Chapter 9: Captured
As the days passed and Anakin and Hermione were falling more and more in love, sharing their first true kiss amongst the shimmering backdrop of the gorgeous lake retreat's shimmering waters.
"Oh Anakin" she gushed, as they pulled away from each other, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"I love you Hermione" he told her with a smirk.
"You are everything to me. I want to never leave you" he went on as she smiled.
"Never do. I want you to always be by my side" she told him as he placed one hand on her neck.
"Hermione, I want to show you how much I love you. Though I have to go into Theed and retrieve it" he informed him, while she nervously bit her top lip. "Shouldn't I come with you?" she asked seeing him shake his head.
"No, the marketplace is the perfect place someone could attack us from, if they found us" he explained, however Hermione was still unsure.
"Are you sure it's safe?" she asked, slipping her arms around his waist as he smirked
"I won't be long. No one knows where we are and I'm sure Padme will not reveal our location to anyone" he assured her, lightly kissing her. She felt her legs become limp as she melted in his arms. She thought she'd tried one last time to make him stay longer
"Oh Anakin, do you have to go into the city this morning? I'll miss you" she pointed out as he cheekily smiled.
"Yes, there will be hardly anyone in the marketplace" he answered her before she sighed. "Don't take too long" she giggled as he simply laughed. "I promise you. I won't" he replied
"Trust me, you'll be glad I went. I have a surprise for you" he teased her, departing for the small boat nearby.
"Remain inside until I return. If anyone arrives here, do not talk to them" he instructed her. A final kiss and she sadly watched him leave. Once the boat had disappeared fully from view, she quietly turned back into the retreat, unfortunately, she did not the danger she was about to face.
Close to the water's edge, the death eaters all huddled together, their cloaks hiding their faces. They cautiously eyed the other hooded figure emerging onto the nearby docks.
"I know that figure from somewhere" one spoke as they all watched them moving quickly, using the shadows of the streets for cover.
"I do too but if he is familiar and knows where she is, she's not with him, Lucious" another pointed out
"Should we just grab him?" he asked seeing Lucious agreed.
"Perhaps if we capture him, then Voldemort can use him to draw her and Potter to us" he spoke, in a whisper.
"So, do we go after him?" another asked as Lucious slowly thought of a new plan.
"Yes, but we must keep our distance, so they don't think they're bringing followed" he explained.
"So, five of you go that way and the rest of you with me. We'll corner him off in the marketplace" he ordered them
"Perhaps we'll be able to capture him before these "muggles" can bear witness to our attack" he pointed out. They would not fail for their master.
Living a lie was killing Padme. She hated to lie to her friends and she could tell that she was frustrating her friends, Obi Wan the most. He was becoming more and more suspicious of her each time, he mentioned Anakin or Hermione.
Emerging into the kitchen of her apartment the following morning, Padme found Harry and his friend Ron quietly chatting at the table.
"Good morning" she spoke, seeing them both raise their heads, with Harry getting to his feet.
"Morning Padme" he smiled as she lightly kissed his sweet lips.
"Did you have a good night sleep?" she asked as he shook his head seeing her moving over to the cupboard.
"No, I was just telling Ron of another dream I had last night. This was darker and very real" he explained.
"Dreams are just dreams. They'll simply pass" she assured him, continuing to make herself something to drink before he continued.
"No, something's happening. If we don't find Anakin and Hermione soon, they'll be lost forever" he finished as Padme suddenly stopped but she did not turn around.
"How can you be so sure?" she simply asked.
"Well, Harry's visions are usually not false. He has them for a reason" Ron explained as Padme felt her heart beating faster.
"Yes, but Anakin's has visions many times and they've never come true" she just to argue but Harry was not giving up.
"His visions may be just dreams but Ron's right. These visions I have usually tell of something" he shot back, moving forward, he placed his hand over hers. "Padme, please. If you know where they are, you have to tell us" he pleaded while she felt the tears forming in her eyes.
"I'm sorry Harry" she started, "I….I…..I….promised him I wouldn't say anything!" she cried, dashing from the kitchen. Harry, shocked, turned to his friend.
"She does know" he simply pointed out as Ron nodded in agreement. Now all they needed to find out, is where exactly are Anakin and Hermione.
Somehow the lake retreat felt much quieter than it ever did since she arrived here and it was partly due to the reason that without Anakin, she only realised how much she loved him.
