Hola everyone! Thanks for the previous reviews! :) Okay, so I decided to introduce another OC into the story just for the heck of it. For those not well-versed in the Clone Wars TV series, the OC is a cousin of a senator named Tal Merrik who got killed by Anakin Skywalker. I tried to make sure that she doesn't turn out to be a Mary Sue but she's not a very significant character in the story so I'm not going to stress making her perfect. And NO there will be no romance between her and Grievous. Also, I am in the process of helping a friend of mine rewrite a fic so I may update not as regularly but I will do what I can. Anyway, R&R and please enjoy the chapter!

Innocence is Blind

Chapter 11 Governess Roma Merrik

(Borealia – the next day: morning)

"The clouds of the world maybe gray but the sunshine in your heart should never ever go away…"

Grievous was just about to knock on the door to Celia's cabin. On the other side of the door, he heard the locket music and her singing. The cyborg took a step closer to the door so he could listen to the lyrics of the music that had so entranced him almost two days earlier.

"Monsters may scare you but just remember who loves you. Always look back on the love and think of the spring."

Then the music abruptly died and Celia stopped singing. He must've arrived at her door just as the song was ending.

"I miss you, Mommy and Daddy…" She was talking to herself. "I have sunshine in my heart again. I have a new friend!"

He didn't want to hear her say that at all because he knew exactly whom she was referring to. He scoffed, shocked and disgusted that she'd consider him her friend and companion. Grievous knew it was quite unhealthy for her to see him in that light. In his mind, he was no one's friend. It wasn't because he didn't want them: it was due to the fact he didn't want anyone to get close to him. And of all lifeforms, why did it have to be a sweet, naïve and loving little girl?

"Celia," he tapped a finger on the door.

The General heard her gasp in glee and delight. There was the sound of her feet on rushing across the floor as she sprinted to the door. The door unlocked and there he saw her with an enormous smile on her face.

"Good morning," she said happily.

"Good morning," he repeated. "Did you have a good night's rest, child?"

"Yes. I listen to my locket when I get up in the morning and before I go to bed. It puts me in a good mood. Did you sleep good?"

"Because of my current state and body, I don't need to sleep."

She gasped.

"You stay up all night?" Celia asked. "Why aren't you a zombie?"

"It doesn't bother me at all," he explained. "In a way, it's kind of convenient when one doesn't need sleep."

"That's creepy." Her little shoulders then shrugged. "Can I have breakfast, please?"

"Yes, you may."

There was a lone B1 walking past them in the corridor. Grievous grabbed its arm and the droid screeched in fright.

"I didn't do anything!" the mechanical solider blurted.

"Shut up, you scrap heap," Grievous' golden eyes narrowed. "I need you to escort Celia to the galley: in one piece. If I find out something happened to her on your watch, I will personally disassemble you with my bare hands!"

"I won't fail! I just got off the assembly line! I'm too young to die!"

"I'll be good, don't worry," she promised. "I know to be good."

"Very well then," Grievous acknowledged and released the droid. "And I want you to listen to this droid and stay by it. I will see you shortly."

"Okay, Grievous." She looked at the droid. "Come on, Mr. Battle Droid! I want to eat!"

With a nonexistent smirk, the Kaleesh watched as Celia and her companion trekked down the hall. He had to admit, she was much more obedient and easy to control now. It was also apparent that she had adapted to her new and temporary home. And he still needed to search for a family for her…

"General Grievous, sir," a MagnaGuard's deep yet electrical voice buzzed.

Sighing in annoyance, he turned around to face his bodyguard.

"What?" he asked. Clearly, he didn't want to be bothered.

"There is a Human female standing outside the ship. She claims that she needs to see you for diplomatic purposes."

One of his eyes cocked. Every day was a brand new adventure with these droids and orphans.

"Is that so?" he said. "Who is she?"

"She says her name is Roma Merrik," the wardroid explained. "She says she was sent here by Count Dooku."

At that point, Grievous understood the point of the visitor's presence. He mentally face palmed himself.

"The governor is a governess," he said. "Ugh, and I must endure her presence already. I was hoping no governor was going to arrive until another week… Let's get this done and over with."

(A few minutes later – outside The Invisible Hand)

Governess Roma Merrik had to explain herself again. She ran her hands through her ginger hair and rolled her gray eyes. It was tiresome to explain to these droids again and again her being there.

