The Ties That Bind
Chapter 21
Sabé slid painfully to the ground, catching herself on one arm as the water closed about her legs. She was bleeding internally, if the blood flecking her lips was any indication, and her collarbone was cracked. She couldn't feel her legs either and her head felt as if she'd been hit with a durasteel pipe. It throbbed painfully, making her eyes cross. She was having trouble breathing, but wouldn't give in. She refused to die here, in the depths of a palace she'd sworn to protect. Even if it was doing the job she'd known would be the end of her. She shook her head, wincing. She was in really rough shape, and she knew it.
Her gaze went to Anakin as he advanced slowly on Carré. Carré. Who would have thought the old handmaiden, who'd sworn an oath to protect the monarch, was behind this plot? Carré was the last person Sabé would have thought to be capable of this. She'd seemed so... wholesome and upstanding. So much for her flawless ability to judge a person's character.
White-Blue crossed with red as Anakin struck the first blow, the lightsabers crackling and hissing as they connected. She flinched, unable to turn her gaze away as they spun into an intricate battle dance. Their lightsabers blurred as they moved faster and fast, crossing, blocking, lunging. Anakin was a blur of movement, Carré easily matching him. They spun around, water splashing in every direction, sizzling as the drops connected with the humming blades.
Anakin parried, spinning on his knees in an impossible move and forcing Carré to jump as his lightsaber almost connected with her knees. She flipped over him and he spun, meeting her blade as he got to his feet. His eyes narrowed and he screamed at her, the pain he'd been suppressing coming out in a violent wave as he focused the energy on her. A wall of water surrounded her, stones spinning into the vortex as Carré screamed. He screamed back at her, his rage resounding through the cavern as he let the feelings go. Power welled within him as he raised his lighsaber and cleaved it through the water tunnel.
The blade hissed and steamed, crackling as it slid out the other side. He whirled suddenly, a Force impression alerting him to danger, and met Carré's blade with his own. Her head was bleeding, her jumpsuit torn in several places. Her hair was plastered to her head. Anakin read murder in her eyes. "It won't be so easy to defeat me, Skywalker," she spat. "If I can sever your Life-bond with your precious Padmé, ridding you of your life will be child's play."
He caught her lightsaber again, parrying quick, consecutive blows, "If it's so easy to kill me then why don't you just do it," he taunted. "I don't think you can, Carré. I think you're weak."
She redoubled her attack, adding projectiles from around the room, forcing Anakin to move quickly to intercept not only lightning fast lightsaber blows but chunks of duracreet and steel. He was up to the challenge, catching each and turning it aside, though it left no time for a counter offensive. Carré grudgingly admitted that he was good, better than she'd ever believe him to be, his rage having made him powerful.
"Now you understand," she spat.
Their blades crossed and ice blue eyes met emerald. "I understand that you're not as strong as you seem. You're the source behind all these attacks! I won't let you hurt anyone else!"
"That's what you think, Skywalker! Your anger, your aggression has made you strong. Stronger than you've ever been, give into it, let it go and destroy me!"
He froze, understanding dawning in his eyes. The rage continued to boil through him, searing his mind and soul, urging him to use it, to take it out on the woman who'd caused so much death and destruction. He fought it, stepping away and moving on the defensive, purely instinctively, as Carré took advantage of his inner turmoil. Back on his heels, Anakin was suddenly hard pressed to beat off her attacks. His focus dropped for an instant, and she hit viciously, the strength of the blow taking the saber from his hand. He cried out, falling back, as her blade swept back. Her eyes glittered with triumph. "You're dead, Skywalker."
Anakin ducked, hitting the ground painfully and rolling away as the lightsaber came within millimeters of slicing him in half. He reached out for his lightsaber again, frantically trying to put some distance between himself and Carré. She lunged, cutting off his escape and forcing him into a backflip-belly flop. Something dropped near his hand as he rolled unexpectedly into her, knocking her to the ground and giving him time to regain his feet. A cool, silver object, the hilt of a lightsaber, rested in his palm. Not his own, though. He didn't think twice as he ignited it... and nearly dropped the weapon as the cool violet color bathed the area. Mace Windu's lightsaber!
Carré froze, searching the surrounding area and finding Mace standing in the doorway two floors up. She raised her red lightsaber in a mocking salute. "Well met, my old Master."
Mace said nothing as Anakin took the opportunity to lunge at the woman. She whirled in a brilliant, showy display of defensive power, even managing a counter attack. Anakin concentrated on blocking her blade and kicked out at her knees. Expecting it, she leapt backwards, breaking their close quarter battle. Anakin held the glowing amethyst blade before him and concentrated. He was still feeling the almost overwhelming urge to let go of his rage and strike her down. To kill her before she could do more damage. He swallowed hard, fighting it down as he blocked her blade again. He deflected several small items thrown his way, rubbing at a cut on his cheek. Neither of them were going to escape from this unscathed. He blocked her again, feeling his arms beginning to tire.
