Chapter 34

Anakin entered the chancellor's office to report him.

"Chancellor."

Palpatine turned around and saw Anakin. He knew if he wanted to have the chosen one by his side, now was the time.

"We've just received a report from master Kenobi. He has engaged general Grievous."

Palpatine said sadly "We can only hope that master Kenobi is up for the challenge."

Anakin looked away, feeling frustrated "I should be there with him."

"It's upsetting to me to see that the council doesn't seem to fully appreciate your talents. Don't you wonder why they won't make you a Jedi master?"

"I wish I knew." He said as he walked around "More and more I get the feeling that I'm being excluded from the council. I know there are things about the Force they're not telling me."

"They don't trust you, Anakin." He sat up and walked towards Anakin. "They see your future. They know your power will be too strong to control. You must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you. Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force."

Anakin frowned. How is it possible for a non-Force-sensitive to know the Force?

"How do you know the ways of the Force?"

"My mentor taught me everything about the Force. Even the nature of the dark side."

"You know the dark side?" Anakin was getting suspicious and turned to face him. Palpatine was no longer acting like the friend he knew.

"Anakin, if one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrace a larger view of the Force."

They started walking in circle.

"Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin. Only through me, can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force and you'll be able to save your wife and child … from certain death caused by someone you know." He said, putting on an innocent and smiling face.

Anakin's eyes were wide open.

"What did you say?"

"Use my knowledge, I beg you."

The realization hit Anakin and it hurt like Sith lightening. He activated his blue lightsaber.

"You're the Sith lord!"

"I know what's been troubling you. Listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of the Jedi council. Ever since I've known you, you've searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Jedi. A life of significance, of conscience."

He continued, turning his back on Anakin.

"You've wanted to be a husband in public, a father to Laetitia. You've wanted to not hide the pride you feel of her. Speaking of her, the only way you can save her is through my knowledge. She would be lost without it."

"She's completely fine. And anyone who goes after her, they're gonna be sorry they did."

"Not if the person she fights is herself."

Anakin frowned, being confused of what he had just heard.

"I'm sure you have noticed. She has great potential in her. She also has an anger that neither she nor you have any idea how to deal with. She cannot run from her feelings for much longer. She must embrace them. Otherwise, she will end up meeting the fate in your dreams."

How did he even know about my dreams?

"Laetitia is not even in them."

"Is she not? Look closer with more attention, Anakin, and you will find her."

Anakin held his lightsaber in his hand and was about to strike but stopped. He didn't want to admit it but he needed him. For a lot of things. To learn the power to save Padme. To find out what he knows about Laetitia.

Palpatine broke the silence and asked calmly "Are you going to kill me?"

"I would certainly like to." Anakin said with frustrated tears in his eyes.

"I know you would." Palpatine said almost whispery. "I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger."

Anakin let out a sigh and deactivated his lightsaber.

"I'm going to turn you over to the Jedi council."

"Of course. You should. But you're not sure of their intentions, are you?"

"I will quickly discover the truth of all this."

"You have great wisdom, Anakin, but it can only get you so far. Know the power of the dark side, the power to save your family. And only then, you would be able to save your daughter from destroying herself."

The council's room

Anakin had informed Mace Windu of everything that had happened in Palpatine's office. Everything that did not involve his family.

Not Palpatine. Sidious. He thought bitterly.

The chancellor was one of his first friends since he came to live in Coruscant. He was the only one he could talk to when he had a hard time because of the council, and he turned out to be a Sith lord. The Sith lord they've been looking for the entire time.

Then Anakin remembered. He was the one that tortured Laetitia with Sith lightening when she was only two weeks old. He was the one that sent that dark side user after Laetitia and ultimately gave her the permanent scar on her face.

He pulled his hand into a fist. He was so angry. He was the one who had brought pain into his life, to his Laetitia, and yet, he had trusted him even after he had done all these things. Well, not anymore. He would never trust a word that comes out that Sith's mouth.

He sat down. As angry as he was, he couldn't shake the feeling that Sidious was telling the truth about Laetitia. He knew something about her. The way he talked about her presence in his dreams. He didn't understand. He had seen the same dream about 100 times and it was always the same thing. Padme giving birth, an unidentified person killing her and the baby's screams. There was no sign of Laetitia anywhere.

He decided to meditate on his dream. It has not been done before but he had to try.

He let himself float in the Force. He was seeing his dream again but it was after. The lifeless bodies of Padme and their child were on the ground. He tried to see who it was under the hood but there wasn't so much light. Even then, he couldn't see Laetitia. He was about to pull out but then stopped when he saw than the hood was moving and the monster's face was becoming clearer. Clearer, clearer and …

Anakin's breathing stopped. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sidious was right. Laetitia was in his dream every single time. As he had thought, Laetitia wasn't killed by that monster.

Laetitia WAS the monster.

Done :)

Okay. This was chapter 34. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of it. And yes, I uploaded two chapters in one day because I couldn't wait.

:)