Padme quickly retrieved her comlink on the counter. Dialing Anakin's number, she walked rapidly over to the sofa and sat down. She pressed the red button and worriedly stared at the screen, biting her lip, her forehead creased with concern. "
"Padme! Are you alright? Is anything wrong?"
"I-I'm fine, Anakin, but something just happened. . ." she hesitated, and then took a deep breath. "I-I got a letter, and a dozen long-stemned roses. They were left in front of my door."
"Oh?" Anakin said curiously, with a little bit of possessiveness in his tone(sorry, I just had to add that :)). "What did the letter say? Who is it from?"
"I-It's from the man who tried to kill you. He- I think he's been stalking me. The letter. . . it made me feel scared. And Luke and Leia said that they sensed danger lurking outside the door. When they opened it to check, they found the letter and the roses. I'm afraid."
"Oh Padme. . . what did it say? Can you read it to me?"
Walking over, Padme picked up the cream piece of paper like it was on fire. Going back over to the couch, she began to read aloud:
"My Dearest Nubian Rose,
Oh, how I have missed you. Your gorgeous features. Your sweet voice. Your intoxicating scent. Your soft lips. You are so beautiful, my love. I remember our first kiss. It is, to this day, the best kiss that I have ever had. I can't wait until I will finally be able to make you mine. " Her voice shook. "You will never even remember the name Anakin Skywalker once I am done with you. I will be the only man you ever think of. You are mine, and it is best that you remember that. I can't believe that you left me, only to fall in love with that Jedi. They are forbidden to love. He betrayed his friends, and you. He joined the Sith, and died at the hands of his old Master. I don't understand how you could still love him. I am much more handsome, and we are meant to be together, Padme. Don't you dare deny it. Forget about your pathetic Jedi. He will soon be dead. You are mine. Now and forever. I am coming for you. Soon."
Anakin's mind was reeling. His thoughts were whirling in his mind like a hurricane. He sat down on his bed, shocked, as he listened to Padme's shaky voice. That man had DARED to leave such a letter for Padme?! How dare he? How DARE he leave such a letter for his angel? And how DARE he insult him in such a way?
He trembled with fury, on the verge of exploding with rage. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady himself. The Jedi had taught him to control his anger! To concentrate his mind! So why was it so hard to control his anger now? He took another deep breath, trying to slow down his rapid heart rate. His arms shook. How DARE the man?!
He rose and stared at his reflection through a mirror. His eyes were icy blue, cold as steel, with murderous wrath. And that wasn't the worse of it. He knew that if he didn't control himself, his eyes would turn Sith yellow, he he would most certainly do things that he would regret. He wanted to hunt down that man, and destroy whatever got into his way. And when he found him. . . he could promise that it would not be pretty. He would make that man pay for everything he had done to Padme. He wanted to make that man feel ten times the fear Padme had. That fear he heard in her voice. . .it would be tripled by the time he was done with that man. And Padme was a brave woman. She and Leia were probably the bravest women he knew- braver than a lot of man. That man would pay at least triple for all the pain he had caused his angel. He couldn't wait to get his hands on him. To torture him, and choke him dead with the Force until the man begged for mercy on bended knee. Death by his light saber was not good enough for that bastard. For a moment, his eyes glittered gold. . .and then returned to the color of ice. He could feel the presence of Vader, creeping up behind him, tempting him. He could feel the presence of the Dark Side.
"Anakin? Are you still there? Are you all right?" Padme's voice came through the comlink, interrupting his frenzied thoughts. She sounded worried.
He snatched it up. "I'm fine."
"Anakin, is it still hard for you to be honest with me? What's wrong?"
"It's just. . ." he took a deep breath, "it's hard to control myself. I can't believe that man would even dare send you such a letter! How dare he! I just want to. . . . . . . . . . . . ." He growled softly in the back of his throat.
"Oh, Ani. . .it's not that bad."
"Really? I think I know you better than that, Padme. You're brave. Fearless. You're always putting on a strong facade. No matter what happens, you're courageous. You hide your fear in order to keep others from worrying, and keep going. It's doesn't matter how scared you are. How much you need help. You'll always think about the good of others first. I know you. You hide your fear, no matter how scared you are. And besides, I can feel your fear through the Force." When he really concentrated, he could sense fear lingering beneath her bold statements.
She gave a strangled laugh. "I guess I can't really hide things from you, can I?" He began to laugh with her. When he looked back into the mirror, his eyes were again the blue of Naboo's lakes.
