The sunlight danced over the gentle waves of the crystal blue lake as it lapped at the warm sand under her feet. The leaves in the trees of the surrounding forest rustled in the soft breeze, harmonizing with the tweets and chirps of the abundant wildlife that called the forest moon of Alderaan home.
Dormè looked down at her wrist chrono and back towards the lake where two children happily frolicked amongst the swell. "It's almost time for lunch you two. Are you hungry?" she called out shielding her eyes from the light.
The small boy flicked his golden hair from his face and glanced over at the handmaiden. "Am I ever!" he exclaimed splashing one last handful of water into his sister's face before high tailing it from the lake.
"That's cheating Luke!" the young girl cried rubbing the water from her eyes in frustration. Her chestnut braids bounced in the breeze as they dripped tiny droplets of water onto her small shoulders. Her hazel eyes sparkled with the rays of light reflecting off the lake as she stared at her brother bolting for the shore. She chased after him, jumping over the waves trying to catch him before he reached the sand.
Luke shook the water from his hair as Dormè patted him dry with the soft towel. "You know I hate it when you do that," she scolded wiping the remaining water from his legs before wrapping the towel around him.
"Sorry aunty Dormè, I forgot," he replied with a mischievous grin on his face watching his sister trudge up the shore.
"What are we having for lunch?" Leia asked as she dug her toes into the warm sand.
The handmaiden proceeded to wipe the water from the young girl's sopping wet body. "I'm not sure yet, what do you feel like?" she enquired moving the towel methodically over the child's torso.
Leia winced as she felt the gentle tugging on her hair while her aunty rung the moisture from her braids. "Chocolate cake," she squealed in excitement staring at the handmaiden.
"Yes! Chocolate cake," Luke chimed bouncing with glee.
Dormè wrapped the towel around Leia and glanced between the twins. "Now, now children chocolate cake is not lunch," she chuckled bending down to retrieve her belongings from the sand, shaking the tiny grains from her towel.
The ground started to vibrate and tiny ripples formed on the lake's tranquil surface. The air went deathly quiet as all chirps and tweets ceased. A deafening rumble filled the atmosphere reverberating in her chest.
Dormè and the twins glanced up to the sky as a massive black ship began to emerge from between the clouds, enveloping the once peaceful landscape in its oppressive shadow. Her comm unit beeped relentlessly in her hand as she stared up at the shadow eyes wide with fear.
Straining to make out the design of the craft she squinted her eyes. The comm unit fell from her hands as she gasped in shock.
The intensity of the rumbling increased as the black Imperial shuttle began its descent over the lake, the water trembling in its wake.
She snapped her head around to stare at the two children, "time to go inside children. Now!" she cried in panic, grabbing their tiny hands and hurrying them up the winding path back to the cottage.
Luke and Leia scampered up the path with their aunty struggling to keep up with her stride.
Pushing the twins hurriedly in through the door she dropped to her knees staring deep into their questioning eyes. "I want you two to go to your bedroom and grab that bag we packed. Remember the one we organised just in case?" she breathed desperately.
The children just stared at her curiously both of their brows furrowed in worry.
"But why Aunty Dormè?" Leia asked looking up at Dormè's face in confusion, "Its just mummy and Obi wan, I can tell."
Luke snapped his head around to stare at his sister, an angry expression on his tiny features. "Its not just mummy and Obi wan, Leia," he chided, as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once more. His bright blue eyes sparkled as he gazed at his sister and guardian, "the big shadowy man with the black mask is with them, the one from my dreams," he stated flatly, far too seriously for a boy not quite five years old.
Dormè placed her hands tenderly on their shoulders, her expression dire. "He's the one I'm afraid of Luke. Now go both of you, quickly. Stay in your room and wait until I call you," she said firmly.
The twins ran up the stairs to their bedroom, closed the door and grabbed their bags huddling together on Luke's bed.
Dormè raced into the sitting room and pulled the curtains to the side watching anxiously as the massive shuttle came into view.