"I was given orders from Count Dooku himself to become the governess of this planet," she repeated for what felt like the tenth time. "I'm not a Republic spy! I'm certainly not some infiltrator like my late cousin!"

"You look sketchy, lady," a battle droid raised its blaster rifle. "Are you really telling the truth?"

"Yes, for the tenth time, yes!"

"Disperse, you fools!"

The booming voice made the battle droids flee immediately. Roma jumped within her cerulean and goldenrod robes but quickly composed herself. She stood straight and prepared herself. Since she left her homeworld a few hours earlier, she had to mentally brace herself for meeting with the infamous droid general.

Grievous arrived onto the scene, escorted by no droid. Governess Merrik held her head up but retained her polite and suave demeanor. All her political training would have to help her negotiate with this explosive soul and try to instill a new regime on Borealia.

"General Grievous, it is a great honor and pleasure to finally meet our rebellion's worthiest warrior," she said cordially. Roma bowed, showing respect.

"I presume you are the one Count Dooku sent?" he eyed her, trying to figure out if she was just another snobby Separatist politician.

"Yes, sir. I am Governess Roma Merrik. The Count did notify you that I would be on my way, am I correct?"

"Yes, he did but he never did tell me when you'd arrive. He likes to play games like that with me frequently. If I had some idea of when you'd arrive, the reception would be less frustrating."

"Perhaps I should've notified you myself… I apolo-…"

"Don't apologize for anything." He paused. "How old are you, Governess? You seem to be young. I was expecting an elder individual."

"I'm twenty one, General."

"That is commendable…" He just remembered his eldest child, Ronderu Sheelal, a girl, was the same age. "I congratulate you. The name Merrik sounds familiar to me…"

"My elder cousin was Tal Merrik. He was a Confederate sympathizer and he worked as a spy. He was killed a year earlier by a Jedi."

"I am sorry for your loss."

"I expected that to happen. I never really cared for Tal because he was quite unpleasant but he was still family. But anyway, may I come aboard your ship?"

"Certainly."

Grievous turned around and began to walk up to the ship's entrance. Roma jogged up to his side, nearly tripping over her robes. She had expected him to at least let her walk by his side as was political custom but she reminded herself this was a warrior: not a politician. So she could make an honest exception.

The many horror stories of his wrath and impatience with politics ran through her mind and she prayed she would be left in one piece at the end of this process. And the young governess hoped that politeness and patience would aid her. She couldn't blow it and she had to prove to Dooku that despite her age, she was a capable and promising politician within the Separatist Congress.

(Twenty minutes later…)

"So what government do you intend to set up?" Grievous interrogated. "Do you have your own idea, Governess, or has Dooku already transcribed something for you?"

"Count Dooku told me he wants to do construct a new government from scratch," Roma revealed. "He told me to think of it all as a test to prove my merit."

"Is that so? Well I certainly wish you the best of luck, Miss Merrik. I will aid you as duty calls me to do so for a governor but I can only help institute order on this planet for so long until I must move elsewhere."

"I am fully aware of that, General. I appreciate your support and I will value it while it will last. I do not mean to arrogant but by the time you leave, I believe I will have control of the situation."

"No, you don't sound arrogant. You sound confident and that's good. You must be confident if you are to become this planet's governor."

"I suppose…"

"Am I safe to assume that you have sleeping quarters on your shuttle?"

"Yes. I will not trouble you or your crew by taking up quarters here."

Grievous stopped in his footsteps and gave Roma his undivided attention. She felt uneasy as his eyes studied her but she couldn't let him know that.

"You are quite the unusual Separatist politician, Governess," he said. "All the ones I am accustomed to dealing with are rude, greedy, filthy cowards. It's quite unusual to see one so polite and humble especially when they are in my presence." He scoffed. "No doubt it's fear that keeps you so mellow and pleasant."

"Not at all, General," Roma lied a little. She did have some fear of him but she admired him at the same time. "It's just my nature and my approach to success, that's all. I believe that one should be a sensitive and understanding yet strong politician if one is to have success. True, I admit I am not like the others… My cousin Tal was one of them and I despised him for his cruelty. I promised myself that I would never turn out like him."

"Is that so?" Hardness returned to his eyes once again. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble but I know politics are not like that, Governess. It's all about cutthroats, shady business and money. Your ideals and visions are admirable but ill suited. If you do not develop a tougher hide, they will eat you alive in the Congress. And if you are dealing with miscreants, like this planet's inhabitants, you will be deposed, executed and thrown into a ditch."