"Anakin!"
He spun away from Carré as his Danger sense flared, Sabé's hoarse shout a split second later. His lightsaber, thrown with an amazing degree of accuracy, arced through the air. It barely missed taking his arm off as it spun sideways and tore through Carré's defenses. She screamed as her hand was severed from her wrist, her lightsaber dropping to the ground. She clutched the stump, pain radiating off her for a split second before the terrible nothingness of the Force engulfed her. Anakin's blood ran cold as he looked straight at her and couldn't feel her. She glared at him, her gaze going beyond him to the woman on the ground. She bent, grabbed the severed hand and her lightsaber before turning and disappearing into the tunnels.
Anakin started to go after her.
"Hold."
He looked up at Mace. "Master?"
"Let her go. She can cause no more damage as injured as she is. Whoever is augmenting her power is the real threat."
"But, Master, if we can't sense her..."
"Anakin."
He closed his mouth.
"By letting her go we may be able to trace her back to her Master. Patience, young Padawan. You did well today."
Anakin's gaze went to a shivering Sabé. She was coughing softly, blood flecking the hand she held over her mouth. "Thank you, Master." He certainly didn't feel as if he'd done well today. He'd let Sabé fall, brought her most likely to her death and then let the Jedi assassin escape. Another day, then. He would have the assassin another day. He walked swiftly to Sabé and gently lifted her in his arms. "Master, could you...?"
He felt light all of a sudden as Mace extended a hand. They were lifted from the cavern floor slowly and brought to the doorway. Anakin inclined his head in thanks. "We have to get her to the medical wing."
Mace extended his arms. "Obi-Wan is already there, give her to me, I'll take her."
Anakin handed Sabé over to the Jedi Master. "Is what she said true?"
Mace paused. "She was once my Padawan, yes."
Anakin nodded, understanding Mace's reluctance to talk about it and left it alone. Mace, carrying Sabé, disappeared towards the medical wing at a Force induced run. It was obvious the Master Jedi knew exactly how grave her injuries were. Anakin turned and headed in the opposite direction. If Padmé was indeed dead, he had to see her body, and it would be where he'd last seen her. His pace increased to a run as he headed for the gardens.
Chapter 21
Sabé slid painfully to the ground, catching herself on one arm as the water closed about her legs. She was bleeding internally, if the blood flecking her lips was any indication, and her collarbone was cracked. She couldn't feel her legs either and her head felt as if she'd been hit with a durasteel pipe. It throbbed painfully, making her eyes cross. She was having trouble breathing, but wouldn't give in. She refused to die here, in the depths of a palace she'd sworn to protect. Even if it was doing the job she'd known would be the end of her. She shook her head, wincing. She was in really rough shape, and she knew it.
Her gaze went to Anakin as he advanced slowly on Carré. Carré. Who would have thought the old handmaiden, who'd sworn an oath to protect the monarch, was behind this plot? Carré was the last person Sabé would have thought to be capable of this. She'd seemed so... wholesome and upstanding. So much for her flawless ability to judge a person's character.
White-Blue crossed with red as Anakin struck the first blow, the lightsabers crackling and hissing as they connected. She flinched, unable to turn her gaze away as they spun into an intricate battle dance. Their lightsabers blurred as they moved faster and fast, crossing, blocking, lunging. Anakin was a blur of movement, Carré easily matching him. They spun around, water splashing in every direction, sizzling as the drops connected with the humming blades.
Anakin parried, spinning on his knees in an impossible move and forcing Carré to jump as his lightsaber almost connected with her knees. She flipped over him and he spun, meeting her blade as he got to his feet. His eyes narrowed and he screamed at her, the pain he'd been suppressing coming out in a violent wave as he focused the energy on her. A wall of water surrounded her, stones spinning into the vortex as Carré screamed. He screamed back at her, his rage resounding through the cavern as he let the feelings go. Power welled within him as he raised his lighsaber and cleaved it through the water tunnel.
The blade hissed and steamed, crackling as it slid out the other side. He whirled suddenly, a Force impression alerting him to danger, and met Carré's blade with his own. Her head was bleeding, her jumpsuit torn in several places. Her hair was plastered to her head. Anakin read murder in her eyes. "It won't be so easy to defeat me, Skywalker," she spat. "If I can sever your Life-bond with your precious Padmé, ridding you of your life will be child's play."
He caught her lightsaber again, parrying quick, consecutive blows, "If it's so easy to kill me then why don't you just do it," he taunted. "I don't think you can, Carré. I think you're weak."
