Vader's Angel
By: wertman25
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Star Wars…. Or Anakin Skywalker… Which is a pity…
Dedication: To Emily, for she could make and bake a human being in the time it took me to update. Congrats and I'm sorry! Now send me my damn card.
Author's Note: Miss me? Let's get this bad boy finished. There's not much progress in this chapters, but it's important for other reasons. Also, see the note within. I'm working out the kinks.
The shuttle ride to the planet was short, but somehow it was also antagonizing long– at least for Padmé. The few minutes seemed to ease into never-ending hours as she sat inside the small confinements of the ship, stuck between a pair of clone trooper who held each of her arms while also being in the close company of the Imperial officers she was meant to despise. There was hardly enough room to even breath inside the shuttle as they pressed against one another and the tension inside the vehicle made it far worse. There was something unspoken steaming between all of them, something heavy and nearly suffocating.
However, Padmé could hardly pay any attention to that– for her nerves were elsewhere. She tried to keep her breath steady and suppress the heat she continued to feel flowing throughout her entire body. Her eyes stayed glued to the floor as if uninterested, but every so often would move to the large, dark Sith, who would saunter by to inspect the controls of the ship and the men who piloted the landing. Vader acted like his testy self and paid her no true attention, but Padmé prayed no one saw the slight bounce she saw in his step– or hoped she was just imagining it.
She praised herself that she had done a very good job relieving Vader of some of his stress– but perhaps a too good of job. The fresh memory still made her cheeks burn and her most sensitive body parts ache. Any time the memory would flash across her mind, she would try to press it back down as quickly as she could, hoping that Vader would not be watching her mind.
As the craft made it's landing Vader crossed the narrow pathway before her, hesitating for a moment as he strode by– enough so, that for a moment, she thought he was going to grab her hand– but of course he didn't. It caught no one attention's but her own, the Sith Lord walking confidently towards the exit, as the lift door eased down before them. She followed him through the exit, staying at a respectable distance behind him, and playing the part of a confident prisoner perfectly. Piett, a trooper, and another officer exited with them, walking in strange grace to another man standing below.
The man at the end of the catwalk hesitated, but only for a moment, taking in the Dark Lord's height and stature. "Lord Vader," he said, saluting the Sith and standing at the most honorable attention. "I apologize, sir, but your briefing has been rescheduled for tomorrow morning– although if you would like, in a standard hour, I can at the very least take your around to the points that will be discussed."
"Very well," Vader replied smoothly, seeming quite uncharacteristic, not even pausing as he continued his stride toward the large building.
The officer fell in line beside the Sith and walked with Vader as Padmé continued with the rest of group which stayed respectfully behind him. The officer began to speak to Vader, giving him an update of sorts, but as much as Padmé strained to hear, his words became completely inaudible as the gap between the two parties grew. Her eyes stayed on him as the officer seemed to take Vader to the side of the platform, while the rest of the group seemed to move towards the building. There was a small nod between Vader and one of the officers's beside her that was meant to go unnoticed, but was something Padmé noted before the group completely disbanded from one another. She felt Piett's hand touch the side of her arm, the notion soft and polite. Her eyes moved to the young man's and she followed his lead away from the Sith Lord.
Leaving Vader behind, the rest of the group completely disbanded as they entered the large building, leaving Piett and Padmé to walk alone down the hallway. The pair walked in comfortable silence for sometime before reaching the end of a long hall that seemed to be quarantined from the rest.
"I apologize, but I must leave you at Vader's quarters," Piett said. "Lord Vader is quite busy at this location, so I shouldn't think it will be any bother. It is the most secure quarters in this area, on this planet even."
Padmé nodded, offering the young man a small smile. "I wouldn't think it would come as any surprise to you if I said I was used to that statement by now."
Piett let out a small laugh, smiling back at the senator. "No," he said. "I suppose it wouldn't." As they reached the door, Piett's smile fell, but he remained polite nonetheless, pausing and giving the senator a small bow of respect before he motioned towards the door. "Milady," he said. "A pleasure as always."
