ONE WEEK LATER
Annabelle remained on the ship, continuing to monitor the situation for Chancellor Palpatine. At the end of the next circuit she would be dropped off at Coruscant.
Anakin looked on her as his ally in his new vision of the Jedi Order. They often met over stim-tea to discuss their plans. Annabelle was always there to point him to reason when Anakin felt something akin to doubt.
"Stay strong," she counseled him daily.
"I'm worried," Anakin replied and stopped in horror. He really felt anxiety, something he had never really felt before.
"Take heart, Anakin. I feel anxiety too. But remember we are close to finding out who's been arming the Mandolorians. Once that is clear, we can put an end to the Clone Wars."
Anakin nodded. "Which is why Chancellor Palpatine has made it a top priority, and sent you here to the front lines."
"Yes, and then we continue with our reformation of the Jedi Order." Annabelle finished her drink and stated, "We won't accomplish anything more this evening. I'm going to do some meditation exercises. Care to join me?"
ONE WEEK LATER
Anakin meditated often with Annabelle after that. When he did, there was an energy that fed and received.
He knew the name to give it: the Dark Side of the Force. Annabelle confirmed this suspicion, but convinced him that this label was only a legacy of archaic times. The Jedi were too intolerant to recognize this channel of being in touch with the Force. They felt it threatened their power, so they labeled it evil.
At first Anakin was skeptical of this, but the more he spoke with Annabelle, and practiced the meditation with her, the more convinced he was that she was right. Why, he hadn't felt this good in years, after he touched that raw power. It was almost carnal.
Anabelle Jade was four months along in her pregnancy. Anakin had been aware of the child within her.
"She's strong in the Force."
"I know. Isn't it lovely to have such a connection with your child?"
Annabelle hid her smirk as she thought of what this might remind Anakin.
Anakin nodded, "Yes, I know. I could sense my daughter from the moment she was conceived."
"Really? I didn't with Mara."
"But you had already been trying different methods by then," Anakin answered.
"You're right," Annabelle bowed her head in thought, her red-gold hair rippling in the dim light. "Fascinating that the Enlightened Side finds it difficult to connect with young life."
"Enlightened?" Anakin's brow puckered in confusion.
"Yes. The Dark side is a negative label, given by the Jedi Order."
"Enlightened?" Anakin repeated skeptically. "It sounds kind of dumb."
"But appropriate."
Anakin's head was reeling. So many thoughts. He was confused so much lately. Unlike his discernment before.
Annabelle sensed his thoughts and explained, "It was easy to discern because the Jedi Ways are simple. Ours are more complex and intelligent. That's why it's hard to understand sometimes. That's why it's confusing."
Before Anakin could answer, they were interrupted by a surprise attack.
With the raw power they tapped into, they defeated in a bloody manner all of the, calling upon all powers they had learned, ones they often had given names to themselves in their meditations. There was a bond forming. And together they nearly single-handedly obliterated a legion of Mandolorians.
Chancellor Palpatine congratulated them over the hologram. "You too are definitely a team. Unbeatable."
"Thank you, Chancellor," Anakin replied. It felt good to be complimented by him. Never before had Anakin sought Palpatine's approval but now, for a reason Anakin could not explain, it was imperative.
Anakin entered Annabelle's quarters. She was by the large view of stars. Drinking Alderaanian ale.
"Is that good for Mara?" Anakin asked,
"A cup or two won't hurt her." Annabelle smiled, her gleaming teeth and green eyes almost glowing.
He commented, "You look happy."
"It's that euphoria after the battle. You feel it too." It was a statement not a question.
"Yes."
Annabelle patted her stomach, "Mara likes it as well, I've allowed her to feel it."
"I know." Anakin spoke quietly.
"You've felt her?"
"Yes. I sense that she will be very important in our future-but I feel in a manner that I cannot imagine."
"I've foreseen it as well." Annabelle smiled again. "Would you like to sense her?"
"If I may?"
As Anakin stretched out with the Force, the power overwhelmed him. It was euphoric, powerful. It built. Yes, the Enlightened Side was powerful, far better than the Jedi's childish tricks.
The emotion, the energy flowed through him. He took it all.
"Yes. She will be powerful." Anakin stated. "As are you."
He beheld Annabelle's face and some connection wouldn't leave, some vacuum.
"Of course. She's force-sensitive," Annabelle replied.