Moving through the quiet halls of the retreat, she entered the comfy and cosy living quarters towards the warm fire. "What have I done?" she asked herself.
"I swore I would never fall in love and yet I've done the exact opposite" she sighed, curling up on one of the plush lounges, she was suddenly startled when the room went into pitch black, except for the orange glow given by the fire.
"Hello?" she called out, "Is someone there?" she added, "Anakin?" she wondered at the same time she heard a sinister laugh
"Ah, Skywalker's new girl" they snarled, "You'll make a fantastic piece of bait when he sees you captive before his eyes" they informed her.
"Who are you!" she demanded, trying to see her way through the room. Knowing she left her wand in the room somewhere
"What are you talking about?" she asked through the darkness.
"You'll find out soon enough" they replied before she suddenly felt a cold hand clamp over her mouth before her vision became blurry and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Having just completed his purchase for Hermione, he sensed that he wasn't alone in this marketplace. He quickly left the vendor, heading towards the back alleyway in attempt to lose whoever was with him.
His lightsaber flew into his hand but he did not ignite it yet. He tried to sense whoever was following him but there was nothing. It was like he had not even met them before.
He turned another alleyway where his bright blue cyan blade hummed to life. "Who's there?" he asked, though the sun was almost up, the alley way was still cast with a dark grey shadow.
"Who are you!" he called out, inching forward before he suddenly stopped. A cloaked figure, whose face was hidden through their black cloak and silver mask loomed before him.
"What do you want? Why are you following me!" he snapped at the figure who simply laughed. "You may be useful in luring your "new" friend to us" they replied. Hermione! He quickly thought of.
"I'll never let you touch her!" he barked, holding his lightsaber before him, blocking a successful parry from his opponent's weapon.
"I'm afraid you have no choice" they laughed. Anakin, so focused on the figure before him, had not sensed the figure approaching from behind, until it was too late. He suddenly whirred around, lightsaber blazing but the death eater held his weapon, similar to what Hermione had, glaring.
"Crucio!" he shouted while another yelled, "Accio weapon!" and his lightsaber went flying as his body experienced pain he had never felt before-like it was on fire. He screamed in agony before he felt his wrists and feet being tied together with thin white straps, which appeared out of thin air.
These attackers were unlike anything he ever faced before and he instantly knew that they were not Sith figures. He felt one yank him up by the back of his hair,
"Where is your friend?" they spat as Anakin shook his head.
"You'll never find her!" he spat before his body seared with more burning pain then blackness.
Harry's vision
Screams erupted throughout the room before she glanced up at the new figures entering the room, with their new prisoner. "Anakin!" she gasped in horror. He looked awful. He didn't even know the kind of pain his kidnappers could inflict on him and vice versa.
She struggled against her binds as she saw him thrown to the floor, raising his head. "Hermione!" he breathed, looking towards the hooded figure near her. "What have you done to her!" he demanded seeing him laugh.
"Ah, Skywalker. She has been tough but it was all to bring you to me" he informed him.
"Pledge your alliance to me and I shall spare her life" he went on.
"I will never fall to the dark side!" he shouted before he heard Hermione's tearful cries as the Sith figure shot quick fast lighting strikes at her body.
"Stop! Leave her alone!" he cried as she tearfully tried to cry out to him.
"Anakin! Don't listen to him! He's going to kill us anyway!" she exclaimed to him as Anakin tried not to watch her suffering this pain as he stopped.
"Well, Skywalker, what will it be? Your girl or the damn Jedi?" he asked…..
End of dream
Obi Wan, Siri and Ron listened intently to Harry's retelling of his sudden vision and what happened at Padme's apartment.
"So she does know. She helped them escape us" Obi Wan concluded.
"And this dream is getting too close. The Sith are trying to bring Anakin over to the dark side and will use Hermione as the pawn" Siri added. Ron was on his feet.
"We can't let them do this! No offence to Anakin but we can't let Hermione die because of him!" he exclaimed as Harry agreed.
"But Hermione cares for Anakin and he cares for her. I don't he'll let anyone bring harm to her" he pointed out as more footsteps could be heard through the gardens and Harry, Ron, Siri and Obi Wan all saw Master and Dumbledore moving towards them. Yoda's face showed expression that something troubling had happened.
