DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.
Emperor Palpatine was feeling good after the trial ended. The people hadn't questioned his final decree, not that he'd expected them too. Now both Padme and Anakin were his to deal with as he truly desired. He did not want either of them to go into a prison, which would be too easy for their Resistance friends to rescue them. No, he had much better plans for the Skywalkers.
Aayla was taking care of the details in Padme's imprisonment. Padme and Anakin were to be kept separate from now on. Anakin's initial training – the breaking of his old allegiances – was almost complete and that was the most crucial stage. He needed the threat of Padme hanging over Anakin at all times while he was simultaneously breaking that incredible bond they shared. He'd put them together once just to see what they would do. Anakin didn't break his training but he also held Padme all night as though his life depended upon it.
Palpatine had seen the determination still strong in Padme that night and knew she would be a bad influence on Anakin if they stayed together. So he had planned for their separation. Padme was to be taken to Tattooine, a planet known for their slavery. Palpatine planned to sell the ex-Senator as a slave to the Hutt's – a terrible fate for one so beautiful. But as a slave, Padme would be chipped and unable to leave her designated area without killing herself and Palpatine was more than certain that being the slave of a Hutt would wear down her resilience quickly. It was a fitting fate, he believed.
Anakin on the other hand, was not going to be leaving Palpatine's residence at 500 Republica for quite some time. While the Emperor was positive that Anakin wouldn't do anything to harm him, Palpatine still had a lot of work to do. Anakin's training was nowhere near finished.
After leaving Aayla to deal with Padme at the detention blocks, Palpatine had taken Anakin back to his top floor suite in the towering apartment complex. Anakin, still tethered to Palpatine's belt with his hands bound behind him, could only stumble after the Emperor as he disembarked from the transport shuttle. Once inside, Palpatine finally unclipped the leash from his belt and unlocked the cuffs around Anakin's wrists.
His arms dropped to his side, not out of choice but because he could barely feel them. A tingling was beginning to build in his shoulders at the sudden movement. Anakin kept his eyes down as he followed Palpatine through the apartment, who now held the end of his leash in his hand.
They had landed on a platform outside a large living area. A pair of glass doors separated indoors from outdoors and provided the apartment with a beautiful view of the city. The living room opened into a large kitchen with a dining area off to the right. Huge windows lined the wall of the dining area, which only had a wall between it and the living room. All three rooms took up the majority of the back end of the apartment.
Palpatine walked straight through the living area and into a hallway. There were no decorations on the walls to indicate that someone had made the apartment a home. About a quarter of the way down the hall, two doors stood opposite each other. One was closed while the other was open. Palpatine led Anakin into the open one. Inside was a large room, what once might have been a bedroom.
"Welcome to your new home pet," the Emperor announced.
Anakin glanced around himself. Dread settled in his stomach as he took in the sparse furnishings of the room. There was no bed or dressers like a normal bedroom would have. All the room contained were a plasma cage in the far corner and a few dangling chains hanging from the ceiling. It resembled a dungeon more than a home.
"You will be here for quite some time until you finish your training," Palpatine said. "Some of your training will be physical, other parts mental but all of it will be painful if you don't cooperate. The sooner you accept your new position and embrace what I wish to teach you, the easier your time here will be."
Anakin swallowed back the fear. He had a feeling that what he'd been through on the ship here was only the beginning. It was only going to start getting worse from here out.
For my kids. For Luke. For Leia. I have to stay alive so I can find them.
He kept repeating those thoughts over and over as Palpatine dropped his leash and walked away. Anakin instantly dropped to his knees with his head bowed. He waited patiently for Palpatine to return, all the while praying for the Force to keep Padme and his twins safe.
When the Emperor returned Anakin felt his body tense momentarily but then forced himself to calm down. Palpatine walked right up to him. He was holding something in his hands. Anakin's eyes widened as he realised what it was.
The hood was made of thick black leather that glinted dully in the afternoon sunshine.
"We're going to begin with a trust exercise," Palpatine said. "You will learn to trust me and until you do, you will continue to wear this."