Padmé smiled and nodded her head in return giving him the same equal respect. "Likewise, Piett," she said, before she turned and entered through the doorway.
She paused just inside the entrance taking in what was to be yet another of Vader's quarters. She looked around noting the small dark space, the place looking as black as ever, but quite bare and empty compared to his usual places. It was quiet even, too quiet, but despite that fact, she even partly waited for another one of his droids to come shuffling towards her general direction. She wondered just how many places Vader had across the galaxy and which one he preferred above them all. This place looked like a cell more than actual living quarters. It was missing all the elements of home– if that would even be the correct word. But still, where was the bed? Where was the fresher? Where was the–
Just then the door to the chambers slide open behind her, causing Padmé to slightly jump at the sudden and unexpected motion. "Vader?" she breathed, her heartbeat slightly fastened as she watched the Sith join her within the small room. "What are you doing here? I thought you had duties to attend to?"
Vader paused just inside the doorway, rising to his full height as hands came to rest on top of his belt. "In a standard hour," he answered, his hooded head looking up and down with his gaze cast in her direction. "What are you doing in the doorway?"
"Um," Padmé hesitated, looking around the small room wondering where else was there for her to go. "Despite the fact that I just entered, there isn't much other than the doorway."
Vader huffed, the sound, not like a laugh, but the thought of what he considered pure ridiculousness being made clear. "I forget your eyesight is weak compared to mine," he said, taking a step forward until his form was devoured by the darkness.
A few seconds passed in silence, the darkness not changing, and the sound of Vader all but disintegrating. "Vader?" Padmé called, taking a small step forward, but not completely entering into the darkness. She decided to simply wait, but the small step was enough to tell her, however, that the room went far beyond the small circle that she could see.
It was only when small, almost unnatural lights began to fill the room that Padmé was able to take in its grandness. The lights hardly lit the room, but did enough to accent how large it actually was, and even more important, lit the room enough to reveal the hallway at the far end of it. The sound of Vader's footsteps echoed from within the cavern, becoming loud before he revealed him, and pausing just at the entrance.
"Senator," he called, motioning for her to come forward.
Padmé wasted no time complying with his request, walking across the large foyer to where Vader stood. He pressed himself against the wall, allowing her to pass him by, and as she did, Padmé could nearly feel the smirk across his face. Nevertheless, she walked on into the poorly lit quarters, hoping to the Force that she didn't run into anything and fall on her face in the process. She took a cautious steps forward, feeling with her toes before placing her foot completely on the group.
The Empire must be doing budget cuts, Padmé thought to herself, using her hand against the wall to navigate herself through the hall. It was a funny conclusion in the grand scheme of things, but she couldn't help but to think it was the only reason for the poorly lit living conditions for someone so high up in the Empire such as Vader. She could only imagine what the crew's cabins were like if their commanding officer lived in conditions such as this.
"We have to keep the lights down," Vader said from somewhere behind her, from the sounds of it, walking with much more grace and ease, as he answered her unsaid conclusion. "Fluorescents or any bright lights, really, during full moons on this planet call for unforeseen consequences."
Padmé took another few steps in the darkness, tripping over something, but keeping herself upright. "I don't even know what that means," she said, somewhat frustrated as she tried to copy Vader's flawless moments in the darkness.
"You'll see," Vader said, his hand coming to rest on her back from a small moment to align her body in the correct direction before he quickly removed it.
Padmé felt the heat rise in her body upon his touch, but tried to control the chemicals reacting from with inside her belly. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and for once, she was thankful for the darkness to hide it. After all, she remembered the last time the two of them were in a dark hallway together, and she still wasn't ready to commit to the same outcome.
"Do you see the light?" Vader asked, pulling Padmé from her thoughts as she squinted her eyes in the darkness to look for some sort of light source.
"No," she answered, continuing to look for the light ahead that he could see, but her eyes were missing.
"You will," Vader said. "Just keep moving."
