A Balancing Act

Prologue: My Missing Piece

RavenSparrow

Author's Notes: Complete overhaul of this story. Updated chapters to come soon. I am taking some liberties with the history of Star Wars on some things. So if you are an avid fan and I don't follow it to canon, don't shoot me first. -Han joke, lol. Either way... here we go.

Separation by Force

Shmi Skywalker had to make a choice. She had given birth to a set of twins a few weeks before, but unfortunately things were not looking up for and she could not take care of both babes. With a heavy heart and a guilty soul, it had been decided that she would give up her daughter, Aniya. With the female babe gone, she knew she would have a better chance of trying to escape this life she had fallen into. A female human child was not rare, but many were taken at a young age to be raised into brothels and such. No daughter of hers was going to have that fate. Shmi had been lucky, but she couldn't guarantee her daughter's future on Tatooine. Her son, Anakin, would not be traded so easily. Male slaves were more valuable in a sense for labor.

The young mother had to stifle a guttural sob that had tried to escape her already raw throat. She had been crying for hours as she weighed her decision heavily to separate her twins. A bond like that would not be so easily severed. She had contacted her friend, Alexandra, a former slave who had the fortune of being freed by her now husband, to take her daughter. Alexandra had promised that Aniya would be taken care of and even opted to allow Shmi to have a relationship with her. Shmi looked down at her sleeping daughter wrapped up in what little garments she could find and the smallest smile on the infant's face brought tears to her eyes again.

The babe slept peacefully, unaware that her mother was about to give her away. How would she react when she became older? What resentment would this innocent child have against her for giving her up? What kind of mother gave one child away and selfishly kept another? The Huts knew she had been pregnant when she had been forced into slavery. They were not aware that she had been pregnant with twins. Gardulla the Elder was already annoyed with her being pregnant with one child. To be pregnant with two was a death sentence for one of the babes. Shmi again had to hold her breath to prevent from letting out her anguish which could wake the child in her arms. So far, Aniya had been silent, content and asleep as she nestled into her mother's warmth. It was then that the young woman decided.

To hell with everything else, she would accept Alexandra's kind offer to be a part of this child's life. They would work through the details later about whether it would be revealed that she and Anakin were Aniya's true family. Her thoughts were immediately interrupted when she noticed some foot soldiers for the Huts patrolling the streets. Alexandra's husband was one such man, and had made a promise to meet her in the back alleyway behind a scrap shop. Shmi silently slinked past the patrolling units and huddled down in the spot they agreed upon three days prior. Again, the young woman couldn't believe that this small angelic child was perfectly silent and perfectly still. At one point she even put her finger down by her nostrils to ensure she was still breathing.

"Shmi?" a quiet male voice called out. The young woman knew it was her friend's husband, Alan Merrell.

"Alan?" She quietly called out. A large dark figure was quickly towering over her.

"Alexandra wanted me to remind you... you are always welcome in our house and with you giving us Aniya, we promise she will be looked after", he whispered, "She will also know who her mother and brother is."

"Thank you, but I am not sure if that would be wise", Shmi's whisper became hoarse at the emotions that were flowing through her at the moment, "The Hutts may become upset knowing another child was born and technically their property."

"Then we won't talk about it, but she will know you are her mother, Alexandra is adamant on that note", Alan shrugged his shoulders, "And you know once she has something on her mind, she will not give it up."

"I will never be able to repay the two of you..", the young woman began, but stopped when Alan placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't know what you are doing for us. Alexandra cannot have children due to what happened to her when she was younger", he lowered his head, "Her master did not want to risk having bastards."

"I know", Shmi sobbed quietly, "I met her not long after."

"I cannot believe a newborn is this quiet", Alan quietly chucked, trying to change the subject.

"I know... It is strange... I've even checked to make sure she was still breathing, but for whatever reason she is sound asleep", Shmi tried to keep her voice from cracking.

"I know the sacrifice you are making, but I promise, Aniya will be fine and she is loved", the young man assured.

"Thank you", Shmi whispered as she looked at her daughter once more, "I love you more than you will ever know."

One last kiss and she handed the sleeping child over Alan. He gently took her into his arms and held her close to his chest. He wrapped her up very carefully before placing his hand on Shmi's shoulder one last time before disappearing into the night with her daughter. The young woman silently cried, forcing back her sobs and only allowing her tears to fall. She quickly gathered herself for the way home. She had to be within her sound mind to get past any other foot soldiers. She arrived back in her own home and checked in on Anakin. Her neighbor had been kind enough to watch him while she had done her mission to get Aniya out.

It wouldn't be until the twins were nine that she would wish she had kept her small family together.