Chapter XI: Dreams

The last few months had strangely been some of the happiest in a really long time for Padmé and Anakin; though there wasn't a day Padmé didn't feel uneasy while thinking of her children, Anakin had too much confidence on his twins to even think something could happen to them, and he always told Padmé, "They're too powerful, my love. And Leia is being taken care of. While Luke's just being a rebellious teenager. I'm sure is just a phase. He'll grow out of it."

"I don't know, Anakin. You didn't see him those last few months he was here. This is my fault actually. I should've known. He was looking so strange, and I didn't do anything."

"Don't trouble yourself about it. Besides, soon that won't matter. When Leia brings him back."

"Maybe you're right…"

Naboo's morning looked beautiful from queen Amidala's balcony. She sat there with her husband behind her, and they just stayed there in peace, mostly in silence. At that moment they felt like a normal couple, one who's been together for many years, who knows the other person better than they know themselves. And every kiss they shared was like heaven, immensely sweet and passionate.

It had been a long time since Padmé saw Vader, too. Which was probably the main reason of her joy. Anakin hadn't gone to Coruscant since Leia left, and he just managed business from their castle, while a lot of the empire's affairs were left in the hands of imperial officers.

"Aren't you hungry? Do you want to go down to have breakfast?" the emperor asked his wife.

"Yes, I am hungry. But, why don't we eat here on our room? That way we will also enjoy the view."

"As you wish," he said with a smile.

The day kept going uneventful for the couple, later Anakin enjoyed watching the queen on her garden as she picked up flowers to bring them inside.

But like always, they can't be left alone, and business was calling the emperor.

"That can wait," Anakin said and his wife smiled at him.

"My lord, it's apparently very important. The message came from the capital as an urgent matter."

Anakin had really neglected his work for quite some time.

"I tell you it will have to wait."

"You can go, Anakin," Padmé said. "We can see each other at dinner."

"No. It's probably something about the rebellion, and I don't want to worry about that now."

A sad cloud seemed to cover her happy features, it was still hard to accept they were under another war.

"I actually want to know about that. Do you mind if I join you?"

He also lost his smile. "Padmé, I don't want you to trouble your mind over anything, please let me handle it."

"All right, but if it's anything serious, you will tell me?"

"Of course. I could always use the advice of a shrewd politician."

He kissed her and went to his office, little did he know, someone was expecting him.

Someone he knew well and for a long time, and who he used for several missions throughout the years of the Skywalker Empire.

But he hadn't call him in a really long time, so what could Jango's son want now?

He asked.

"Lord Vader," Bobba Fett said. "I figured you would call me soon, so I arrived uninvited to save us time."

Anakin was confused. What was the man talking about?

Why must he come when the emperor has so much to catch up on?

Anakin went through the messages from Coruscant—so many things he didn't give a damn about.

He decided to wait for the bounty hunter to leave before watching the blue holograms, in the meantime, he could pretend to look busy while going through some papers.

Boba appeared unperturbed by the emperor's lack of interest. "You probably have people after them already" he said. "But I can assure you, I know that guy's ship, and I can find them faster."

Now what was he babbling about?

Well, he let him talk and he read the messages: The rebellion attacked several imperials, the war is intensifying and…

What!?

Princess Leia's ship…

Seriously, what!?

"The kidnapper's name is Han Solo," Bobba Fett went on, and if he noticed the change in Anakin's face as he read that piece of paper, he didn't seem to care.

Princess Leia's ship set course to the Outer Rim where a battle between imperials and rebels was taking place. The ship fell under attack, crashed into the planet Tatooine where the Empire is not recognized. The crew was murdered, there appeared to be no survivors…

Message sent, two weeks ago.

Anakin looked as if he were ready to pass out, never had his face looked whiter before, and he would've spoken, he would've done something, if he had anything other than pain inside. There was not even room for anger…yet.

"I will go after him, sir. As soon as you tell me."

"What… what are you…" he couldn't form a sentence.

"I saw him take the princess, sir."

Suddenly Anakin's mind seem to cool.

"You saw the princess?"

"Yes, sir. In Mos Eisley."

"And she was well?"

"She looked fine. Well, as much as a person can in that planet."

"Was she alone?"

"Han Solo was there with his friend Chewbacca."

"Who are those people?"

"Smugglers. Han Solo owes money to the crime lord Jabba the Hutt, I heard Solo say that he was taking the princess out of Tatooine, and that he would get the money from her, to pay his debts."

"Tatooine…"

Now that the princess' life was ensured, he could think clearly, still it took him time to SPEAK clearly.