The glossy black wing foils raised up as it gracefully lowered onto the clearing in front of the cottage. Her hands were shaking gripping the curtains desperately. The ramp dropped onto the ground as bursts of pressurized air escaped the hatch, hovering around it. A figure emerged from the hatch and she strained to make out their identity.
She breathed a long sigh of relief as she watched Obi wan step onto the grass in one piece. She waited nervously as the next figure appeared. A much taller figure dressed in all black, his long cape flapping in the subtle breeze.
"Vader," she gasped out loud staring out the window.
The figure stopped and turned back to face the ramp with his arm outstretched towards the hatch.
Another figure gracefully swept down the ramp taking the dark lord's hand, allowing him to assist her to the floor.
"Padmè!" she exclaimed as she dropped the curtains and ran to open the door.
The trio approached the cottage, Obi wan at the front with Vader and Padmè trailing behind.
The Jedi sauntered up to Dormè nodding his head gently before speaking. "Hello Dormè," he said quietly stopping before her.
"Obi wan, you're alright. I was so worried, when you didn't contact me I feared the worst," she whispered staring into his stormy grey eyes.
He turned to glance at the couple behind him and then back to the woman before him. "I apologise for not contacting you my lady. I was slightly preoccupied," he replied moving through the doorway into the cottage.
Dormè stared into the clearing as the dark lord stopped and turned to face her mistress. His aura was dark and turbulent, making her anxiety sky rocket. She had no idea what to expect when she saw the shuttle approaching, and seeing him didn't help to assuage her fears.
The couple was having a heated discussion, that much she could assume from their body language. The dark lord had his arms crossed over his chest standing over his wife aggressively. Dormè shuddered. Whatever was going on out there wasn't just a simple conversation.
Padmè stormed past him and strode up to the door looking frustrated. Her face softened when she saw her loyal handmaiden. "Oh Dormè, it's been so long," she sang throwing her arms around the worried woman.
Dormè returned her mistress's embrace relieved to see her finally awake. "Padmè I've been worried sick about you," she cried.
"I'm alright Dormè, how are the twins? I hope they didn't give you too much trouble while I was gone," she asked concerned looking into her handmaiden's eyes.
The woman shook her head, "no they were no trouble besides their normal mischievousness," she chuckled with a small smile as she looked over Padmè's shoulder towards the dark lord missing his signature mask.
Vader stalked up behind his wife and placed his hands possessively upon her shoulders, glaring his golden eyes at the handmaiden. "Dormè," he rumbled with a slight nod of his head.
The handmaiden shuddered under the dark lord's accusing stare. "Lord Vader," she replied reciprocating his nod nervously struggling to contain her anger.
The Sith surveyed the room from behind his wife looking for evidence of his children's existence. "Where are my children?" he growled staring at the woman blocking the door.
Dormè swallowed looking to her mistress for support. Padmè simply nodded in response keeping careful eye contact. The handmaiden didn't like the situation, every hair on her body prickled in fear. "They are in their bedroom," she replied in defeat dropping her gaze to the floor and stepping aside.
Vader ushered his wife into the cottage keeping his body close to hers, not willing to give her an inch of freedom. This was risky, but he knew she was intelligent enough not to try anything. They were his and he was so close. He could feel their force presence flowing through him, they were already so powerful.
A foreign sense of parental pride surged through him as he thought about their unlimited potential. Soon my young ones, soon, he mused. He heard his wife clear her throat as she tugged on his arm and he tilted his head down to meet her stare. "Yes my love," he purred.
Padmè stared up at her husband. He changes back so fast, does he even want to change? She pondered in confusion. So far she had seen glimpses of the man she fell so deeply in love with all those years ago, but he disappeared so quickly morphing right back into the malicious sith Lord he was rumoured to be.
She went to take a step towards the stair case and was stopped by the iron grip of a gloved mechanical hand on her arm. She snapped her head back around to glare at him. "Let go Anakin, you're hurting me," she scolded trying to pull her arm away.