"Master Yoda, is something wrong?" Siri asked straight out as Obi Wan went on.
"Has something happened to Anakin and Hermione?" seeing Yoda stop, leaning on his gimer stick, "Dark forces are surrounding all of us at this time. Something terrible has happened to Skywalker and Hermione" he sadly informed them as Harry turned his gaze to Dumbledore.
"Professor, is this true. Voldemort's followers have struck, but where?" he asked,
"How could they know where to find Anakin and Hermione and we don't?" he added as Dumbledore spoke.
"Voldemort has secret plans. He has not gotten to Hermione but to someone close to her" he explained. Siri and Obi Wan exchanged glances.
"Anakin" they both said at the same time before he was on his feet.
"Harry, come with me. We're going to convince a certain Senator to come clean about Anakin and Hermione" he informed him seeing him nod before departing without another word from the Room of a Thousand Fountains straight for Padme's apartment.
Her eyes suddenly snapped open but she found that she couldn't move much. Her hands had placed into a pair of strange cuffs above her head. She quietly allowed a small tear to run down her face.
"Oh Anakin, I'm so sorry" she whispered, knowing that she had broken her promise. She had not kept her wand with her, if she had, she may not be in this mess. "Anakin, where are you?" she whispered as a sudden creepy voice spoke.
"That's what you're here for" they informed her. She shivered in fear. "What do you want with me?" she asked, eyes swelling with tears seeing him edge closer.
"You're going to bring Skywalker to me. He'll return to the retreat to find you missing and desperately search for you" they told her as Hermione shook her head, struggling to hold back her tears.
"Anakin would never fall for your evil plans. He'll defeat you" she firmly told him before she felt a hand slap her right across her face.
"Skywalker has always had one weakness, from the moment I first met him" he coldly informed her before his face broke into a twisted grin.
"Attachments" he informed her. "He's become attached to you and won't rest until you're safe again" he grinned as Hermione furiously shook her head.
"Anakin loves me but he won't fall for your sneaky trap!" she exclaimed before he only just left the small cold room laughing leaving her to quietly sob, wishing Anakin would save her without falling into darkness.
His hands still tied before him, Anakin grunted once more as his body burned in pain again. He didn't know who these people were but now he was absolutely positive that they were not Sith figures. Remember what they told him about Hermione, perhaps they were after her.
Never! He would never let them come near her! He thought to himself as he felt the pain slowing down which allowed to him steady his breathing more. "Are you ready to tell us where your friend is?" a voice asked, in a hiss but Anakin pretended to act innocent.
"I don't know who you're talking about. Even if I did, I still wouldn't tell you" he angrily spat as Voldemort's eyes glared an evil red before spinning around to his servants.
"What is he talking about?" he spat
"You assured me you brought her friend!" he snarled as the figures all huddled back while Wormtail moved forward.
"Master, he is lying. He does know where she is" he spoke with a whisper as Anakin tried to slowly escape the room, though Voldemort was too fast. "Crucio!" he shouted once more as Anakin squirmed in pain before him.
'You tried to lie to me. I cannot allow this" he hissed, kneeling before Anakin. Anakin's eyes widen in fear.
"You will bring your friend to me before I kill you" he informed him. He then rose to his feet, moving over to his servants. "Take him away, until I summon for him once more" he snapped as they nodded, with another two moving for Anakin, roughly grabbing both his arms, pushing him through the door.
Having arrived at Padme's apartment in lighting speed, they found themselves greeted by one of most loyal handmaidens, Dorme and shown into the living room. "3Po, could you please bring our guests some refreshments?" she asked the golden droid who quietly moved off.
"Mistress Padme, should be out in a few minutes" she assured them, quietly moving off. Harry turned to Obi Wan,
"What if she doesn't want to say anything?" he asked, concerned as Obi Wan lowered his head.
"She'll have to. We have to make her see reason, that Anakin and Hermione don't have much time left" he explained. "Your visions are changing constantly and I fear that Master Yoda senses the darkness creeping over" he went on.
"Anakin is grave danger, I sense his pain" he added while Harry raised his head over to the hallway.
"Padme!" he breathed, happy to see her but she just nodded and quietly moved towards them. She wasn't dressed formally. Her hair in gorgeous brown ringlets with her familiar light blue nightdress, still on
"Harry, Obi Wan, what is wrong?" she asked straight out, but quietly and softly embracing before taking a seat. "I don't want to talk about Anakin right now" she admitted but Obi Wan shook his head.