She did as he said and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a much larger light source at the end of the hallway. She quickened her pace and couldn't help but chuckle at Vader's sigh of relief, his own footsteps becoming heavier and faster. She would never understand how he was so comfortable with being accustomed to so much darkness.
Once at the end of the hall, she wasted no time turning and stepping into the room with the light source, having the plan to walk to a more comfortable area, but freezing the second she entered into the new room.
"Moons of Naboo…" she breathed, her eyes widening and her mouth nearly falling to the floor as she took in the massive area before it.
This place was far grander than his establishments on Coruscant, still bland with decor and lack of personal touches, but far more open and gorgeously designed with architectural details. The room was huge and had tall columns that stood within the center. The main area had a balcony that overlooked the ridge, reminding her of her own apartment on Coruscant that overlooked the city. This was far more beautiful than any cityscape backdrop though.
"This… This is your establishments too?" she asked, turning away from the gorgeous backdrop to face him. Amazement filled her voice, a smile on her lips, but Vader lacked any of the same emotions. Instead, he continued around her, practically oblivious to her reaction, skimming the scene with no true emotion.
"I have a lot of places," he said simply, dismissing the fact.
Padmé eyed him as he paused in the center of the room, looking as miserable and disconnect as ever. "And yet," she said with a small smile, testing the waters as she took a small step towards him. "You're still miserable…"
The comment changed his attitude, the weight within the air somewhat dissolving and his head turning to look towards her slowly. He was silent for a moment, his gaze remaining upon her. "Perhaps it's not the places, but the company," he replied, his voice even, but nevertheless a small tease.
She couldn't help but to roll her eyes. "I don't annoy you that badly," Padmé retorted. Well, anymore, she thought. Maybe on occasion.
"Only when you're breathing."
"You're kidding," Padmé said, pushing the statement although she knew it was somewhat true.
He fell back onto his heels, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down upon her from his exaggerated height. "Am I, Senator?"
Padmé mimicked him, rolling back onto the heels of her feet as she crossed her arms over her chest. She could never reach his height, but she locked her shoulders in a way that gave her every inch that she could get. She smiled, giving him an innocent, but equally siren-type of look. "I thought I was soothing," she teased, "and surprising."
Vader didn't react at all like she hoped he would, not showing an ounce of pleasure or likewise teasing reaction from her comment. Instead, he took a deep breath and his shoulders fell, his face turned away from her and towards the view before them. "I've had my share of both of those today," he said quietly, at a pure disconnect, revealing his mind was anywhere but with her or taking in the view.
She felt her heart drop sensing his sudden change of mood, but in her heart she knew she could do nothing to change it. Something was bothering him, something more than usual, and although her gift of a blowjob to him had calmed his physical form for all but a moment, she knew that it did nothing for the true issue that was brewing inside his soul.
Regardless, she decided to ignore him in lesser terms. Leave him alone to think about whatever thoughts were racing through his mind. She would take what she could get from him and wouldn't press him. Not now, anyways. Moving around Vader without much as of a second thought, she continued to look around the space. She moved closer to the large architectural pieces of the room, taking in the beauty and mastery of the works. It reminded her of the palace of Naboo and the thought made her heart sink into her chest.
Home.
The idea made her sad, but she tried not to dwell too badly on the subject. She missed her friends, her family, and her freedom. She could still feel the heat of Naboo's shining sun and the feel of the cold water as she swam through the waves. She could feel the burning sand beneath her feet and hear the birds singing from the trees. She could hear Dormé laugh and Jar Jar make jokes. She could hear Bail's encouraging words. But above all, she could see the smile of her mother, feel the special hug from her father, and hear her sister complain about her depressing love life. She nearly laughed out loud at the pure ridiculousness of it. She missed them– all of them. She wanted to see them, more than anything, and before she could stop herself, the words flooded from her mouth.
"Can I contact my family?"
She hadn't meant to speak the question allowed, already knowing the painful answer and not being able to bear the pain. But the words had left her mouth before she could stop them. They had echoed into the air and into the Sith Lord's ears before she had to second to think about her actions. Her eyes widened and she held her fingers tightly as she waited for the Sith before her to respond, not being able to take the words back and only able to wait for his response.
