is in the kitchen, he was completed a long time ago."
"You kept him?" Vader asked.
"Of course I did," Shmi replied.
Vader calmly walked towards the kitchen.
Within moments, he heard the clanky steps as 3PO came into view.
"Hello, I am C..."
"3PO," Vader finished with a smirk.
The droid looked Vader over as he spoke, "The Maker! Master Ani, I knew that you would come back. I knew it!"
Vader smiled as Shmi entered the room, "3PO, take this bag, we're leaving."
"What about the furniture?" Vader asked.
"All of this came with the apartment. Nothing else matters besides two other bags," Shmi replied.
"And computers, datapads and new clothes can also be purchased, I have no shortage of funds for you," Vader added.
"I see," Shmi replied.
Star Destroyer Exactor:
Shmi Skywalker took in her surroundings in disbelief, she had never imagined herself onboard a Star Destroyer. She was shocked by the environment.
"How often do you leave this ship?" Shmi asked.
"Whenever I have a reason. I've spent up to a month without ever stepping foot on a planet though," Vader replied.
Shmi nodded, "This durasteel floor must make actual ground feel odd after weeks of this."
"I'm used to it," Vader replied as he stopped in front of the double doors that led into his chambers.
Shmi watched the massive doors open as her Son stepped into the room.
"This is our new home Mistress Shmi?" 3PO asked.
"For now," Shmi replied in disgust.
Padme watched as Vader walked into the room, behind him walked a protocol droid that appeared to have scrap plates covering his body and a dark haired woman who was most likely in her late woman had dark hair and dark eyes, and she also had a hardened look, that told Padme that she had been through a lot of hard times.
Shmi took in the surroundings of her new home as she found herself shocked by the spaciousness of Vader's living room. As she took in the living room, her eyes settled on a beautiful dark haired teenager who stood in the room. The girl can't be a day over sixteen, Shmi thought as she took the girl's appearance in. What troubled her most wasn't the girl's nervous look that was in her eye, but the collar that was on her neck.
After spending years as a slave, Shmi knew a slave collar all too well. She cringed, this girl is Anakin's slave. It was obvious to her that Anakin was more like his Father than he wanted to admit.
"This is Padme, if you need anything, just ask her, Padme meet my mother."
Padme locked eyes with Shmi as she gave her a nervous yet polite bow, "Greetings," Padme called out.
"It's nice to know that I will have other company besides 3PO during your time of doing whatever it is you do," Shmi commented.
Vader nodded as Padme spoke, "Dinner is ready if you are hungry."
"I'm starved," Vader stated as he removed his cloak.
"Where is my room?" Shmi asked.
"Let me take your bags while I show you," Padme stated.
Shmi gave an angry glare towards Anakin as she spoke, "No, let Anakin take the bags, just show me the way," Shmi replied.
Padme responded by motioning for Shmi to follow her.
Shmi's jaw dropped as she stared at the spacious bedroom that she had.
She hadn't had such a bedroom since the day that she had parted ways with Caleb.
She was more than shocked.
"The refresher is just the door to your right as you walk out and the closet is over by the window as you can see," Padme stated.
"Thank you," Shmi replied.
Padme nodded as she spoke, "Just ask me if you need anything."
"Where will you be if I need to find you during the day?" Shmi asked.
"Either in the kitchen, in the living room or in our room with the..."
Padme's words trailed off as Shmi heard the cries of two infants. She noticed the exhausted young girl rushing out of the room as she turned to her Son.
"What is that?"
"Our twins," Vader replied.
"Twins?" Shmi asked.
"We have a newborn boy and girl."
"And you never told me during our flight?" Shmi asked in disbelief.
"I-I didn't know how to tell you," Vader replied.
Shmi responded by rushing off towards the room that Padme had entered.
She entered the room to the sight of Padme nursing a small newborn baby.
She moved towards the crib as she heard another baby screaming.
