Author Note: I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and for your support. I really appreciate all of the comments.

Chapter 10:

For the first time in a month, Breha did not wear her traditional red gown. The official period for mourning was over and so the ceremonial outfits had to be put away. She felt strange and uncomfortable again wearing the gowns that she wore before her world collapsed. She felt like she was wearing clothes that belonged to some other woman.

Breha realized that they did belong to someone else, someone who had a family to love and a people to protect. That woman was no more, and the person that replaced her did not feel comfortable wearing someone else's clothes.

She stared at herself in the mirror, and did not recognize the woman seen in the reflection. While she looked like a queen, her bearing was certainly not regal. Breha noticed that she was slouching slightly, something that she never did before. She was weighed down with the burden of being the lone survivor of the holocaust that destroyed her family.

She knew that Leia was still alive on Vader's ship, but her precious daughter was so far away. She had heard a rumor that the Devastator was preparing to return to Coruscant, and with that, all hope of seeing her little girl again was snatched away. Leia would be permanently removed from the world and the life that she had before. Breha wondered if, in the future, the girl would have any memories left of her life on Alderaan. She wanted to hope that would be the case, but she dared not.

Hope had been cruel to her, and Breha refused to allow it inside her heart again. After Bail's execution, she had held onto the hope that the art dealer that her husband told her to get in contact with would somehow be holding some kind of miracle. He did not, and she hated the man for it.

Hate--hate was something that Breha once believed that one should never let rule their heart because it would only cause more pain. She now scoffed at those naïve and childish beliefs. Pain was inevitable, no matter what philosophies one clung to. She hated Vader for taking Leia from her and killing her husband, she hated Jesko Sarin for not being the miracle that she believed he would be, and she hated Moff Fius Malix for his very existence.

Malix was the personification of everything she hated about the Empire. He was a brutal tyrant that hid under the very thin guise of a caring ruler. He was a true believer in the Imperial way and read everything the Emperor ever wrote almost like they were religious doctrines.

She heard reports from her handmaidens that he regularly quizzes members of the palace staff on everything from Imperial protocol to trivia about the high-up members of the Emperor's staff. One security officer had even been detained by Malix's personal guard for three hours for not knowing the exact date of the Emperor's election to the office of Supreme Chancellor. In those three hours, he was lectured personally by Malix regarding "the benefits of being fully knowledgeable of the glorious history of our Empire."

Most of the palace staff had come to the conclusion that, along with being a tyrant, Malix was completely insane. Breha had no trouble believing that, she had spent enough time with the governor to form that opinion early. However, she knew that it was a mistake to dismiss him as just a crazy man; he was much more dangerous than that.

The queen turned from the mirror and sat down wearily. She had only been awake for a couple of hours and was already beginning to tire. Whatever was wrong with her was not getting any better. She knew that she should see a doctor about her condition but she could not find the courage. Breha suspected that it would not make a difference.

She remembered, before his death, that her own father was always tired. She was so young when he passed away that she never was told what was wrong with him; her mother never wanted to talk about it. Whatever it was, Breha was certain that she had it too. It's just as well; if I die I won't have to endure Malix's leer anymore, or his touch.

Breha was painfully aware what Malix wanted from her. Along with her full cooperation in governmental matters, he wanted other things--things that the queen could hardly think about without being ill. He made his intentions perfectly clear the day of Bail's funeral. She shuttered as she remembered the feel of his hand briefly caressing her face. Malix told her that he had every right to take whatever he wanted, including her. The worst part about it was that he was right.

If he ever did force himself on her, there would be no place for her to turn. It was not as if she could have him arrested. Alderaan was now fully subject to the law of the Empire, and that law stated that Imperial Moffs had absolute authority to do as they pleased as long as they did not cause any trouble for the Emperor.

Breha knew that her guards and handmaidens would never allow Malix to harm their queen. If he ever did something so extreme, and they caught wind of it, she knew that they would do whatever it took to protect her; therein lay her problem. If her staff did protect her, they would all be killed and Alderaan would suffer even greater.