Then Palpatine began pulling the hood over Anakin's head. It was a tight fit even though it zipped close at the back. As Palpatine began pulling the zip down, the hood pulled tighter until it was squeezing Anakin's head uncomfortably. He couldn't see anything through the thick leather but there were openings for both his mouth and nose that allowed him to breathe easily. Sound was muffled but still distinguishable.
Palpatine locked the zipper of the hood to the top of Anakin's collar so Anakin couldn't just unzip it later himself. It was a small lock that needed Palpatine's thumbprint to deactivate it. If anything else was used to detach the lock from where it was, the lock would immediately explode, wiping out whatever was within its blast zone with it. Palpatine had these locks purpose built for Anakin's capture. He'd been planning this for a while.
Anakin was ordered to stand, which he did with care. His heart was pounding in his chest as adrenaline pumped through him. He felt Palpatine pick up the leash, which had been dangling on his chest, and gave it a little tug. Anakin stumbled, throwing his arms out to the side to keep his balance. The pins and needles had faded from his arms but they were still aching and clumsy.
Palpatine tugged again and told Anakin to keep up. Anakin had no choice but to stagger along behind the Emperor. Just as Palpatine had told him, Anakin had to give his trust to the Sith, hoping that he would not let him run into anything.
Anakin lost all track of time as he was pulled through the apartment countless times. He was beyond disorientated and frustrated with the hood. He hated Palpatine like never before, but he was still unable to wish harm upon the Emperor.
After 'learning the layout', as Palpatine had put it, Anakin felt him drop the leash. It hit his chest and Anakin stood frozen for a moment. Everything was silent around him. He couldn't even hear Palpatine's footsteps through the muffling hood. He was starting to panic when Palpatine spoke.
"Come over here, pet."
His voice was distant. Anakin turned his head to where he thought Palpatine was but he didn't take a step forward. He had no idea where he was. Palpatine had led him through the whole apartment, explaining to him in vivid detail where everything was. But then he had simply led Anakin back to a seemingly random spot and left him.
"Now, pet!"
A warning spark temporarily numbed Anakin's arm at the Emperor's warning. He swallowed and hoped that there was nothing between them. He took two steps and hit something hard with his shin. He bit his lip to stop himself crying out.
With his hands outstretched, he felt his way around that object – a lounge perhaps? – and began to make his way over to the Emperor. Within seconds he ran into something else. He growled this time, annoyed.
How was he supposed to reach the Emperor when he couldn't see where he was? It was an impossible task, especially when Palpatine was making no sounds to guide him.
As Anakin felt his way around that object he felt someone coming closer. Palpatine grabbed his leash and pulled harshly on it. The collar dug deep into his neck until Anakin stepped forward.
"You need to listen to me when I tell you where something is. And then you need to remember it," Palpatine hissed.
He dragged Anakin back to where he'd started and then crossed the room again. Again he told him to join him and then stood back to watch.
Anakin was just as hesitant as before. He kept his hands out in front of him and managed to navigate his way around the two objects he'd run into before. The whole time he tried to remember what Palpatine had told him. He guessed from the two objects, what he was assuming were a lounge chair and a side table, that he was in the living area. That meant that there were two more chairs and a floor lamp still in the way.
It took him three more tries before he reached the Emperor without him hitting anything. Palpatine was less than pleased with his efforts. He pulled Anakin along behind him and soon had his arms suspended in chains. Anakin guessed they were back in his room.
Palpatine gave Anakin ten lashes with an electro whip for his disobedience. Then he unlocked Anakin's arms and pulled him up against a wall. Palpatine, ignoring Anakin's pained whimpers, disconnected the leash. Around the collar were four sturdy rings, one at the front, one at the back and one on either side. Palpatine pressed Anakin flat against the wall. Anakin cried out as weight was placed on the new gashes on his back.
The Emperor ignored him and just clipped the back ring of Anakin's collar to a similar ring bolted firmly into the wall. Then he stepped back and patted Anakin on the top of his head.
"You have not earned the right to lie down tonight. When you show me progress, I will show you rewards. Sleep if you can because tomorrow will be a busy day."
With his back flush against the wall, Anakin couldn't even bend his knees without being choked by the collar. He knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep that night.
It's for the twins. It's all for them. They need me. I must stay alive.