"But Padme, that's what we're here for. We need your help. You need to tell us where you hid them" he snapped as Padme remained composed.
"I'm sorry Master Kenobi. I can't talk about this right now. You wasted yourself a visit here" she informed him before she proceeded towards to the balcony but Obi Wan was too fast, grabbing her right arm.
"Padme, please! Time is running out!" he exclaimed, "And Harry's visions are getting too frequent!" he went on, "We have news that Anakin and Hermione are in danger now!" he finished seeing her trying to break free of his grip at the same time Harry inched forward.
"Padme, please, listen to him. We need to help our friends" he started, "I love you but we both know that we can't lose our friends like this" he went on seeing her starting to cry.
"Look, I can't alright" she cried as Obi Wan kept his grip on her.
"Yes, you can. You can tell where they are" he told her as she continued to cry.
"I can't alright! I just can't!" she exclaimed, breaking free of his grip. She stepped back. "I can't because I don't know where they are! They're not at the lake retreat!" she cried, gasping, hands over her mouth.
"You sent them to Naboo?" Obi Wan asked,
"Why?" Harry added. She sighed
"Anakin came to me shortly after the decision was made to separate Hermione and him. He assured me deeply that he could protect her as long as she was with him. So I sent him to the lake retreat on Naboo. It's secluded and no one knew about it but now…" her voice trailing
"Now what?" Obi Wan asked
"They're missing. Not on Naboo at all. One young maiden at the retreat spoke of lights going out, screaming and when she finally reached the room, no one was there. Hermione was missing and Anakin left for the marketplace earlier and he never returned" she explained. Obi Wan stood there in disbelief as Harry's brown eyes flew from Padme back to Obi Wan, watching them silently, then his mind started once more:
Hermione's tearful pleas for the figure to stop
Anakin's cries as his body was racked with pain of Voldemort's curse
Sidious's laughter as Hermione screamed once more
"Hermione!" Anakin screamed,
"Anakin!" she cried out
"No!" Harry suddenly gasped making both Obi Wan and Padme turn to him,
"What is it?" they both asked at the same time.
"It's happening" he spoke.
"Hermione and Anakin are in horrible danger!" he confessed as Padme gasped.
"What are we going to do? Where could they be?" she asked turning to Obi Wan.
"Harry, can Dumbledore help us find Voldemort?" he asked as Harry nodded.
"He's our best choice" he replied. Padme darted towards her room.
"I'm coming with you. Anakin's my friend and I'm not letting him die" she pointed out. As Obi Wan and Harry watched her darting into the hallway towards her room,
"I only hope we're not too late" Harry muttered causing Obi Wan to turn to him.
"What did you see?" he asked, with a hint of concern in his voice. Harry couldn't bear to look him in the eyes, so he turned his head to look at the buildings outside.
"I saw Anakin and Hermione in grave danger, screaming for each other while dark figures laughed" he informed him as Obi Wan stood, shocked just as Padme came rushing back out.
She was now dressed in her skin white jumpsuit, complete with tall comfortable cream boots and her cloak. Her hair had been done up in a neat tight bun. "Okay, let's get going" she assured them. "3Po and R2 are already heading towards the speeder" she explained as they hurried to catch up with her.
Darth Sidious was not a patience man, he wanted the Sith to rule the galaxy and having the Chosen One by his side would destroy the Jedi Order completely. However his new friend was refusing to cooperate and he was growing tired of her defiance.
Reaching out into the force, he picked up on Skywalker's life force, surrounded by unfamiliar senses. Perhaps we could propose a trade perhaps? He wondered to himself as he sensed their needs.
I need Skywalker alive and him being in their hands will not help my plans he muttered to him.
"Count Dooku" he snarled seeing his older apprentice strolling towards him.
"Yes Master" he spoke with clear confidence.
"Bring the girl to me. It is time we had a nice little chat" he evilly smirked through his black hood.
Next time - What does Darth Sidious have in mind for Hermione and Anakin? Can their friends reach them in time? Is Harry right about trusting Dumbledore to find them both? The dark lords have struck and it will take all of Padme, Obi Wan, Siri, Harry and Ron's strength to save their friends.