Author's Note: I'm back! I had a lovely time in Berkshire, visiting Windsor Castle, Hughenden Manor and Basildon Park. Aside for this part, I have also gone through and edited my Obidala Love in 100 words, adding Acceptance to its multitude. In this part we see what happened in the previous post from Anakin's perspective. As I warned you before, it is Mustafar come to Corsucant, and if you do not wish to read you must stop after Padme asks for a divorce. The conversation is the same as it was in Part 24, but now you read what Anakin is thinking and feeling. And although this ends on another cliffhanger, you will also receive a glimpse at how Padme is rescued. Posting now resumes its regular Friday slot, and in next week's you shall find out what Obi-Wan is doing while Padme and Anakin fight. For Padme's recovery, you will be waiting a fortnight, as it is revealed in part 27. Enjoy.
Part 25: Descent into Darker Pastures.
Anakin deposited his belongings in his new quarters at the temple; indulging in the temptation to explore them only briefly. There was little to distinguish them from the quarters he shared with Obi-Wan; the same open plan living layout, with four connecting rooms; two beds and refreshers. What did contrast was the appearance of the quarters. When he returned with Obi-Wan to Coruscant; fresh from being assigned as his Padawan, they had entered the quarters they now shared; he in a rush, exclaiming at the furnishings, the art, the models of spacecraft dotted about; Obi-Wan more soberly, his sobriety a puzzle until his new master explained that these were his and Qui-Gon's quarters. It was the first and only time Obi-Wan revealed how much he mourned his master's passing.
These quarters had no pieces of art, and only the bare minimum of standard furnishing. Bland sofas, tables, chairs, walls and beds greeted his crestfallen features, before he reconciled his senses. Not for the first time he wondered how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had managed to save their credits to personalise their quarters. His master had made reference to kind donations once, but Anakin had never taken the trouble to ask directly. Another thing he should have sought to obtain during his training. Perhaps Padmé or the Chancellor would be willing to contribute.
Leaving his belongings in one of the bedrooms, Anakin left the Temple, collecting his speeder on the way so he might reach Five Hundred Republica before dark. Navigating his way through the tightly packed traffic which dominated the city skyways, he parked the airspeeder in one of the bays situated away from the line of sight surveillance cameras that the apartment block had installed as part of their security system. That way, unless anyone called at his quarters, no one would know that he had spent the night away from the Temple.
Entering the apartment complex, he crossed the lobby to the turbolift and waited for the conical tube to take him to the penthouse level, where the Senatorial and the Supreme Chancellor's residences were located.
"Knight Skywalker to see you, sir," the attendant announced when Anakin was granted admittance to the latter's apartment.
"Anakin, my boy," Palpatine rose from his desk and came to greet him. "I'm so pleased you found the time to drop by so I could congratulate you on your promotion." He paused to shake his hand. "I take it that the mission was a success?"
"Yes, thank you, Chancellor," Anakin replied. "I apologise for not calling earlier, the Council held the ceremony straight after my debrief."
Palpatine waved away his attempt at an apology. "That is usual, my boy. Your master's was only drawn out due to the unusual way in which he gained his knighthood."
A dart of resentment shot into Anakin as he heard this comment, remembering his own duel with Count Dooku. True, he had not killed the Sith, but he still found it difficult to accept that Obi-Wan gained his promotion through battle rather than endure the boring negotiations he had to deal with for his own trials.
"The negotiations went well," he added.
"Where was it they sent you again, my boy?" Palpatine asked. "I believe one of the Council informed me of your location, but I have been so consumed with the peace treaty ratification process that the specifics have quite slipped my mind."
Anakin nodded in understanding and relayed the details of his trials. The Chancellor listened attentively, adding compliments and asking questions in all the right places. He reached the end of tale, his ego boosted and without any mention of the evening he sought at the tavern and what had passed there.
"What about that other matter, my boy?" Palpatine asked when he finished. "Did you have a chance to explore it?"