Vader hadn't moved from his previous spot, his body remained a statue with his eyes cast out upon the forested ridge. His lack of response made Padmé wonder if he had even heard her ask the question, but all too soon, his body straightened, almost hesitantly, and his hooded face turned in her direction.
"You know the rules," Vader answered simply. "No communications."
She had expected that, but still her heart sank. "I know," she said, hope still within her chest and she made a sort of attempt to plead with the Sith Lord. "I just miss my family . I haven't heard from them in months. I haven't heard from anyone in months, practically."
Vader remained motionless. "You lost that right," he answered without an ounce of sympathy, allow she hardly expected it, he said the statement as it was the most obvious thing in the world and she was just meant to except it.
"By your terms," Padmé agreed, "but I'm not sure how contacting my family would cause any galaxy uprising or outrage of the Empire type of drama."
"No, Senator," Vader replied, his voice dark and void. "And my answer is final."
Padmé nodded, breathing out her pain as she thought the emotions that were nearly creating tears in her eyes. She reader out and touched the pillar that stood before her, rubbing the cold marble and feeling as it chilled her fingers. "I just miss my mom," Padmé admitted, the tears swirling within her eyes, but not yet falling. She wiped her hand beneath her eyes as if that was the secret to holding back tears. "My dad too," she added with a small, heartbreaking laugh, "but my mom most of all."
She took a few deep breaths, pushing the image of her smiling parents from her mind as she attempted to pull herself back together. She wiped her eyes again; washing away the few straggler tears that had escaped from the dam she was holding. She took another deep breath, fortifying her walls and pushing all the escape emotions back within the catacomb, which they had escaped.
She turned back to Vader, realizing he was looking at her differently now. His stance hadn't exactly changed, but his head slightly dangled to one side. His eyes were on her, an emotion within his gaze that Padmé could not distinguish.
"I'll consider the request," he said after a moment, the words again making her heart drop, but in a completely different way.
She placed her hand on top of her chest, as if the organ was about to surge out of her body. Her eyes moved to Vader, looking for any clue that he was simply lying to her. "Really?" she asked, not meaning to sound as hopeful as she did, the tears again swelling within her eyes. "You're serious."
"I said I'd consider it," Vader sniped back, his annoyance high as he walked past her and towards the opposite hall on the other side of the room. "That does not mean my answer will change."
"I know, I know," Padmé said, holding back the over-following emotions she was feeling. "But–" she turned and watched him disappear down the hall, all but leaving her alone inside the massive room. "Vader," she said, not finishing her current train of thought as she charged after him. "Where are you going?"
She caught up with him just as he turned and entered into a room at the far end of the hall. She followed him through the door and was unsurprised to see that it was a bedroom. It was a bedroom exactly like the ones at all his other establishments, quite bare, only filled with some dark stands and a fresher that connected on the side.
He paused in the corner of the room, shedding himself of his dark robe and throwing it on one of the dressers. "I'm getting a shower," he said, kicking off his boots, the sand from within flying everywhere. He made a look of disgust before turning and entering the fresher. The door closed without another word and Padmé was left alone within the room.
She rolled her eyes; used to his sudden actions and the feeling it left her with by now. She fell back onto the bed with a small humph, starring up at the dark ceiling with so much and yet also nothing on her mind. Her anxiety was eating at her, little pests devouring her alive from the inside out. She couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that consumed her either and once again she felt bitter sadness as her family came to her mind. Her stomach growled within the mess, reminding her that she was nearly starving from the lack of food she had not had in over twenty-four hours.
"Ugh," Padmé sighed, trying to push the overwhelming feelings away. She moved herself higher onto the bed, but was unable to find a comfortable position that suited her. It wasn't the mattress that was causing her such a fuss, as much as what she wearing. The dress she wore was less than comfortable and was becoming increasingly heavy after the long hours of wearing it.