She scooped the little girl up and looked down into her dark eyes, "Force, she's beautiful. What's her name?"
"Her name is Leia, Anakin named her," Padme replied.
Shmi looked towards the baby that Padme was nursing and noticed two familiar blue eyes looking towards her, "And this one?"
"This is Luke," Padme replied.
"He looks just like his Father, only he's way smaller." Shmi commented.
"I wondered about that, I know that Leia resembles me but I have no baby pictures of Anakin and I can only guess that he was very blonde just like Luke."
Shmi nodded as Padme nervously walked towards the doorway of the room.
Shmi could tell that Padme was unnerved by her presence alone.
What had Anakin done to this girl? Shmi asked herself.
Padme led Shmi into the dining room, where Shmi noticed a large bowl of salad and three empty plates.
"I made a salad like the one last week. You seemed to enjoy it enough," Padme stated as Vader sat down.
Vader smiled, "I did, I'm certain that my Mother will enjoy it as well."
Shmi watched Padme serve out the three plates with her free hand as she looked down at Leia who was resting in her arms.
She noticed Anakin coldly glaring at Padme as though he was telling her something.
She immediately looked towards her and spoke "Would you like me to take Leia from you so that you can eat?"
Shmi noticed Luke looking towards her as she looked down at Leia, "How about we trade, that way she can eat and I can hold my Grandson. How can you eat if you hold two babies?"
"O-Of course," Padme replied.
Shmi kissed Leia's forehead before passing her to Padme.
Padme then handed her Luke.
Shmi felt her hands trembling as she looked down at her grandson, "He's a clone of you Anakin, he's just half of the size that you were as a newborn."
"Is that a fact?" Vader asked.
"Yes," Shmi replied as she kissed the boy on the forehead with a smile.
Shmi noticed Padme nervously looking towards her before looking towards Anakin in fear.
"You can relieve my Mother of..."
"I don't mind eating with a baby in my arms," Shmi stated as she cut her Son off.
She then looked towards Anakin in disgust as she met his eyes. If you think that I'm going to put up with you having a slave girl to do your dirty work and please you in your bed at night, you better think again Anakin. This won't be ignored, I promise you that, I will not stand by, Shmi mentally stated.
Padme watched Shmi as she ate her dinner.
Shmi looked towards her with a smile as she spoke, "This is a wonderful salad Padme, where did you get the recipe?"
"It's a traditional recipe from my world. Back home, this salad is served all summer long."
"What planet are you from?" Shmi asked with curiosity.
"Naboo, it's in the Outer Rim," Padme replied.
"Naboo? The planet that had the Trade Federation Crisis ten years ago? The one that my Son had a part in ending?"
"The very one, I was only five at the time."
"Did you end up in one of those prison camps?" Shmi asked.
Padme shook her head, "My Father was always resourceful, and the moment that he saw the assault vessels, he got backpacks. Grabbed my Sister, my Mom, took blasters and food and went into the woods. We were out in the mountains hiding for almost a week before my Dad noticed the droids in the nearby town, shutting down.
"Oh yes, I think that I remember reading about several people like your Father who were never found by the Trade Federation because of how dense the Nabuian forests are."
"That sounds about right," Vader interjected.
"You like to read?" Padme asked.
Shmi looked towards Padme with a smile, "If I can, I'll read all day and night, I love to read."
"Me too, I have plenty of books. You're welcome to dig through them," Padme stated.
"Thank you," Shmi replied.
Padme nodded, she truthfully hoped that Shmi would be kind to her, Shmi did seem like she was nice enough, but they had only been in the same room for less than an hour.
Only time would tell her just who Shmi was.
As dinner was finished, Shmi spoke, "3PO can take care of the dishes. Just show him where everything is."
"I'll do that, thank you," Padme replied as she stood up.
"I have some new plates that I'm going to put on him in the morning," Vader stated as he took Leia from Padme.
"That sounds good, he can use them. I just put on what I could."