It was as if the little gold device had a mind of its own, as it seemed to shift about in his pocket when Palpatine alluded to the matter, jabbing Anakin in his side, reminding him of its presence. From the moment he woke upon that mist ridden dawn which met the dark night before, alone in the denigrate dwelling, his clothes scattered about the place, his body aching as though he had endured a lightsaber duel, Anakin had tried to forget every act which he committed during those dark hours before sleep conquered him. However, moments of it would flash into his mind without warning, plaguing him throughout the journey home. It was a relief nothing served to disrupt his focus during his knighting, as he had been worried that it would be sensed by the Masters, especially when he was commanded to deliver a full briefing of his mission before the Council.
His conscience was at war with his thoughts, battling over whether he was justified in committing such an act of marital betrayal. Back and forth his natures went over the conclusions he drew about the Pais briefing, his decision to confide in Palpatine, his actions during his trials. Even now he was still undecided as to whether he had done the right thing. But neither could he pretend that the betrayal had never occurred. He may as well admit that he was out of his depth and seek the Chancellor's advice. After all, the man had been a discreet confidant so far, he had no reason to think that Palpatine would not continue to be so. Taking a deep breath he confided in the man, who listened in the same manner as when he relayed the details of his mission, adding the right comments at the right time.
"My dear boy, you really are too hard on yourself," Palpatine remarked when the tale came to an end. "I know of a great number of men and women who have procured murkier affairs than what you have just described to me. The List is an accepted, if not notorious open secret amongst the populous of the Republic, and most continue their membership after they are married, often with their partner's full consent. What you have committed is an indiscretion at most, which few people need or will ever learn about. After all, how can you prove it to be true? There are no witnesses, except yours and the lady's memory, both of which can easily be influenced."
Anakin looked at him incredulous. "So I am to forget the matter?" He eventually ventured to ask when he realised the Chancellor was being serious.
"That would be wise my boy," Palpatine assured him. "Honesty in this case will only cause a great deal of misery."
"You are right," Anakin conceded. "Thank you, sir."
Palpatine brushed the apologies away. "No problem my boy. Who else could you seek advice from? Certainly not the Jedi." he paused before adding, "you may rely on my discretion of course." He rose from the furnishings, indicating that the visit was at an end. "And now, you best go and see your beautiful wife, before the day is over."
Anakin nodded and rose from the furnishings. Palpatine saw him to the door, then he walked down the corridor until he reached another of the penthouse apartments, this one being the residence for the Senator from Naboo.
Padmé was at her desk when he entered. For a moment Anakin halted upon the threshold of the living area to admire her, hard at work on Senate business, as if nothing had occurred during her absence and his. Caught by her beauty, he forgot all that had passed through his mind concerning her faithfulness, not to mention the lack of his own. On the morrow those truths would be confronted, not tonight.
"Welcome home, my love," he uttered warmly.
She turned and rose immediately from her chair. "Anakin," her voice uttered somewhat distantly, he judged. Silently he waited for her to notice the absence of his Padawan braid, which did not take too long.
"Congratulations Knight Skywalker," she uttered in a tone which belied the praise.
Inwardly he flinched at the reply, reminded of the moment when he confessed to her the atrocity he committed to avenge his mother. Though at the time he implied that he regretted the act, now he believed that he was justified in sousing his grief, just as the Jedi had done on Geonosis before coming to peace with the Confederacy. Still, she had praised him and he had many things to tell her, so he took the words at face value. "Thanks. I've just come from the ceremony. I get my own quarters now, so we don't always have to meet here. And of course, plenty of solo assignments, not to mention the possibility of training my own Padawan, though I doubt I'll do that for several years. And what with the reforms coming to the Order, we can let them know about us."
He saw her frown at this, before saying, "Anakin, I do not think it would be right for you smuggle me in and out of the Temple. Nor do I agree that with the reforms to the code which the Jedi live by gives you a right to inform them of our marriage. The mere fact that we had the union before these reforms would be a cause of concern to Council."
It surprised him that she already knew about the reforms, but then he remembered her reference one night to having spent time with his master and Master Muln on Pais, whom she could have learned about the reforms from. Anakin grimaced, his jealousy rising to the forefront once more. Usually he would trust his master, but he had never liked Garen Muln, believing him to be too much of a bad influence on Obi-Wan. If anyone had told her about the reforms, it would be either of them, and if it was Garen, his motive was likely to be just as bad as the suspicions he held concerning his master's and his wife's actions during the briefing from Pais.