Pushing off the bed, she decided to make herself at home. It was the very least the Empire– or Vader could allow for putting her through this never-ending cycle of hell. She walked towards the dresser, moving Vader's cloak and opening a drawer beneath it. It was a lucky guess, but thankfully Padmé found what she craved on the first try. She grabbed one of his shirts from the drawer, pulling her own gown off and throwing it on the floor in a giant lump before sliding his long black shirt over her head. The fabric stopped just above her knees, but felt so evermore soothing than the Force-forsaken dress had become.
She stood beside the bed, admiring herself, happy with her work. She rolled her shoulders and stretched them above her head, flinching where the tender muscles of her neck pulled. She touched the area for a moment, trying not to think about Vader's hand crushing down on her esophagus. The coolness of her hands felt delightfully wonderfully against the strained and bruised part of her muscle. The skin starting to yellow into her fairer complexion, but not as healed beneath. Her bones seemed to crack as she moved, making her realize the full extent of the stress that had been put upon her body. The dress had been another unnecessary weight that she had been carrying for too long and Vader's thin shirt was a welcomed replacement getaway.
She took a step forwards the bed, ready to finally relax, but froze as the fresher door beside her slide open and the black-cladded Sith entered into the room. Her eyes met his slowly, a sheepish grin forming onto her face as she watched his eyes move up and down to inspect her.
"I– I stole your shirt," she commented, her voice lacking her usual confidence as Vader's eyes remained on her exposed legs.
"I see that," he replied, forcing his eyes away from her skin and turning back to the dresser behind him. He shook his head, almost like a strange sort of dog, the water droplets from his long locks spraying across the room and even falling upon Padmé. He locked the straps upon the glove of his right arm, before reaching for his cloak and shielding himself from the world. He turned back to her the perfect vision of Vader, tall, dark, and hidden from the world. "I need to go," he said as he continued by her towards the exit. "I have a briefing, it shouldn't take long."
Author's Note: Unfortunately when my computer crashed and I lost the entire VA document, this part of the story was lost and not recovered like the rest of the chapters. I am still working on recovering it. However, I felt I was capable of moving the story along without this excerpt due to the fact that it isn't anything "too important" and you guys have been waiting long enough. Once this part of the story is recovered, I will add it back into the fan fiction.
She didn't know why if Vader had this place why he would even dare to stay anywhere else in the galaxy, especially underground at Coruscant. She had known the establishments to be beautiful, but as she sat within the grand main living area looking out at across the ridge, she was falling more in love by the very second. The ridge had been beautiful before in the small amount of daylight, but then when the sun went down something began to glow in the darkness, various different colors of all dimensions beginning to shine.
It was breathtaking, but as beautiful as it was, it was only a particular glowing that caught her eye, calling her from her spot within the establishments to the open doorway. The two moons glowed from above, a heavenly type of ray shinning down to the inner dwellings of the ridge to where the brightest of all the light shinned majestically.
She stepped out onto the balcony, the view mesmerizing her. The landscape was unlike anything she had ever seen before, severely different than the one she had witnessed earlier and somehow she wondered how she could have missed it. Now, night had completely overtaken the planet, but unlike most planets she was accustomed to, Felucia's nature was more alive than ever. Some plants glowed on Felucia, that was a known fact, but never in her whole life had Padmé seen such a field of breathtaking flowers.
The flowers didn't just glow, but seemed to sparkle and dance in the distance. There were hundreds, if not millions of them spread across the fields and the forest floor. In a way, as they glimmered in the moonlight, they resembled a type of sea which would sparkle in the sunlight. The white light they produced was infatuating and Padmé found herself unable to look away.
"Leiathos motregon," Vader commented, his voice being the only known thing in the universe that could possibly allow Padmé to turn away from their beauty.
"That's a mouth full," she said, turning to stare at Vader, who was now leaning against the doorway of the balcony. For how long, she didn't know.
"I believe the locals call them leias," he commented with a small smile, a short laugh escaping from his mouth as he allowed his shining white teeth to be revealed for a single moment.