So far, the general population had been spared the usual horrors that accompanied most Imperial occupations. Malix had kept the stormtroopers reigned in, a fact that the hated governor never ceased to keep reminding her. In that, was his unspoken, but very much implied, promise that her people would surely suffer if she refused any of his demands. Is my dignity and pride worth the suffering of my people?

Help me, please someone help me. Breha had never been particularly religious; throughout her life she had given little attention to the gods of her people. Over the last month, she had found herself praying more than ever--praying for help, praying that Malix would go away, and praying for death. So far, death seemed to be her only escape. Please, divine ones, take me now.

Vader could not stall anymore; he would have to return to the capital. He knew that this day was coming, but he did not like the idea of his daughter having an audience with his master. If he had it to do over again, he would have tried to hide Leia from Sidious while he trained her in secret, even though it would have been almost impossible.

There was nothing he could do to prevent Leia meeting Lord Sidious; he hoped that the training he had given her would be enough to prepare her. He had been tough on her to make her strong, but it was nothing compared to what his master could do.

As Vader saw it, there were three possible outcomes to the meeting. The first outcome was the Emperor allowing Leia to stay in Vader's custody, the second was Leia being taken by the Sith master and him training her personally, and the third possible outcome was him killing the girl.

Vader was almost certain that Sidious would never train Leia personally, but it was very possible that he would see her as too much of a threat and kill her. The apprentice did not know what he would do if his master wanted to destroy Leia. He decided that he would do what he could to convince Sidious of her future worth; and if that did not work, he would decide then if he would challenge his master over her.

Leia was not only his daughter, but she was Vader's key to taking his master's power. If she was trained to be loyal to him, she could be a very powerful apprentice. Still, that was many years away; Vader knew that he would have to tread carefully for a long time before he could act. Then, he would finally be the master, and he would have his daughter ruling by his side.

This was the role that Leia was born for--a role that should have been Padmé's before Kenobi poisoned his wife's mind and made her betray her husband. Despite his power, Vader knew that he would never be satisfied unless his former master lay dead at his feet.

He was now convinced that Padmé and Kenobi were having an affair behind his back. Sidious had suggested it several times, and over the years, the idea became more and more likely. What Vader was not sure of was whether Padmé was a willing participant or did Kenobi use mind tricks against her. While he remembered that his wife's mind was very strong and could withstand most forms of manipulation, he knew that no mind was impenetrable. He was always jealous; of course he would want to take everything that belonged to me--first Padmé, then Leia.

Every time Vader thought about how his daughter was hidden from him, rage filled him so completely that it was hard for him to not explode. Despite his efforts, Leia had not stopped thinking about the Organas and every time she did, the Sith wanted to kill Bail Organa all over again. I let him die too easily; I should have tortured his wife as well.

Despite Leia's stubbornness, a trait he had to admit that she got from him, there was much progress with her. The brainwashing she had been subjected to was finally beginning to melt away. Very soon, the pacifist philosophies that his daughter was taught to weaken her would be a very distant memory. In thought and deed, she would be fully Sith.

Over the last few days, Vader had been working on strengthening Leia's mental shielding and her Force bond with him. Those things would be necessary when she met the Emperor. He also was making sure that she learned about the history of the Sith and their philosophies. He wanted his master to be impressed with her training, and her potential.

He watched out the window as the Devastator left Alderaan's orbit and went into hyperspace. There was only a little time left before Leia would meet with the Emperor, and her father was going to make use of that time. Vader quickly left the bridge and headed for Leia's quarters; she had more training.

"Your Highness, I'm so glad to see you here." Moff Malix looked up from his desk at the queen's arrival and smiled broadly. He stood up and quickly crossed the large office to stand before her.

Wanting the meeting to be short, Breha decided to be polite but terse. "Governor Malix, I am here for the scheduled meeting."

"Oh yes, that." He gestured dramatically, "Come in, welcome to my office. This is the first time you've been in here since I occupied this space, isn't it?"

He welcomes me into rooms in my own palace; I hate him so much. Usually, their meetings were held in the main conference room, but Malix insisted on this one being in his office. They were not alone. Along with Zara and two of the palace guards, there were three stormtroopers on guard, plus six more out in the hallway. "Yes, it is."

