Author's Note: Thanks to everyone that's reviewed. It means a lot to hear what you think and feel free to take guesses at what's going to happen next! Thanks again!
TO LOVE A SITH
Chapter Eight
Padme rushed into her quarters on the ship in a mad frenzy. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks and she clawed at her face in frustration. She had pushed him too far, she shouldn't have said what she did. She so badly wished that she could take everything back, to have everything go back to the way things were before she had flown off the handle. Though, it wasn't as if he didn't deserve it. Maybe he needed to hear the truth about himself and his actions, even if she had been too harsh with her choice of words. Besides, his mission was to kill her colleagues and her friends and she there was no way she would condone it.
She threw herself onto the bed, the sound of her anguished sobs suppressed by the pillows.
Four storm troopers watched Vader pace back and forth around the main chambers of the ship. He was irate, to put it mildly, and this was a mood that caused others to run from him in complete fear.
Vader was enraged, still barely comprehending all of the horrible words that had flown out of his wife's mouth. No one ever talked to him like that. Not even his Master. Everyone else knew better, but she apparently didn't. He had been wrong before, she was unpredictable. And insufferable. Had he made a mistake when he had saved her from certain death? Was he in over his head with her? Something deep within him was whispering that he had known exactly what he was doing. It hadn't been a mistake. But that didn't mean he could forgive her. She had said she hated him.
His pacing relented and he resigned himself to the cockpit, deep in thought.
"Lord Vader?"
Vader was thrown out of his thoughts and turned his head in anger and annoyance to the nervous storm trooper in front of him.
"You better have a good reason."
"Yes, milord. We've arrived at Theed Palace."
"Good."
The shaken storm trooper turned to leave but halted as Vader spoke again.
"And when we land, make sure my wife comes to the Palace as well."
The storm trooper nodded and quickly left the cockpit. Vader settled back in his chair and stretched his arms over his head. A cruel smile spread across his face as he thought of his wife's reaction to his orders. She would be a witness to the fulfillment of his duty. Now he had a point to prove to her. It wasn't revenge, he assured himself, it was simply proving to her that his duty prevailed above everything else, including her.
"Milady? Are you there?"
Padme sighed and after quickly cleaning herself up, she flung open the door to reveal a nervous storm trooper. She waited expectantly.
"We've landed at Theed Palace. Lord Vader has instructed me to bring you inside."
Padme simply nodded, shocked by her husband's orders. He was going to make her watch. She was going to have to be witness to the deaths of many of her friends. Did he want her to hate him for the rest of her life?
She closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to regain some ounce of strength. Then with a heavy heart, she followed the storm trooper into Theed Palace.
After a short walk in the warm morning air, they entered a crowded room. Everywhere she looked she saw the frightened faces on her fellow Nubians, sitting in chairs or pacing nervously, awaiting their imminent fate. It was heartbreaking because she not only recognized many of the faces, but she knew there was absolutely nothing she could do to help them. At the other side of the room, she recognized a certain black cloak and wasn't sure if her blood was boiling or freezing.
Their eyes locked a for split second, both feeling a chill run down their spines.
"He can't possibly expect me to stay here when he…" She murmured under her breath.
"What milady?" asked the storm trooper who had escorted her in.
"He isn't going to keep me here, while he…completes his mission, is he?"
"His only orders for me were to keep you in this room. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but I have a duty to follow my orders."
"I've been hearing that a lot lately." She replied sarcastically.
Suddenly, the room fell silent as Vader began to speak.
"Today is judgment day for each of you. You all have a choice, either declare allegiance to the Emperor or die. Those that wish to live may voice that request now. As for the rest of you, I strongly urge you to reconsider."
Vader was surprisingly patient as he waited for his captives to decide. After a few moments, only a few stepped forward to declare loyalty to the Emperor. Vader nodded to the storm troopers nearby and the firing began.
Padme covered her mouth in horror as the blaster shots began to fire. She screamed and struggled to run out of the room, but strong hands forced her to stay put.
"Noooo! Leave me alone! I can't stay here!" She screamed amidst the cries of pain and anguish that filled the room.
She sank to her feet and covered her face with her hands, desperately trying to block out what was happening around her. She stayed that way until the firing ceased and heavy footsteps came towards her.
"Padme? Look at me, Padme."
She shook her head furiously, not wanting to have anything to do with the owner of the voice.
"Don't make me drag you out of here. You don't want to stay in here anyways."
She quickly sprang to her feet. He was right about that at least. There was no way she could remain in a room full of death. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, desperately trying to outrun the footsteps behind her. After only a few moments, she felt a pair of strong arms enclose around her. She struggled as fiercely as she could, slapping and clawing at every part of him she could find.
"Padme, no! Padme! Stop!" He yelled as he forced her arms at her side. She still had refused to look at him.
"Padme, look at me."
"Why would I want to look at a monster?"
His jaw clenched and he forced back his frustration at her actions.
"I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! You're despicable and I will never speak to you again as of this moment!"
"Fine! If you want to live like that, I won't stand in your way. That storm trooper will take you back to the ship. And don't expect anything from me ever again!"
She spat on him and he recoiled in disgust. Shaking his head at her in irritation and stalked off.
Her eyes filled with anguished tears as she watched him walk away. How could he do that to her and then expect everything to be alright? She couldn't forgive him for this. He was an evil monster and she was doomed to live the rest of her life in the shadow of that evil.
"Milady? Lord Vader has instructed that you return to Corusant at once. He said he will return when his business on Alderaan is complete. Come milady, it's time to go home."
Padme wiped the fresh tears from her eyes and followed the storm trooper to the ship. It was just as well that she left now. She wanted nothing to do with her husband or his mission and needed time to consider everything that had gone wrong in her life.
