POV: Anakin Skywalker

I was shoved into a ring in the center of an arena. I could see where the fire would come up during the battle. I glanced around me, feeling my heart sink as several Togrutas told Kaeyn to finish me off. Kaeyn, the soon-to-be King of Shili if I failed, was standing in a corner, flexing his muscles for the Togruta women. He was wearing an armor set similar to mine. I rolled my eyes as I peered through the crowd looking for the one woman that I would show off for.

I found her and I saw her worried look. I smiled warmly at her, hoping that she wouldn't worry so much. I wish she wouldn't worry. If I couldn't handle the man trying to steal her away from me, then I had nothing to live for. I wouldn't be able to protect her or my children if I couldn't defend myself against Kaeyn. The guards removed the Force bonds from my wrists and made sure that the collar was tight around my neck. They told me to try a Force ability and I glared at them, realizing that they wanted me to be weakened before fighting. They chuckled, giving me my spear. "Good luck, human. You'll need it." Kaeyn walked towards me, receiving his spear as well. "May the best man win."

I took one last glance in Ahsoka's direction and I instantly felt that I was going to lose this. What if we'd just kissed for the last time, made love for the last time? She would be given away like a prize to this man. Our children would grow up without either of their parents. I would fail her, Kaimi, Cayden, Shmi, and myself.

I growled. I can't fail. I have no margin of error in this duel. If I lose, then all is lost. I can't risk anything because there's too much at stake. Ahsoka's life, the lives of my children… they were too much to risk. "I can do this," I whispered to myself.

I turned back to face Kaeyn, holding my spear tightly between both of my hands. The announcer somewhere within the arena began to speak. "Thank you all for gathering here with us today. King Ahlok has brought us here to witness a duel for his daughter's heart. I think we all know who will emerge victorious though," he laughed. His laugh received more along with it.

Even Kaeyn laughed. "You have no chance at surviving this battle, human. You're weak and pathetic. Princess Ahsoka deserves me, for I am all that she needs. I can protect her and give her the right kind of love."

"So you think you can have sex with her better than me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He growled and I smirked. "Yeah, I thought so."

"Just you wait until that fire wall comes up. I will show no mercy upon you, human. You're a pathetic waste of space and time."

"Ahsoka doesn't think so. She thinks you are a pathetic waste of space and time."

"Why you little –"

I laughed as I dodged his first jab towards me. The crowd was stunned by his move. "Penalty One against Kaeyn," the announcer said solemnly. The crowd booed around us and I continued to smirk. "Seeing as though both duelists are prepared, the fire wall will be raised."

"And now you will die."

I clenched my fists around the wooden handle until my knuckles turned extremely white. "We'll see."

The fire wall rose around us and he charged me, crying out in fury. I dodged, leaping over him. I held my spear in front of me as he turned around and came at me with full speed. The spears collided with each other, wood against wood. "This is all you've got, human? You have no courage to take a swing at me?"

He began to press me backwards until I was down on one knee. I watched his body for a moment, predicting his next move. He raised the spear up slightly – not giving me enough room to run him through – and I could see that he was going to slam the spearhead down on me. I rolled out of the way, kicking behind his knee with all of my might. The spikes jammed themselves in and he cried out.

I pulled away before he could spin around and swing at me. I flipped backwards and charged at him, jabbing the spearhead into his arm. I immediately regretted that because he snapped the spear itself in two. "Damn!" I cried out. What a weak weapon to give two men during a duel…

He growled and laughed at me. "It is I who will always defeat the weak," he sneered.

He kicked my chest, throwing me backwards. I briefly sailed into the fire wall and my back was burned. I cried out, quickly moving away. He came at me again, kicking my jaw this time. I heard the crack, but couldn't really comprehend that it was in pain. I shoved the spikes on my boots into his leg again. I felt weak without being able to call on the Force for help, but this is how normal humans fought, I assumed.

I quickly crawled across the sandy ground towards where my spearhead was lying on the ground. Sure, it was separated from the rest of the spear, but it could make for a nice dagger of some sort. "Come on, come on," I whispered, reaching. My fingers were within inches of it before I received another kick, this time to my ribs.

I managed to pull the spearhead in before curling into my body at the amount of pain I was now beginning to feel. He began to cackle madly as he hovered over me. "Useless," he muttered. I inhaled as he raised his arms high above his head. I took that moment to roll over, despite the pain. I quickly stood and charged at his chest as he slammed his spear into the ground. I kicked his hands away from the wooden piece and he fell backwards in shock.

I growled as I slammed the spearhead into his chest. It didn't go in very deep because he wore a thicker armor piece, but it did go into his skin. He clutched the edge, trying to pull it out. While he was distracted, I spun around and pulled his spear out of the ground. I turned and he stared at me, eyes widened. "Now who's useless?"