"Well, consider this my official welcome. Remember, my door is always open if you ever need anything." Without warning, Malix took Breha's arm and led her to the window. He pointed out to the lush greenery of Alderaan. "I think the amazing view is the best feature of this room, and that is why I chose it." The governor had been given a large suite of rooms inside the palace for him and his guards. However, the original rooms that he was given was deemed "unfit" and he chose another set of rooms "more fitting" for someone of his "position."

Subtlety extracting herself from his grip, Breha hid her disgust at being touched by him. This was something that he had been doing more of lately. Every time she saw him, it seemed, Malix was always grabbing her hand or taking her arm to lead her places. Gone was any respect for her rank and position as queen. "Yes, the view is lovely. What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?"

Malix turned away from the window and gestured to one of the chairs of the large conference table in the middle of the room. "Please sit down, we have much to discuss."

With her handmaiden and guards looking on, Breha reluctantly took the offered seat and waited for Malix to begin. When the governor sat down, he picked up a datapad that had been lying on the table and scanned its contents for a few moments. Finally, he handed it to the queen. "Here, take a look at this proposal. I wanted your thoughts on the matter."

Breha took the datapad; she was relieved that Malix seemed to be all-business today. However, her relief was gone when she examined what was there. The datapad contained a three-day travel itinerary visiting multiple communities on Alderaan itself and its many colonies in nearby systems. According to the information provided, both she and Malix would be taking the trip together. "Why are we taking a trip?"

The governor gave the queen a look that could only be described as pitying. "Your Highness, don't you remember when I told you a few weeks back how you and I should personally visit areas around Alderaan? I know how much your people love you and I thought that a few speeches by their believed monarch would do much to convince the people to give their full support to the Empire."

Breha remembered Malix mentioning something like that when he first arrived on the planet. He wanted her to legitimize his rule with the Alderaanian people. Not knowing what to do, the queen originally stalled to keep from having to say yes or no; either choice was bad. If she said no, Malix might decide that it was necessary to be harsh with her people; and if she agreed to go with him, Breha would be a collaborator. She could no longer stall. "Yes, Governor Malix, I remember."

He smiled, "Great, I feared the stress of the last month had taken a toll; I'm glad to see that it hasn't." Malix then took the datapad. "So, what do you think? If you have any suggestions on other places we could go, I would be happy to hear them. While I feel that I have gotten to know your people well in the last month, I must admit that you are the expert between us regarding Alderaanians."

If Breha was not so beaten down by life and her circumstances, she would have been righteously outraged that Malix assumed she would sell out her own people so quickly. She remembered, weeks ago, being angry at the governor's request; now, things were different. The queen did not have the energy to be outraged. Still, she decided she would at least fake at being strong for the sake of her people. "Governor, I did not consent to this...trip."

Malix frowned, "I thought I made it clear to you; forgive me if I wasn't as direct as I needed to be. Your consent was not required for me to plan this trip. Your Highness, you will come with me."

"So, you expect me to betray my own people by fully cooperating with everything you do, and like it. I am to just hand over my people for you to do whatever it is you wish. Is that what is expected of me?"

The governor signed dramatically and shook his head, "Please, you were doing so well. Why are you trying to make things hard on yourself, and your people?"

The queen stood up, "How dare you do this!"

With rage in his eyes, Malix rose to look the queen directly in her eyes. "I would suggest you reconsider the way you address a personal representative of the Emperor."

Breha was afraid, but she refused to back down. "I am not one of your underlings, I am the queen. You will address me as such."

Malix began to laugh; it was a cold and evil chuckle that froze Breha's blood. "I think you have forgotten. You are only queen in the eyes of your people. To the Emperor, the only one that matters, I am in complete control of this world. I will treat you as well, or as badly, as I see fit. Do you understand this, or do I need to say it again in simpler terms?"

The queen could see that Zara and her guards were very nervous, and it looked like they were each inwardly debating on whether or not to intervene. Breha had given them strict orders to not interfere unless Malix was violent. She wished that they were not here to see this humiliation she was experiencing. Her anger was growing, so much that Breha did not think before the next words came out of her mouth. "You are a pathetic excuse for a man."