*And I'm a married man* Anakin thought.
Why did that thought come? A moment later Anakin knew why when that vacuum didn't close. And he couldn't make it stop.
Anakin wanted to die. He felt it was a dream. It had to be. A blaster to the gut would have been easier to handle. But this . . . this injury he had done of his free will.
"Well of course you're frazzled," Annabelle said from beside him, reading his thoughts. "That was your first time with a Jedi, wasn't it? A little different, yes?" She curled seductively around him, "A little better?"
Anakin sat up mumbling about the need to shower.
He went into the fresher and felt ill.
Adultery.
It was hard to face. Yet he was tempted to go back out for more. It was powerful, that taking. It was 'better' as Annabelle said, than with Amidala. With his wife it was passionate, but always something more mutual, more equal, a giving. There was not that raw power and domination.
He walked back into the room.
Annabelle was muttering about "Consenting adults. Moment of passion. Natural no big deal."
He listened to Annabelle and hated her.
He hated her because he wanted her.
But most importantly hated her because he knew that he'd never see Amidala in the same way again.
----
Anakin couldn't resist. He returned to Annabelle several more evenings. He hated it, but being with her was a drug. It was so powerful, so much taking from her.
He was also improving in other matters. He was winning the war.
Only occasionally, sometimes as he saw the light streaking through his windows in hyperspace did he start in shock when he felt fear and horror. Was this really what Anakin Skywalker was all about? Was he really an adulterer, a rebel against the Jedi Order he had once loved. Was he really killing his enemies en masse with no regret?
But he quickly erased it, for Anakin Skywalker no longer felt fear, it went with pain. And as for his wife. , .,
Annabelle helped him by teaching him a technique to cloak any signs of their relationship from Amidala when they spoke.
When he was away from her, ss long as he did not think of Amidala, all was fine. He did his best to stop it from happening.
Besides, once the war was over, he'd go back to her. This dalliance was an interlude. A diversion of war, a stepping stone to the new order. By always following the Jedi's outdated restrictions of no sex outside marriage, he had shut out a powerful part of himself-- a self that Anabelle showed him more and more every night.
He told himself this so many times that he really began to believe it.
Annabelle remained on the ship, continuing to monitor the situation for Chancellor Palpatine. At the end of the next circuit she would be dropped off at Coruscant.
Anakin looked on her as his ally in his new vision of the Jedi Order. They often met over stim-tea to discuss their plans. Annabelle was always there to point him to reason when Anakin felt something akin to doubt.
"Stay strong," she counseled him daily.
"I'm worried," Anakin replied and stopped in horror. He really felt anxiety, something he had never really felt before.
"Take heart, Anakin. I feel anxiety too. But remember we are close to finding out who's been arming the Mandolorians. Once that is clear, we can put an end to the Clone Wars."
Anakin nodded. "Which is why Chancellor Palpatine has made it a top priority, and sent you here to the front lines."
"Yes, and then we continue with our reformation of the Jedi Order." Annabelle finished her drink and stated, "We won't accomplish anything more this evening. I'm going to do some meditation exercises. Care to join me?"
ONE WEEK LATER
Anakin meditated often with Annabelle after that. When he did, there was an energy that fed and received.
He knew the name to give it: the Dark Side of the Force. Annabelle confirmed this suspicion, but convinced him that this label was only a legacy of archaic times. The Jedi were too intolerant to recognize this channel of being in touch with the Force. They felt it threatened their power, so they labeled it evil.
At first Anakin was skeptical of this, but the more he spoke with Annabelle, and practiced the meditation with her, the more convinced he was that she was right. Why, he hadn't felt this good in years, after he touched that raw power. It was almost carnal.
Anabelle Jade was four months along in her pregnancy. Anakin had been aware of the child within her.
"She's strong in the Force."
"I know. Isn't it lovely to have such a connection with your child?"
Annabelle hid her smirk as she thought of what this might remind Anakin.
Anakin nodded, "Yes, I know. I could sense my daughter from the moment she was conceived."
"Really? I didn't with Mara."
"But you had already been trying different methods by then," Anakin answered.
"You're right," Annabelle bowed her head in thought, her red-gold hair rippling in the dim light. "Fascinating that the Enlightened Side finds it difficult to connect with young life."
"Enlightened?" Anakin's brow puckered in confusion.