"I wasn't thinking of telling them that we are actually already married," he replied, wondering how stupid she thought he was. "I was going to ask for permission and then I thought we could have our vows renewed here, on Coruscant."
Her frown deepened at that, and he scowled, wondering what so repellent about lying to the Council about the date of their marriage when they were already lying to them. Or was it the idea of renewing their vows that she had a problem with? Such a question only further influenced the suspicion in his mind concerning her faithfulness.
"Ani," she said quietly, her tone catching him by surprise. Emerging from his thoughts, he looked at her, struck by how small she seemed, how uncertain, as though what she was about to say next would provoke something unpleasant from him.
"We need to talk," she continued. "I have been thinking about our hasty marriage and I realise now that we should have waited, and allowed ourselves to properly judge our feelings outside of distressing shared experiences. I cannot speak for yours, but my own feelings have given me to understand that I should ask you if we can separate."
He froze, confusion overtaking all of his senses. "What do you mean?"
Her next words made it completely clear. "Anakin, I want a divorce."
A divorce!? The word lanced through his brain, causing his heart to pound inside his chest, the sound akin to a tidal wave rushing over him. So real was the illusion his internal emotions triggered that he almost choked. His legs threatened to give way, forcing him to seek the nearest furnishings for support. But barely had he sat down when the pressure within him compelled him to rise and pace in an effort to gain some relief. He wanted to put his hands to his head, to throw his skull against the wall so the pounding inside would stop. But to do so would only invite concern from her, and she was the last person he wanted to appear vulnerable before now.
As soon as he managed to acquire breath to think, questions piled themselves upon his tormented mind. He wondered where this was coming from, what had happened on Pais to cause her to ask this of him, if Obi-Wan or someone else had forced this decision upon her, for fear of discovery or reprisals from the Jedi Council. If her affair with his master was responsible, or she had somehow found about his unfaithfulness during his trials. One by one they assembled to plague his beleaguered mind until the confusion within him was so great, that he had to ask her for answers.
"I'm tired, Ani," she replied to his inquiry. "I'm tired of the secrecy, the constant fights we have been having lately about things we shouldn't even be fighting about. I realise now that as much we might care for each other, neither of us were ready for this, nor will we be able to deal with it, even if it is made public. This marriage isn't working, and we should put an end to it now, before we come to hate each other."
So this wasn't a hasty decision of hers, he realised, as she was speaking. Her response was too eloquent, her justifications too numerous. Clearly something had happened to make her decide this, and instantly the suspicions that he had garnered from the briefing on Pais sprung to mind. "Is this because of Obi-Wan?"
To his complete surprise, she appeared confused by his inquiry. "Obi-Wan? What does he have to do with this?"
He studied her confusion, attempting to use the Force to sense her emotions, only to be frustrated by his clouded state of mind. "I saw you."
"Saw us?" She echoed, plainly confused. "What do you mean, saw us?"
"On the briefing from Pais," he replied angrily, frustrated by her attempt at confusion and his inability to divine what she was really thinking and feeling.
"I don't understand," she uttered quietly, her tone to him sounding more in fear of him discovering her true nature than continued confusion. There was a defiance there too, which further roused his temper, for how dare she be defiant about this kind of betrayal.
"Don't lie to me, you know what you were doing!" he growled back at her.
She seemed to draw breath at this, her pause sought to gain fresh strength for her denials, rather than the truth he so eagerly desired. He was almost convinced now that something had occurred, for her to be so determined in assuring him otherwise.
"There was nothing in that briefing, but words to assure the Republic of our continued commitment to peace, in spite of the sabotage," she protested. "How dare you accuse me and Obi-Wan of what you are implying. I have never been unfaithful to you, Anakin, in word, conversation or look. I simply wish to be free of your anger and constant suspicion."
"I wouldn't be so angry, if you would just stop lying to me!" he retorted. "I know what I saw. Now tell me the truth."