Breha suddenly felt Malix's hard slap against her cheek. Shocked, and in pain, she barely had time to react as her guards and Zara sprung into action to defend their queen. The governor called for his guards and the room very quickly filled with stormtroopers, each aiming their weapons at her staff. The queen knew that she had to stop the situation from getting even more out of control. "Wait, please stop."

Malix turned to the queen; the malicious glare that she received was so frightening that she took a few steps backward. She understood that she was staring in the face of pure evil. Breha knew at that moment that someone was going to die; she hoped that it would be her. "Apparently you have been lax in your responsibility of teaching your staff proper protocol."

"Governor, please do not do this."

His smile returned, but there was nothing friendly about it. "I don't think you truly believed me when I said I had complete control. My dear, it is a lesson you will learn well." Malix turned to look at those being held by stormtroopers. "Still, I've always been a merciful man."

The governor took the sidearm that he always carried out and shot one of the guards. Gasps could be heard from Breha and her handmaiden as he fell dead on the floor. "Remember this day, my dear. This was the only time I will be merciful to you or any of your staff that oppose me in any way. When you think about this man, I want you to remember that you were the one who killed him. Your actions are the reason why he is dead. Don't ever forget that."

Breha could no longer fight the tears from coming down. "Why? He was only doing his job."

Ignoring her question, Malix walked closer to the queen and lightly caressed her face. "Now, I want you to apologize for insulting me and for allowing your staff to attack me. If you don't, your beloved handmaiden is next."

Knowing that she had little choice, Breha hung her head in a submissive pose. "I truly apologize."

Malix nodded, "Good." He then addressed the stormtroopers, "Take that body away and release the other two. Also, I want two of you to escort the queen back to her living quarters." He turned to the queen as she was being herded out of the room, "We are leaving tommorow. Have that handmaiden of yours pack suitable clothing for the occasion; I want you to look your best when you go before the Alderaanian people."

If it was any ordinary situation, Leia would have been thrilled to be on Imperial Center. She had wanted to go to the capital as long as she could remember, but her parents never allowed it. They weren't my parents, I have to stop thinking of them like that.

Leia looked up at her father as they were waiting in the throne room's antechamber for the Emperor to summon them inside. She hoped that he did not catch her thinking about the Organas, but she did not need to worry. He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts.

She knew that Vader did not want to bring her before the Emperor; and that reason alone made Leia very nervous. Her father was so strong so she knew to be afraid of anyone that could affect him like this. Of course, he would never admit that he was afraid, but Leia knew that he was.

"Father, how much longer do you think it'll be?" Leia asked, wanting to break the silence between them.

"I do not know, my daughter; you must remain patient."

A shot of annoyance went through her; Leia hated being patient. As her father had taught her, she held tightly onto the feeling and fed it until it grew into anger. Then, when it was at its highest, Leia used it to feed her power within her. Vader had taught her this technique to use any anger or frustration as a sort of fuel reserve to be able to manipulate the Force when needed. He was very pleased that his daughter had learned the technique so quickly and easily.

"What is he like?"

Vader regarded Leia for a moment, as if he was not sure how to answer. "He is the Emperor. You will treat him as such."

"He is your master, isn't he?" Ever since Leia had begun learning about the history of the Sith order, she had wondered if her father was the master or apprentice. By the things he had said, and the way he was acting, she began to believe the latter.

"Yes."

Leia could feel her father's anger building, but it was not directed at her. "I thought Darth Bane declared that there should only be two, a master and an apprentice. If I am trained as a Sith, that would make three."

Vader did not have time to answer the question, the large doors of the Emperor's throne room opened and he ushered Leia into the room. Remembering everything her father told her about what was expected, she held her head high as she walked beside him, hoping to draw from some of his strength. She saw a shriveled and cloaked man sitting on the throne staring at her with an unreadable expression.

Immediately, just like her father had warned her, she felt a foreign presence inside her mind. It was not her father, she knew it must have been the old man sitting before her. Calling on all her training, she dropped her mental shields on certain areas of her mind, but strengthened them in others.

In unison, Father and daughter knelt before him and lowered their heads in a show of submission. Leia felt her father's reassuring presence inside her mind. She was glad that she was not facing this alone.

Vader spoke, "What is thy bidding, my master?"