"Yes. The Dark side is a negative label, given by the Jedi Order."
"Enlightened?" Anakin repeated skeptically. "It sounds kind of dumb."
"But appropriate."
Anakin's head was reeling. So many thoughts. He was confused so much lately. Unlike his discernment before.
Annabelle sensed his thoughts and explained, "It was easy to discern because the Jedi Ways are simple. Ours are more complex and intelligent. That's why it's hard to understand sometimes. That's why it's confusing."
Before Anakin could answer, they were interrupted by a surprise attack.
With the raw power they tapped into, they defeated in a bloody manner all of the, calling upon all powers they had learned, ones they often had given names to themselves in their meditations. There was a bond forming. And together they nearly single-handedly obliterated a legion of Mandolorians.
Chancellor Palpatine congratulated them over the hologram. "You too are definitely a team. Unbeatable."
"Thank you, Chancellor," Anakin replied. It felt good to be complimented by him. Never before had Anakin sought Palpatine's approval but now, for a reason Anakin could not explain, it was imperative.
Anakin entered Annabelle's quarters. She was by the large view of stars. Drinking Alderaanian ale.
"Is that good for Mara?" Anakin asked,
"A cup or two won't hurt her." Annabelle smiled, her gleaming teeth and green eyes almost glowing.
He commented, "You look happy."
"It's that euphoria after the battle. You feel it too." It was a statement not a question.
"Yes."
Annabelle patted her stomach, "Mara likes it as well, I've allowed her to feel it."
"I know." Anakin spoke quietly.
"You've felt her?"
"Yes. I sense that she will be very important in our future-but I feel in a manner that I cannot imagine."
"I've foreseen it as well." Annabelle smiled again. "Would you like to sense her?"
"If I may?"
As Anakin stretched out with the Force, the power overwhelmed him. It was euphoric, powerful. It built. Yes, the Enlightened Side was powerful, far better than the Jedi's childish tricks.
The emotion, the energy flowed through him. He took it all.
"Yes. She will be powerful." Anakin stated. "As are you."
He beheld Annabelle's face and some connection wouldn't leave, some vacuum.
"Of course. She's force-sensitive," Annabelle replied.
*And I'm a married man* Anakin thought.
Why did that thought come? A moment later Anakin knew why when that vacuum didn't close. And he couldn't make it stop.
Anakin wanted to die. He felt it was a dream. It had to be. A blaster to the gut would have been easier to handle. But this . . . this injury he had done of his free will.
"Well of course you're frazzled," Annabelle said from beside him, reading his thoughts. "That was your first time with a Jedi, wasn't it? A little different, yes?" She curled seductively around him, "A little better?"
Anakin sat up mumbling about the need to shower.
He went into the fresher and felt ill.
Adultery.
It was hard to face. Yet he was tempted to go back out for more. It was powerful, that taking. It was 'better' as Annabelle said, than with Amidala. With his wife it was passionate, but always something more mutual, more equal, a giving. There was not that raw power and domination.
He walked back into the room.
Annabelle was muttering about "Consenting adults. Moment of passion. Natural no big deal."
He listened to Annabelle and hated her.
He hated her because he wanted her.
But most importantly hated her because he knew that he'd never see Amidala in the same way again.
----
Anakin couldn't resist. He returned to Annabelle several more evenings. He hated it, but being with her was a drug. It was so powerful, so much taking from her.
He was also improving in other matters. He was winning the war.
Only occasionally, sometimes as he saw the light streaking through his windows in hyperspace did he start in shock when he felt fear and horror. Was this really what Anakin Skywalker was all about? Was he really an adulterer, a rebel against the Jedi Order he had once loved. Was he really killing his enemies en masse with no regret?
But he quickly erased it, for Anakin Skywalker no longer felt fear, it went with pain. And as for his wife. , .,
Annabelle helped him by teaching him a technique to cloak any signs of their relationship from Amidala when they spoke.
When he was away from her, ss long as he did not think of Amidala, all was fine. He did his best to stop it from happening.
Besides, once the war was over, he'd go back to her. This dalliance was an interlude. A diversion of war, a stepping stone to the new order. By always following the Jedi's outdated restrictions of no sex outside marriage, he had shut out a powerful part of himself-- a self that Anabelle showed him more and more every night.
He told himself this so many times that he really began to believe it.