"You know the ship of that criminal?" he said, now fully Vader.

"Yes, sir. I was actually hired already by Jabba the Hutt to capture captain Solo. His ship is the Millennium Falcon, and is a damn fast machine, sir. Though I'm sure, I'll find them."

"If you do find him," Vader said, coldly. "Bring him to me, first. Alive. I will deal with him."

"Yes, sir."

"Go immediately."

"Yes, sir."

And after putting a price on the neck of that kidnapper, Vader dismissed the bounty hunter.

He sank into his chair and gave sigh after sigh. Now both of them were missing. But they were alive, and that was the most important thing. Of course, he wouldn't leave his daughter's fate in the hands of a bounty hunter, no matter how effective he had proven to be, so the next day, he would go himself on his ship—what he should've done long ago—and get both of his children.

He wanted to wait as much time as possible, so when he entered Padmé's bedroom, she wouldn't have to see Vader. But, man was it hard.

Now that everything was planned he couldn't help but to feel a desire for destroying everything in sight. The rebellion! He cried, that rebel scum almost cost him his daughter!

He had decided that they would be crushed long ago, but before he only thought of them as a fly on his coffee, something insignificant he could disregard. He couldn't do that anymore. Now, he would have to take them seriously.

They were more than a problem now, they were his biggest problem, and he wouldn't show mercy—not that he had before.

At last, he entered Padmé's private rooms, and he saw her, she was still up. She had been waiting for him. Oh, bless her heart forever! She quickly moved to give him space next to her in the bed, and he did so, putting on a fake smile, but no matter how much he tried to disguise his emotions, Padmé could see right through him.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

He simply couldn't tell her of what happened to Leia. That would destroy her and he couldn't stand to see her suffer, and since she soon would be found, what was the point of robbing her of her tranquility and sleep?

"It's that damn civil war," technically that wasn't a lie, since that also was worrying him. "More battles and more death every day, Padmé. I never thought I'd lived to see another war."

"It's getting serious. I am afraid it could reach us here in Naboo."

"I'd never let that happen."

"I know, but remember… remember when we thought Coruscant was untouchable—"

"Let's not think of those days," he said, tiredly. "I'll be going to the capital tomorrow to see what's going on, and how it is that the rebellion has gained so much strength. I will deal with that tomorrow."

"But, what if…"

"Tomorrow. Let's not think of anything at all. For now, please. I'm tired, darling. So very tired."

Her face showed sympathy and understanding. "Come here," she said, and he placed his head on her breast, finding comfort and happiness there. She stroked his hair lovingly, and got him to talk of only pleasant things.

"How amazing is she," Anakin thought. "She can always cure whatever wrong in my world."

"I love you," he said, taking her human hand and kissing it.

"I love you too," she said, putting her lips on his and falling asleep.

The Skywalker castle in Naboo slept soundly. On her room, the queen couldn't even dream of any danger that could come to her. She only feared for other people, she thought with guilt of how everyone in the galaxy was so much less fortunate than her.

She knew there was a civil war happening, she knew a rebellion had broken; there must've been a reason for those people to be so against the empire, but she was blind to see it.

There's no way she could ever imagine how hated she was outside of Naboo.

There was no way she could think herself in jeopardy.

It is always those who have their guards low, who are easier of attacking.

And the more unexpected the attack is, the more satisfying for those who rebel.

There were guards surrounding the castle, but not one of them could've prevent the rebels from raiding it; they walked in freely with their weapons, ready to smash Queen Amidala into a million pieces.

"Death to the Queen!" they were all chanting.

And when they reached her bedroom, she was all alone. Her husband had gone out, he was in some distant planet, yet he would sense her death, as strongly as if he were an inch from her, witnessing it.

The rebels showed as much mercy as Darth Vader ever did—so you know, no mercy at all.

Anakin's heart was beating like only once or twice before in his life. He was covered in sweat and he had a thousand bitter tears in his eyes. He got up and contemplated his wife, who was sleeping soundly, unaware of her future doom.

"No…!" Vader repeated in his troubled head, over and over again. "Not again!"

If he went to sleep he saw that same dream—nightmare—and each time it was more vivid and detailed. He wouldn't ever sleep again after that.

In the morning, Padmé was getting ready to say goodbye to her husband, since she thought he was still leaving to deal with all the conflict, but he affirmed he wouldn't leave now. It was of no importance, he just couldn't leave her.

Oh, he thought bitterly, at least last time he knew how much time he had, to act (the nine months of pregnancy). But now? Oh, it could come at any time!