"Leias?" Padmé repeated, the word sending a delightful shiver down her spine and a strange warmness came over her that she could explain, but in the strangest way, it made her feel whole. Leias. How gorgeous.
"Heavenly flower," he said, taking another step forward to join her. "If I remember correctly. Quite the extravagant story the locals have on their creation."
His words surprised her and she couldn't help but to eye him as she spoke, her head turning to the side with some suspicion. "I didn't know you had such knowledge on flowers," she said, watching him release a sort of snort in return as he nearly rolled his eyes.
"I have knowledge of many things," he answered, leaning against the banister of the balcony and casting his eyes towards the field of glowing flowers below. "My years of training did not just consist of the knowledge of the Force."
"I would assume as much," Padmé agreed, copying his action in a far less manly way as she relaxed into the railing of the balcony, "but I didn't know flowers would be included."
Vader seemed somewhat uninterested, giving her a slight shrug. "Ecosystems, languages, cultures, natural resources, governments, basic local and galactic knowledge of different places within planets," he paused and his eyes moved towards her. "Knowing how to utilize, destroy, or corrupt them."
That fact didn't sit well in the bottom of her belly, sending a cold chill up her spine. "You couldn't possibly remember all of them," she said dismissing part of his confession as she stared out at the white sea of flowers.
"Doubt, Senator?" he breathed, his head rolling to the side to look in her direction with a picture of false pain across his face. "I'm hurt."
"You'll survive," Padmé replied, looking at him for a single moment before her gaze returned to the flowers.
"No, not all of them," Vader admitted, after a small period of silence, his gaze returning to the vision down below; "but most."
"Prove it," she challenged, rising and turning so that her back rested against the balcony with her arms twisted across her chest.
Vader's eyebrows rose, his eyes moving to her with sparked but suppressed interest. "What do you want to know?
"The basics," Padmé answered. "Of all the planets."
Vader rose, twisted, and copied her stance. He leaned against the balcony with true calmness, his legs somewhat twisting beneath him as his arms crisscrossed over his chest. He was the perfect picture of arrogance and confidence. "Fire away," he commanded, a smug look across his features.
Padmé looked up to the stars, mentally going through her internal atlas, as she thought about some of the planets she knew. She truly wanted to know how much knowledge Vader had sitting within his brain. In truth, she knew he was a brilliant and powerful man, but knowledge such as this was never something that crossed her mind. At least, not to the extent that Vader seemed to be bragging about.
"I'm waiting," Vader pressed, tapping his fingers against his arm in a show of boredom– or arrogance– or both.
"How about Felucia?" Padmé offered, using the planet around her as inspiration.
"Felucia," Vader said, obviously unimpressed with the lack of creativity when it came to her first pick of planet. "Terrain, jungle. Length of day, thirty-four hours. Length of year, two hundred thirty one local days. Population, four hundred twenty-five million. Species, Felucians, Gossams, and other Jungle Fulicians. Languages include, Basic, Felucian, Gossam. Government, corporate, but on the ground it would be tribes. Major exports, exotic botanicals. Major imports, foodstuffs, high technology, and fuel.
Padmé didn't react beyond a twist in the corner of her lip. Instead, she stood strong, showing no emotion in the face of the enemy– even if it was only for fun. "Alderaan," she continued, rattling off the next planet that came to mind.
"Alderaan," Vader repeated. "Terrain, forests and plains. Length of day, standard twenty-four hours. Length of year, three hundred sixty four local days. Population, two billion. Species, humans and a small other mix. Language, basic. Government, democracy. Exports, wine, art, and luxury goods. Imports, manufactured goods and electronics."
As he finished, he looked at her with a raise of an eyebrow and a smug grin, his face reminding her of the phrase, "I told you so." or simply the question of, "Impressed, yet?" The smug bastard.
But Padmé refused to allow him to win so easily and certainly not after just two planets. "The population of Kuat?" she asked, making sure to cut down to specifics of which she would know.
"Kuat?" Vader asked, shrugging his shoulders. "Hard to say, always bringing in workers for jobs, people coming and going all the time. Usually stays around three point six billion though."