I shoved the spear into his chest, just below where I'd originally stabbed him. This time, I knew I'd gone for the kill and I felt no remorse as I did so. He clutched at the lower end of the wooden piece, gagging on his last breath. He stared up into my eyes, though I'm sure he couldn't see me very well. His eyes were glazed over and he frowned. "I have… underestimated… you…" I still held onto the upper end as I stared down at him coldly. He pushed himself off of the ground and I was stunned. He pulled the dagger out of his chest, staring at me without seeing. "But you… have underestimated… me…"

He slammed the piece into my chest, coming extremely close to killing me. I cried out, gasping. He crumpled to the ground, taking the spear with him. I released the wooden part, clawing at the dagger in my chest. There was plenty of blood seeping out of it, but I couldn't pull it out.

I fell to my knees, my vision beginning to blur. I saw the fire wall go down, hearing several cheers for only a moment. I heard gasps beyond my own comprehension. No one had expected me to survive. I blinked several times before staring up at the blurry orange mass. I couldn't pick out any faces. I clutched the dagger embedded into my chest and fell forward, becoming enveloped in darkness.

Later.

"Ani. Ani, wake up." I groaned, slowly opening my eyes to a bright light. I cried out in agony as a searing pain raced through my chest. "Don't move," she whispered.

I gasped at the pain that I began to feel in the rest of my body. "Soka," I whispered. It didn't sound like I'd whispered her name though. My voice sounded strained and muffled. My jaw was in just as much pain as the rest of my body.

"Don't talk either," she chuckled. "Our medics are treating your injuries, but they don't have any bacta cloth. You'll have to hold out until we get you back to Coruscant, sweetheart."

I entered our bond, speaking into it. "Where are we now?"

She held my hand, rubbing my palm with her thumb. "We're back in the medical ward. My father won't allow us to leave because he can't accept your victory. Kaeyn's body has already been disposed of."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. I'm sorry, Anakin. I've been trying my hardest to speak to him and make him see reason, but he believes that Kaeyn was better for me and that you should have died in battle. I'm so glad you survived though," she whispered, climbing onto the medical bed to lie beside me. "You have no idea how much fear I felt when I saw you drop to the ground after the duel was finished. I thought I'd lost you…"

"It would have been worth it because I did kill him first."

"Don't say that. Anakin, if I lost you, my life would be over."

"I don't doubt that," I sighed internally. "I could say the same if I lost you."

She smiled as she carefully nestled her face into the crook of my neck. "I'm proud of you."

"Proud of me? What did I do?"

"You defeated a Togruta."

"I could take you down any day."

She giggled. "That's not what I meant. You took down one of the highest ranking warriors of Shili."

"And I wasn't told this before I fought him because…?"

"I didn't want to scare you."

"You forget that I was called The Hero with No Fear in the Clone Wars."

She stroked my cheek lightly, smiling at me. My vision was still slightly blurred, but I could see her when she was close to me. "You're my hero, Ani. You always have been."

"You're my heroine, Snips."

She chuckled. I heard a door open and she looked away from me to see the visitor. "Obi-Wan!"

I heard him laugh. "Of course. I heard about what happened. How is he?"

"He's in a lot of pain. I told him he's not allowed to move very much or to speak. We're talking through our bond."

"I see," he whispered. He came closer to me and I struggled to raise my hand towards him. It was difficult because I didn't know exactly where he stood. I felt him grip my hand and he came closer to my face. "Rest, little brother. I'm here with Ahsoka." I tried to tell him that I was glad to see him, but the only words that escaped my lips were garbled. I closed my eyes in frustration. I felt him tighten his grip. "It's all right, Anakin. Once we get you some bacta, everything will be back to normal soon. Don't frustrate yourself, okay?"

"Tell him I'm sorry," I whispered into the bond.

"What are you sorry for?"

"Not being able to talk to either of you properly."

"Don't be sorry. Kaeyn did this to you."

"Is my jaw broken?"

"No. It's just a little fractured. There's nothing that one night in a bacta tank can't fix."

"Ugh, that sounds wonderful. Floating forever in water."

She laughed, running her hands through my hair. "It'll wash the blood away, that's for sure."

"I'm still covered in blood?"

"Ali went to grab rags. She said she'd be back shortly to –" The door opened again and Ahsoka looked up. "Ali, where did you find bacta?"

"I always kept some. I secretly had the Republic transporting crates to me just in case something like this should happen."

"I'm sure Ani appreciates that you had some," she laughed. I opened my eyes, staring up at her. She looked down at me, lightly stroking my cheek again. She smiled lovingly at me as she showed her affection.

I lifted my other hand to see it shaking. She grabbed it and held it up to her face. "I love you, Ahsoka," I whispered into the bond.

She closed her eyes, smiling as I slowly moved my fingers across her skin. "I know you do, Ani. I love you so much. I'm so thankful to have you in my life."