She redoubled her attack, adding projectiles from around the room, forcing Anakin to move quickly to intercept not only lightning fast lightsaber blows but chunks of duracreet and steel. He was up to the challenge, catching each and turning it aside, though it left no time for a counter offensive. Carré grudgingly admitted that he was good, better than she'd ever believe him to be, his rage having made him powerful.
"Now you understand," she spat.
Their blades crossed and ice blue eyes met emerald. "I understand that you're not as strong as you seem. You're the source behind all these attacks! I won't let you hurt anyone else!"
"That's what you think, Skywalker! Your anger, your aggression has made you strong. Stronger than you've ever been, give into it, let it go and destroy me!"
He froze, understanding dawning in his eyes. The rage continued to boil through him, searing his mind and soul, urging him to use it, to take it out on the woman who'd caused so much death and destruction. He fought it, stepping away and moving on the defensive, purely instinctively, as Carré took advantage of his inner turmoil. Back on his heels, Anakin was suddenly hard pressed to beat off her attacks. His focus dropped for an instant, and she hit viciously, the strength of the blow taking the saber from his hand. He cried out, falling back, as her blade swept back. Her eyes glittered with triumph. "You're dead, Skywalker."
Anakin ducked, hitting the ground painfully and rolling away as the lightsaber came within millimeters of slicing him in half. He reached out for his lightsaber again, frantically trying to put some distance between himself and Carré. She lunged, cutting off his escape and forcing him into a backflip-belly flop. Something dropped near his hand as he rolled unexpectedly into her, knocking her to the ground and giving him time to regain his feet. A cool, silver object, the hilt of a lightsaber, rested in his palm. Not his own, though. He didn't think twice as he ignited it... and nearly dropped the weapon as the cool violet color bathed the area. Mace Windu's lightsaber!
Carré froze, searching the surrounding area and finding Mace standing in the doorway two floors up. She raised her red lightsaber in a mocking salute. "Well met, my old Master."
Mace said nothing as Anakin took the opportunity to lunge at the woman. She whirled in a brilliant, showy display of defensive power, even managing a counter attack. Anakin concentrated on blocking her blade and kicked out at her knees. Expecting it, she leapt backwards, breaking their close quarter battle. Anakin held the glowing amethyst blade before him and concentrated. He was still feeling the almost overwhelming urge to let go of his rage and strike her down. To kill her before she could do more damage. He swallowed hard, fighting it down as he blocked her blade again. He deflected several small items thrown his way, rubbing at a cut on his cheek. Neither of them were going to escape from this unscathed. He blocked her again, feeling his arms beginning to tire.
"Anakin!"
He spun away from Carré as his Danger sense flared, Sabé's hoarse shout a split second later. His lightsaber, thrown with an amazing degree of accuracy, arced through the air. It barely missed taking his arm off as it spun sideways and tore through Carré's defenses. She screamed as her hand was severed from her wrist, her lightsaber dropping to the ground. She clutched the stump, pain radiating off her for a split second before the terrible nothingness of the Force engulfed her. Anakin's blood ran cold as he looked straight at her and couldn't feel her. She glared at him, her gaze going beyond him to the woman on the ground. She bent, grabbed the severed hand and her lightsaber before turning and disappearing into the tunnels.
Anakin started to go after her.
"Hold."
He looked up at Mace. "Master?"
"Let her go. She can cause no more damage as injured as she is. Whoever is augmenting her power is the real threat."
"But, Master, if we can't sense her..."
"Anakin."
He closed his mouth.
"By letting her go we may be able to trace her back to her Master. Patience, young Padawan. You did well today."
Anakin's gaze went to a shivering Sabé. She was coughing softly, blood flecking the hand she held over her mouth. "Thank you, Master." He certainly didn't feel as if he'd done well today. He'd let Sabé fall, brought her most likely to her death and then let the Jedi assassin escape. Another day, then. He would have the assassin another day. He walked swiftly to Sabé and gently lifted her in his arms. "Master, could you...?"
He felt light all of a sudden as Mace extended a hand. They were lifted from the cavern floor slowly and brought to the doorway. Anakin inclined his head in thanks. "We have to get her to the medical wing."
Mace extended his arms. "Obi-Wan is already there, give her to me, I'll take her."
Anakin handed Sabé over to the Jedi Master. "Is what she said true?"
Mace paused. "She was once my Padawan, yes."
Anakin nodded, understanding Mace's reluctance to talk about it and left it alone. Mace, carrying Sabé, disappeared towards the medical wing at a Force induced run. It was obvious the Master Jedi knew exactly how grave her injuries were. Anakin turned and headed in the opposite direction. If Padmé was indeed dead, he had to see her body, and it would be where he'd last seen her. His pace increased to a run as he headed for the gardens.