Padmé's arms tightened over her chest. "Length of day in Teth?"
"Twenty-seven standard hours."
Padmé frowned, Vader never hesitating on a single question or showing a sign that he may have slipped on some details. "You could be lying," she offered. "I wouldn't exactly know."
"I could." Vader nodded. "But I'm not."
Padmé sighed, trying to think of a place that could truly be the deal breaker to whether Vader was lying or making the facts up as he went along. Of course, some of them were true, and all of it sounded true, but she needed to prove him wrong on something. "Oh!" she said, thinking of her home, a planet she knew obviously very well. "How about Naboo?"
"Naboo," Vader said, a small look of delight crossing his features. "The small planet located in the heart of the Mid Rim's Chommell sector. Home to one– no, two of the most frustrating politicians I've personally ever met."
"Vader!" she laughed, reaching out with a giggle and giving him a small slap over his arm.
He breathed out a laugh, before forming back into his previous composure. "Naboo," he continued. "Terrain; mountains, plains, and swamps. Length of day, twenty six standard hours. Length of year, three hundred twelve standard days. Population, four point five billion. Species, which with you I will be specific, usually stays around seventy two percent Gungans, twenty seven percent humans, and one percent other. Languages include basic and Gungan. Government, democracy." His eyes moved to her. "Though as far as leaders go, poor choices on the people's part."
Padmé couldn't help but to roll her eyes, of course he would take that opportunity to tease her. "Go on," she said, flicking her hand towards him, knowing what he was saying was correct and that probably whatever was to come out of his mouth next was correct too.
The edges of his lips tug upwards, but he held his composure well. "Major exports," he continued, "grains, art." He paused again, but this time completely serious as he looked at her with a small shake of his head. "Probably Palo Campton's fine work."
Padmé smiled, unable to hold in her laugh. "Probably," she agreed.
"Major imports, technology and processed food," he continued, making a face of disgust upon the last word. 'Which I have no idea why when you have such fine fresh fruits on your planet, then you decide to ruin them by adding some many chemicals."
She couldn't help but laugh at his small comments. Though he was right. He was right about everything, although it could have been lucky. "And through all that knowledge, you just so happen to remember the one of a tiny village in the middle of no where?" she pressed, not giving him the satisfaction in knowing he was correct about everything – at least concerning her planet.
"To keep such information," he said. "I trained through a technique of linking information with memory. Each time I was taken to a new place," he paused thinking about his words, a lone memory obviously on his mind. "Something would occur and I was taught to link the information with it."
Padmé nodded, taking in the information and drawing her own questions and conclusions. "So you traveled to all of these places?" she asked. "The ones that you remember the information for, I mean."
"Yes," Vader answered. "There aren't many places I haven't been."
"So you've been to Naboo?" Padmé asked, trying to draw her own conclusions that Vader was obviously missing.
"Yes."
"Theed?" Padmé pressed.
"Yes," Vader answered, a frown on his face as he turned to look at her, realizing she was probing for something. "What's your point?"
It seemed strange. She couldn't explain it, but something just didn't sit right in the pit of her stomach. She lived in Naboo all of her life– Theed a great deal of that time. On top that, she worked in the Senate, a place where Vader was constantly…
"And yet our paths never crossed before?" she asked.
Vader's scowl deepened as his eyes stayed upon her. "I'm afraid, I don't follow."
Padmé sighed; removing her wait from the banister as she took a step forwards him. "I just mean," she said. "That doesn't it seem strange that our paths never crossed before."
Vader's face stayed neutral, his eyes searching for her meaning, and she felt his presence within her mind as well. "Many people in the galaxy will never meet," he responded evenly. "It's not uncommon for path's not to cross."