"I'll be fine, Ani. Just. . .try to come home as soon as you can. Please. I miss you. . .so terribly." The sadness and longing in her voice broke his heart.
"I will, my angel. I promise." He paused. "I love you. So much. You know that, don't you?"
"Of course. I love you too, Anakin."
Padme slowly put down the comlink, staring off into the distance. It was stuffy, so she crossed the room and opened a small window. She sighed as a cool breeze drifted into the room. After a few minutes, she walked into the lounge, where Luke and Leia were now good-naturedly arguing about who was more dangerous in combat.
"I have a light saber! They can cut through anything except another light saber, and other light sabers are pretty rare right now, don't you think? So, obviously I'm more dangerous!"
"Well, that may be true, but I'm pretty handy with a blaster! Besides, I have brains." She pointed to her temple teasingly. Luke scowled. Leia laughed.
"You're a mean person."
"Obviously, we should fight together! I have brains, and you have brawn! I mean, together, we're unstoppable! And then we got Han, who's pretty handy at flying ships! And Chewie, who's amazing at mauling people to death!"
That got Luke. He burst out laughing. Leia joined in. Just then, they noticed Padme standing in the doorway, watching their disagreement with an amused expression.
"Oh! Mom! We didn't realize you were here," Luke said.
"I was thinking about making a snack for the rebels keeping watch. What do you think? Maybe a forest-honey cake."
"Yes! That sounds great! Can I have some when it's done?" Luke asked.
Leia rolled her eyes. "Good idea. I'll help."
They walked back into the kitchen. Padme, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped. Luke and Leia bumped into her from her abrupt stop.
"Look," she said faintly, pointing ahead.
The room looked much more different than when Padme had just left less than ten minutes ago. A bouquet of roses lay on the counter. A few were scattered on the floor, leading up the the bouquet, like they had fallen while being hurriedly delivered. Luke and Leia were shocked. How exactly could someone have delivered the roses that quickly, without being discovered?
A man in a black cloak, with a hood over his features, watched the Senator's apartment intently. He held a sort of remote, controlling a droid about the size of a crow, which was flying back over to him. He caught it out of the air and shoved it behind him, snatching up his binoculars. He watched the apartment with a satisfied smile.
"I hope you enjoy the roses, my Nubian rose," he purred, smirking. "You deserve them. You are even more lovely than they are. There are very few women in this galaxy who are more beautiful than a rose. I can't wait to finally make you mine. The planning is almost complete, my love. It will be soon."
Padme stumbled back to her bedroom, scared and worried. Almost tripping over her long skirts, she went as quickly as she could, just wanting to go to sleep and forget everything. Leia followed, murmuring soothing words that Padme couldn't hear, while Luke went back to keep watch, under Leia's orders. In her bedroom doorway, she stopped again, stunned. On her bed was another bunch of roses. . .and a chocolate cake. There was another piece of cream paper on top of the roses. On it, in curvy letters, it said:
"Sweets for my sweet rose. You are as beautiful as an angel. I can't wait to meet you again, after so long. Don't worry, my angel. It will be very soon."
As soon as she finished reading it, she narrowed her eyes. Her entire attitude changed. She drew herself up, threw back her shoulders, and snarled: "No one can call me an angel except for Anakin."
Luke peered into the darkness beyond the apartment building. The full moon shone brightly over the city of Coruscant. Most of the city was sleeping. The Force was calm, except for the anger he could feel simmering in his father.
"All clear?" he whispered to Leia, who was doing the same on the other side of Padme's apartment.
"Yes," she whispered back. "You?"
"Yep," he said.
"Okay. I'll go to the front with the rebels. Here's the layout: two rebels down by the entrance to the building. They're there to make sure everything's fine. They'll warn us if the see anything suspicious. Though we probably don't need it, since we have the Force." She smirked. "Still, take this, just in case." She tossed him a comlink. "Five rebels and I will be near the elevator. Five rebels are right inside the door to the hallway, to back you up."
Luke nodded. "That sounds good. Don't fall asleep," he joked.
Leia smirked. "You have a bigger chance of falling asleep than I do." She paused. "Remember, you can commicate with me through our Force link. See you tomorrow at dawn."
She left, and Luke settled down in front of the window, his eyes on the city below. He scanned everything within sight. After a careful and thorough investigation, his eyes landed on the shrubbery around the apartment complex. Suddenly, the moonlight glinted off something. The Force screamed danger. Luke strained his eyes urgently into the darkness. What he saw then made him start. A pair of binoculars was aimed at him.
I hope you all enjoyed that! Thanks for reading! Follows, favorites, and reviews much appreciated!