"You saw nothing," she persisted, as she began to back away from him, her movements only serving to further convince him of her falsity. "It is clear to me that you don't trust my word. I wish for you to leave now. All further conversation between us shall be with our lawyers, unless you can promise to restrain your temper."
His incredulity rose, she was really serious now, he could see that, if she was willing to risk discovery by involving lawyers. He had no knowledge of divorce proceedings, and the wealth of experience she seemed to convey led him to wonder how long she had been contemplating this course of action. It was all too easy with this thought to suspect their being a longer relationship between her and his former master than he had originally guessed. Yet she was taking such a risk by involving the law, even with the reforms coming to the Order. "How is this going to be kept secret if you involve lawyers?"
"Naboo is used to dealing with secrets, Anakin," he heard her say somewhat patronisingly, as if he were a youngling, barely up to speed with his letters. "How else do you suppose I was able to find a holy man willing to wed us with only droids as witnesses?"
She had this well in hand it seemed, and was refusing to be persuaded out of it. Well, he was going to frustrate her. He would have some say in this matter, nothing would stand in his way, not even her high-handed manner of dealing with him. "I don't want a divorce. How will that help?"
"You don't have a choice," she returned somewhat spitefully it seemed to his mind, her expression equally defiant. "Just more paperwork and delays."
How dare she claim that he could do nothing but stand idly by. He was a Jedi and had the ear of the Chancellor, there must be something he could do to thwart this motion. She would not be free of him during this lifetime, he would make her see that. "I'll delay as long as I possibly can, then! If I can't have you, no one else will!"
"Are you threatening me, Anakin?" she questioned loftily, as though he were taking a risk in daring to do so. Struck again by her small size, he felt all the scorn of her derision with a certain satisfaction that there was nothing she could do to resist him.
"I shall do more than that," he decided, grabbing her wrist before she could reach behind her and summon her security. Not that they stood a chance against him, how could they, mere mortals against a Jedi, but he felt it would be wise not to tempt their interference.
"Ani, you're hurting me," she protested. "Let me go."
He could not believe her, he barely felt the weight of her arm, or a move of resistance from her, wishing to be free of him. He stared down into her eyes, determined to carry through with his point. He must and would hear the truth from her. "Not until you tell me the truth, and stop declaring this ridiculous intention to divorce."
"I have been telling you the truth," she replied. "And if you continue to do this, you shall have more than a divorce from me to contend with."
"Such as?" He queried, wondering at what else she could possibly do to him.
"I shall make known your conduct to the Jedi Council," she revealed. "What you're doing now, is not true to the proper behaviour of a Jedi."
Anakin tightened his grip, feeling for the first time the frailty of her flesh, the weakness in her compared to the power his body could muster. He imagined her before the Council, the strength of her attack failing against their habitual contrariness. her words would count for nothing, for he was the Chosen One, and he would prevail. "I doubt the words of a Senator against the words of the Chosen One and the Chancellor will cause those in the Council to support your accusations."
"Perhaps," she conceded and rightfully so, "but if your grip tightens any further, I shall have evidence to support my claims over any you may wish to make."
He glanced at her arm seeing the red marks spreading from his pressure on her skin. He could and would dismiss them, after all it would only be her word against his, but he had ways of making her feel such without leaving evidence that could be counted. "Then I shall inflict injury where no evidence can be summoned."
Clenching his real free hand into a fist, he summoned the Force to his aid. The Krayt inside him shrieked exultantly as he laid an invisible choke hold upon his wife. He remembered the anger he felt during that dark night when he took that other woman to his bed, and meted out the revenge he felt now. This was his justice for her betrayal, she must and would submit, as a wife should to her husband.
Eventually he tired of the method, of the expression she sent towards him, the harsh unjust anguish framed in her face. His wrist and Force induced choke hold relinquished, she slid to the floor like a broken doll or droid. Only half aware of his actions, he struck her again, the metal arm clashing fiercely with the material of her gown. Again and again he pounded into her, fore bearing all her attempts to shield herself, striking her before she could even attempt.
Then suddenly two sets of hands strong-armed from behind, and he was hauled away from her, away from the residence, deposited outside as one would the rubbish. Before he had time to collect himself, re-entry was barred to him, the doors locked.
To be continued