His fear multiplied, she was going to run he was sure of it. She didn't still want him it was all just a ploy to get him to drop his guard long enough for her to make her escape. His eyebrows furrowed as his yellow eyes bored into her. "Call them down," he snarled barely controlling his anger.
Padmè stared at the Sith in disbelief. He still didn't trust her and it hurt. She spun to face him meeting his glare with her own. She'd had enough of this. "Anakin if you can't trust me how can you expect me to trust you?" she screamed in frustration.
"I do trust you Padmè. But I also know you," he growled in response releasing her arm and folding his across his chest. "You are an opportunist and this is the perfect opportunity for you to escape. I will not take that risk."
Her glare hardened and she folded her own arms in defiance. "If you can't trust me to bring our own children down to you then you can kill me right here and right now," she snapped refusing to back down.
The dark lord sneered holding her stare. He could kill her if she refused, but he didn't want to.
He still loved her.
Obi wan walked over to the couple and decided to intervene, he placed his hand on the Sith's shoulder and stared at him. "Anakin, just let her go and get them, she's not going anywhere," he stated trying to reason with the dark lord.
Vader turned to stare at the Jedi and back to his wife. He nodded his head towards her and flicked his wrist dismissively in the direction of the stair case then turned away trying to gather his thoughts.
His stomach was in knots. He didn't want to upset her and he desperately wanted to believe that she still wanted him. But the dark side was constantly whispering to him, taunting him. Telling him this was all just a ruse to destroy him.
He couldn't decide who or what to trust anymore.
His wife or his instincts.
His former master or his current one.
Why does everything have to be so kriffing complicated? He mused.
The Jedi sensed his inner turmoil and walked over to the Sith who was now standing with his head cradled in his hands. "Anakin," he whispered trying to get his former padawan's attention.
His hands dropped from his face and he lifted his head up to stare blankly at the wall. "What Obi wan?" he grumbled distantly.
He rested his hand tentatively on Vader's shoulder armour and cleared his throat. "You need to show her that you can trust her, she still loves you," he said firmly watching as the Sith slowly turned to face him.
"How do I know this isn't some plan of yours to finally finish what you started five years ago?" he snarled his sith yellow eyes glaring at the Jedi. His hands were balled into fists at his sides as he began to circle the older man.
"Don't be ridiculous Anakin, I couldn't kill you then and I'm not about to try now. Just take a deep breath and focus," Obi wan chided watching the dark lord circle around him. He reached out through the force testing their old bond, in an attempt to communicate with him on a more intimate level.
Anakin try and control your fear, it is consuming you. You will terrify your children.
How can she possibly still love me after everything I have done?
I don't know Anakin, but if you keep reacting like this you might just push her away. Is that what you want?
No.
Then try and control yourself.
I AM trying.
Well try harder.
Vader stopped pacing and turned to face the stair case. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he saw them making their way to the sitting room.
He was speechless.
All the anger he was feeling quickly dissipated as he watched his wife and children approach him.
Padmè stared at her husband as she escorted the twins through the sitting room. She took a deep breath. "Anakin...this is Luke and Leia," she said softly not taking her eyes off the Sith. "Children, this is...Anakin Skywalker. Your father." She kept her hands comfortingly behind their backs as they stared up at the man in front of them.
"Hello," Leia piped up smiling brightly.
Vader's heart stopped.
"Hi," Luke chimed in, his tiny face creased into a small frown.
The dark lord couldn't breathe. His whole life flashed before his eyes as he stared at these two miraculous beings in front of him.
"Hey," he choked with a small wave, feeling completely overwhelmed by their existence. Up until now the reality hadn't set in. He couldn't ignore the truth anymore. His master had lied to him. The evidence was staring innocently up at his face. He closed his eyes and drew on the force feeling for their presence.
The bond ignited sending shockwaves through the force, the light blinding the Sith. A sharp stabbing pain erupted in his chest as the dark side retreated from him. His mind screamed in agony as the two sides collided forcing him onto his knees before his newly reunited family.