"Money won't be an issue for you as far as life is concerned."
I can tell that based on how Padme is dressed, Shmi thought as she took in the expensive jewelry and the beautiful yet revealing dress that Padme was wearing.
If Padme was her daughter, she would have forbidden her from wearing the dress that she wore. The dress left her shoulders and her back exposed and the dress was rather tight. Did Anakin pick out that dress or did Padme? Shmi asked herself.
A few minutes later, Padme entered the room as Vader stood up and wrapped his arms around her.
"Leia is asleep," Vader stated.
"So is Luke," Shmi commented as she looked down at her sleeping Grandson.
"He's easy though compared to Leia," Padme commented.
Vader stroked her exposed back as he looked towards his Mother, "It's getting late. I will see you tomorrow mom," Vader stated as Padme took Luke from Shmi
"Goodnight Ani," Shmi replied as she stood up and let out a tired yawn.
Deciding that she too was tired, Shmi headed off towards her nearby bedroom.
She turned on her holonet screen and within moments, she had a few relaxing songs filling the bedroom as she fell to sleep.
As the couple tucked their twins into the crib, Padme spoke, "Did I treat her the way that you wanted?"
"You did well," Vader replied as he slowly removed his cloak.
"Anakin, can't you free me? Why do you leave me with this on my neck?" Padme asked as she touched her collar.
Vader stepped forward as he spoke, "You're mine."
"I-I just want to be a free human being again."
"So that you can just run?"
"I'm nothing to you, that's the bottom line. I sleep in your bed, I'm the mother of your children, but I was given to you as a gift. I never asked to end up here, can't you at least treat me like you love me instead of treating me like the slave that I am? I just feel like I'm nothing to you but your sexual plaything."
"How can you speak this way to me? I tell you that I love you and I kiss you before I leave our chambers. How can you think that I see you as nothing after all that I've given you?" Vader asked in anger as he stepped forward and slapped Padme's cheek.
Padme merely laid down on the bed as she started to cry, "I have no chance of a normal life. Even if you let me go free, things would never go back to normal after the last year. I'm not even marriage material after all that you've done to me. Do you even care about my future or the future of our babies?" Padme felt another slap in response.
"You're still my Slave. You aren't the Queen anymore You're my slave and you will never be free again. Don't forget who you are Padme, your days of freedom are long gone. You should quit acting like you will ever be free, as long as I'm breathing, you will be nothing but what you are now!"
Tears flowed down Padme's she was broken, she had broken months ago, but it seemed as though her spirit was still breaking. Vader had broken her. He had demoralized her, Vader was many things, he was a murderer, he was a tyrant, he was a rapist and a tormentor and he was a slave owner.
"I could always turn you over to your Mother and let her give you to Ian Lego, if you would like."
"N-No, he's even worse than you and she's a thousand times worse and I don't want to part with my babies."
Vader smiled as he climbed into the bed.
He pulled the tearful slave girl into his arms as he spoke, "Than just keep your tongue behind your teeth and make sure that you care for them and satisfy me as you have for the last year, and make sure that you serve my Mother like she's the Queen of Naboo. You better have a nice large breakfast ready for her tomorrow morning. Serve it to her like you're her slave you will be punished, like you were the other night."
Padme trembled as she thought of what Vader had done to her the other night, "You're a murderer, and you're..."
Padme's words trailed off as Vader grabbed her by the throat, "I just punished you the other night for the time that you called me stupid, a few months ago. It looks like you need to be punished again."
Padme felt tears of horror in her eyes as Vader looked down at the broken girl with a dark smile, "Just don't cry for help that will never come and if you wake my Mother, I will kill you!" Padme helplessly stared into Vader's yellow eyes as she anticipated what was coming.
Alright, that's it for now, Do you even need to guess what the next chapter is going to be like? Thank you for reading and reviewing, and I hope that you all had a Happy Easter! For those of you who celebrate it.