A/N: Many thanks to: rhonderoo, Jedi-lover, kiltstoneded, wltdnfaded, cjmorning, Mistress Eden, morgannia, jedi71, Altorian, mar-isu, anna99, Magic Light Dragon, and Saber Girls for the reviews! I apologize for the delay - I was temporarily side-tracked by this thing called Celebration III.(grin!) Hopefully, the next update will not take as long. :)

CHAPTER 4 - Detach

Red flashed on red as lightsaber blades met, striking a steady beat of clashing light against the night sky. Mara was learning, quicker than she had expected, to hold her own against Lord Skywalker; but she was still far from matching his grace and agility.

They met frequently on the rooftop of the Imperial Palace, always at night with the city planet's skyscape providing a gleaming background for their sparring.

Fueled by newfound power, Mara charged at her opponent. Darkness permeated her emotions and actions, even her very thought processes. Addictive as any spice, it beckoned her deeper into its sultry embrace.

She relinquished herself willingly, hair streaming behind her blade in a rapid succession of thrusts and parries. Engrossed in the dizzying sensation, she was brought to a jarring halt when Skywalker stopped abruptly in front of her, blocking her attack with no more than a raised hand. Colliding into the Force-generated barrier, she tumbled backwards onto the ground.

Lord Skywalker waited patiently as she rose to her feet with as much dignity as possible, brushing dirt from her trousers. Pushing a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, she pursed her lips, "Is there a problem, Master?"

He regarded her carefully, "Yes. You attack with fervor, but it is flawed. You are too…emotional. You must learn to control your feelings."

Mara rested a hand on her hip, annoyed. "But you have encouraged these emotions," she countered. "In fact, you've done nothing but illicit anger and agression from the very start."

"You are correct. Fear, anger, hatred, aggression – they are the first and easiest routes to the dark side. You must now move past them to achieve power that is not dependant on feelings, but superior in its own right."

"I don't understand," Mara stated bluntly.

Lord Skywalker gestured for her to be seated on a wide ledge behind them. Lowering himself beside her, he leaned forward slightly, his chiseled profile accented in the moonlight, "You believe Dark and Light are opposites. So then, what is the opposite of love?"

She furrowed her brow, "Hate, I suppose."

"No, but that is what most people think," he shifted to face her directly. "It is ironic, in fact, that hatred requires a level of concern."

Mara tilted her head slightly, "Go on."

"In order to hate something, you must first care about it. Hate is, by nature, a reverse image. It must have a mirror of emotion from which to reflect itself. The opposite of love, then, would also be the opposite of hate."

"Neutrality," Mara murmured.

"Indifference," he nodded in agreement. "In order to fully embrace the dark side, you must empty yourself of emotions and shrug off the weights of worry. You must…detach."

Turning to the side, he lifted one leg over the ledge to straddle it, motioning for her to do the same. When their knees were touching, he reached for her hands, cradling them in his own.

"Close your eyes," he instructed softly. "Reach for the power inside you. To the still, cool place that is not marred by entanglements of concern."

Mara obeyed, withdrawing into herself at his command, Clear your mind.

And like fog breaking over an icy lake, she found it: the place in her soul where nothing dwelt…but power.

His hands seemed to tighten around hers as he continued, "Now open yourself to the Force that surrounds you."

She did, and hungry tendrils of fog extended, drawn immediately to the pillar of dark strength that was her master. The wisps evaporated against his heat and she began to tremble, overwhelmed.

His voice seemed to echo in the distance, "Now open yourself…as if receiving a lover."

It was too much. Her inner being, wavering dangerously close to his, would surely be consumed by his raw energy. Breaking the connection, she grasped for a retort, for any foothold of reality with which to protect herself and fell instinctively into old, defensive patterns. "Have you ever?" she challenged abruptly.

"What?" Lord Skywalker startled, releasing her hands. It was the first time she'd seen her master caught off-guard.

"Made love," she pressed. "Have you ever?"

Composure regained, he responded casually, "I wouldn't call it that."

"What would you call it?"

He met her gaze dead-on, "Reckless."

Mara narrowed her eyes, "That's a description I've never heard before. Is it so different for a Sith?"

"I wouldn't know," he answered coolly. "I am referring to a…genetic anomaly."

Mara shifted uncomfortably and felt herself flush. Perhaps she had overstepped her bounds.

"Not that kind of anomaly," his eyes flashed. He paused, as if considering his next words carefully, "There is a Force bond that is created whenever I am…joined…with a woman. A very awkward situation, you must realize, especially if she is the slightest bit Force-sensitive. Apparently, it is a familial trait of Skywalker males."

Mara absorbed the information in silence, not sure that she could image how Lord Skywalker's father had discovered this particular 'trait.'

Skywalker turned away from her, staring resolutely into the night sky, "I am sure you can understand the delicacy of such a predicament."

Mara watched in silence as a gentle breeze ruffled his hair. She had secretly wondered, in a part of her imagination that she did not dare to acknowledge, what it would be like to lie in his embrace. He could break her with his arms, but they had lifted her gently from the hard floor of the training arena more than once. His hands were strong, yet they had been soft against her shoulders, her belly, her face. Could fate possibly have been cruel enough to deny him the pleasures of manhood?

"Not even courtiers?" she finally asked.

"Occasionally," he shrugged. "Though they, and all others, could not be permitted to live afterwards." He sounded almost wistful, "Attachment is forbidden, you see."

The breeze died around them as the implications of his words settled in the silence. A long moment later, he rose swiftly from the ledge, "That is enough for tonight."

Mara remained seated in silence as he descended from the rooftop and disappeared into the night.

Alone.

Detached.

to be continued…