He still couldn't breathe.
He could feel their emotions flowing between them. Confusion, fear and curiosity all bundled into a giant cacophony of emotion assaulting the dark lord. His children were projecting along their force link unknowingly.
Vader's face contorted and he pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes clamped shut. His chest heaved in and out as he knelt before his wife and children. "Obi wan, haven't you taught them how to shield themselves yet?" he growled, his voice strained and laboured.
"Let's just say that force training your children has been a rather debatable issue Anakin, although I have been shielding them," Obi wan replied moving over to the twins to try and soothe their emotions. He crouched down before them placing a hand on each of their shoulders and whispered, "clear your minds young ones, he won't hurt you."
Luke and Leia both closed their eyes and tried to silence their thoughts.
Luke's face scrunched up as he began to cry clutching at his chest. "It hurts uncle Obi, my chest hurts," he whimpered.
Obi wan turned to look at Vader also clutching his chest. Curious, he thought. He turned back to look at the young boy and smiled. "Try and clear your mind Luke, think about something you enjoy doing," he whispered soothingly.
Luke closed his eyes again and stopped crying.
Padmè looked down at her husband kneeling on the floor. He appeared to be in agony. "I didn't want them to be trained Anakin. I didn't want them experiencing what you went through. I couldn't lose them to the dark side the way I lost you," she cried her voice breaking.
The dark lord managed to quiet his mind, slowly standing up to his full height. He knew his master would have felt the shockwave, just as he knew it wouldn't be long before he heard from him again.
Vader started to panic, he had to get them to his ship fast. Safe where he could protect them. Hidden in plain sight.
He stared up at his wife his crystal blue eyes twinkling in the light. "Padmè we don't have long, I need to get you all back to the ship," he stated flatly moving towards her.
Padmè shook her head and moved to hover protectively behind her children. "I want to stay here Anakin. This is our home. Can't you stay here with us, leave all that behind?" she asked desperately.
Refused again. His anger simmered away deep inside him. Vader turned his head to try and control his urges before speaking again. He glanced back at her from beneath his brow, "you know I can't do that Padmè," he growled.
The former senator never backed down from a negotiation, but this time she knew she had lost. Dropping down to her knees she looked deep into the eyes of her children. "Luke, Leia go get your things we're going with your father to stay on his ship for a while," she said in defeat glancing back up at her husband standing before them.
"Yes mum," the twins chorused as they ran up the stairs to retrieve their bags.
Vader strode up to his wife and put his hands on her shoulders looking into her hazel eyes. "Its for the best Padmè," he purred pleased that she had chosen to back down.
The former senator didn't reply, instead she dropped her head to stare at the floor. She couldn't look at him at the moment, he was effectively taking them prisoner and her stomach churned in anticipation.
Obi wan nodded to Dormè across the room, seeing the despair in her eyes, and watched as she too ran up the stair case hiding her tears. Both women were visibly upset by the Sith's actions and understandably so. He made eye contact with Vader standing with his wife, just across from him.
You're going to have to do better than this if you want this to work Anakin.
The Jedi watched as the dark lord tilted his head slightly down with his expression softening. Gently wrapping his arms around his wife she stared up at him. Vader closed his eyes as he pulled her body against his with a deep sigh.
I know.
Padmè didn't know what was going on with him. He was up and down like a yoyo. Allowing her husband to pull her body into his, she tentatively put her arms around his waist beneath his cape and laid her head against his chest.
"I'm...sorry...Padmè," he whispered into her hair, as her smell invaded his senses.
"I know," she replied sadly closing her eyes as she relaxed into his embrace.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I know this might not be the reunion that some of you were hoping for, but he is trying. This was a pretty pivotal point for the Sith and he will get better. Thank you so much for all of your support it is truly humbling.
Sfloresf – I am so glad you are enjoying the story. Your reviews really make my day. Thank you. I promise the romance is coming ;-).