Roma was taken aback by his words. She had failed to shroud the small amount of shock on her face. She blinked and momentarily averted her gaze from him. The young woman was a little angered by his words but she saw some kernels of truth in them. It was true: politics especially during this war, were quite deadly. But at the same time, she was minimally irked when he lectured her on politics while he was a warrior with virtually no interests in that field.

"I thank you for your consideration, General," she resumed, "but I think I will find my own way and learn from my mistakes as time goes on. I must learn to take a chance and be bold. I will heed your warnings though. However, I wonder if the Borealians are miscreants…"

"They will not yield to Separatist power," said Grievous. "I was trying to negotiate with the King but he decided to try to kill me. I had to defend myself and kill him, the Queen and the remaining guards."

"That may be the royal family's fault to accept defeat honorably but they may not necessarily be a reflection of their people. To become a successful governor of a newly conquered world, one must be stern yet comforting to the populace. With this method, they will gain your admiration and they will see the Confederacy as not an evil entity. And I personally believe that too. I abandoned my homeworld of Kalevala because I believed it was serving the wrong side."

"Kindness and mercy will get you nowhere when you must be a ruler of a pacified planet. The inhabitants will resist you and you must bring down an iron fist to instill order and fear if necessary. Your rule must be absolute and strong. You have to break them in order to make them obedient citizens."

She knew it would come to this. Roma maintained her calmness.

"Well, we now see where our boundaries lay," she said. "I respect your views even though they don't agree with mine. But I will not let this interfere with our cooperative efforts to bring this planet fully into the folds of the CIS."

"You're a smart one, Governess," the cyborg growled. "If you were a typical senator, representative or what have you, I'd send you back to Count Dooku into quarters."

"What's 'quarters', Grievous?"

Roma gasped out loud when she heard the little girl's voice. Instantly, Grievous spun around, seeing Celia with her hands behind her back. She was looking back at him innocently.

"Celia, leave now," he said in an agitated voice.

"Who is this precious child?" Roma smiled gently. She knelt down so that her eye level matched Celia's. "What's your name, little one?"

Celia sought refuge behind Grievous. Her head poked out slightly and she shyly looked back at the Governess. Quite cross and annoyed, Grievous folded his arms across his chest and tapped his talons on the floor.

"Grievous, who's that lady?" she asked. "She looks like the Queen with her pretty clothes!"

"My name is Roma," the ginger haired girl answered. "May I ask your name?"

"I'm Celia…"

"Pleased to meet you, Celia. Will you come out so I can see you? I promise I won't hurt you." She smiled. "I'm a nice lady."

"I like it here. I feel safe."

"You were never shy," Grievous grimaced. "Go out and say hello."

He placed a hand on the middle of her back and nudged her. Reluctantly, Celia took a few steps closer to Roma.

"You're a very pretty little girl, Celia," Roma commented. "You know the General?"

"Yes," she said sheepishly. "He let me stay here on the ship after my house blew up. He's my friend!"

"Is that so?" Roma smirked inwardly. This was completely unheard of for the cyborg to do. "Did you remember to thank him for being so nice to you?"

"Yes! Of course! I'm not a bad girl."

"I'm very sorry to hear about what happened, Celia."

"Grievous said he was gonna look for a family for me…"

"I wish you luck in that. I'm sure you will find a loving family who will be more than happy to take you in." She then spoke to Grievous. "Does the Count know you are giving temporary shelter to this girl?"

"No," he said shortly. "It was a little secret that was confined to this encampment."

"I promise I won't tell him or anyone else. I won't tear down the reputation you have built up over the decades. You can trust this unusual politician, can't you?"

"If you are an unusual politician, you will keep your word, Merrick. And I will hold you to your promise. If you break it…"

"I understand. I will let you kill me if I speak a word of this to anyone. You have my word and honor." She extended a hand to the mechanical warlord. "May we shake on it?"

He never shook hands. Often, he cut them off. And it was a politician's hand of all things! For a few moments, he looked at her hand, wondering if it really was worth it. He pondered over whether it was easier to kill her and tell Dooku she was killed by droids on the count of misidentification. But Celia was standing right between them. Grievous had no intention or desire to traumatize her impressionable and fragile mind even more.

He raised his clawed hand and grasped Roma's hand. With a brief shake, they sealed the deal.