Padmé nearly growled, her eyes rolling skyward, and an exasperated amount of air escaping her lungs. She had a good point, but he was not seeing it… or she was just going crazy. "Look," she said, pulling herself together as she stood professionally in front of him as she gestured back and forth between them. "You've been to Naboo. I've been to Naboo. You've been to Theed. I've been to Theed. You've been in the Senate. I've been in the Senate. I've known Palpatine since I was a child and had been fairly close to him. You've known Palpatine obviously for a little while as well." She paused allowing her words to sink in, the silence allowing the statements to rise to their true effect. "Yet," she said, staring at him. "Our paths have never crossed. Not once. I hadn't even seen a shadow of you until that night at the Imperial party."
Vader continued to stare at her, his face morphing slightly, although he held his composure well. Padmé knew Vader well enough now to know that the pieces were coming together in his mind and he understood the point she was getting at. If that wasn't enough, the change in the air was enough to convey to Padmé the fact that Vader understood, a coldness and weight being added that had not been there before.
Vader took a deep breath, his body twisting back towards the outlook and his eyes looking out towards the distance. His hand rose from his side to rub against his chin, sliding his fingers against his skin as if in thought. "I remember you being the topic of quite a few conversations," he eventually said, deep within thought, as some sort of scene played out before his eyes that Padmé could not witness. "I'm sure at a time we would have had to cross paths, if only for a second, but I may have intentionally blocked out my time there." He paused again, visibly searching for something that he could not find, and letting out another deep breath as he mentally retreated back to reality. "I know my time in the city was short, sometime during your reign as queen." He frowned harder. "I wonder why I can't remember more…"
Another cold spell casted between the pair, and for some reason, Padmé found herself on a full on retreat from the subject– for now. "Well regardless," she continued, killing his train of thought as she bumped into his body with her own, coming to rest beside him. "That still doesn't explain the flowers."
Vader shook his thoughts away upon her touch, looking down at her with a somewhat recovered gaze. "It wasn't a bad memory in this place and I used to be quite fond of the story," he answered. "I was fairly young when I learned it."
Padmé nodded, taking in his words and wanting nothing more but to learn more. "How old were you when you started training?" she asked, but watched as his whole demeanor changed as soon as the question left her lips.
It wasn't his usual response, as no real anger seemed to form over his features, but something even more foreign– sadness, perhaps? Regardless of the emotion, Padmé immediately felt the need to apologize, something about Vader's reaction making her stomach turn.
"I," she began, "I'm–"
"Seven," he said, his voice low as he cut her apology short.
She hadn't expected that answer and she felt her heart drop into her stomach upon hearing it. "Seven?" she breathed surprised– and hurt.
Vader had been in Palptaine's "care" since he was so small. She never imagined it had been that long that long and she could only imagine the torture that little Vader could have endured. It was hard to imagine, the image not coming together clearly in her mind. She couldn't imagine Vader as a poor defenseless little boy. Even now, he still seemed ageless and indestructible. It just seemed impossible that there was a time that Darth Vader… wasn't Darth Vader.
"Did you–"
He gave her a look that silenced her words before they could leave her mouth, a look that told her not to ask any further questions, a look that told her that he had already said too much.
She knew that that information was something she would never let go, but she would for the sake of Vader's wellbeing put it on the backburner until later. "So what's the legend?" she asked, changing the subject. "About the flowers."
"I'm not much of a storyteller," Vader replied, his mood slightly soured, but nevertheless still agreeable with her. "Sometime, you can ask Threepio to tell you. I'm sure he remembers it."
"I rather hear it from you," Padmé pressed, her voice barely above a whisper as she leaned a little farther over into his weight.
Vader took a deep breath, shaking his head just a bit before she felt him lean just an ounce into her touch. "By the telling's of the people," he said, his voice uncharacteristically smooth. "This place used to be a desolate wasteland, surprisingly records show as much too. Planets that considered themselves more civilized tried to bribe and bring the locals to leave– to escape with their lives, but the tribes refused. They believed their planet still had life to offer."
"So the missionaries of the planets left, leaving whoever remained, the few plants, animals, and tribes to die. After all, the wasteland of a planet had nothing to offer and everyone would soon be dead, but the tribes remained hopeful. They prayed and waited for many days and many nights, until one day a series of small plants rose from the ashes. It was a miracle by even the most developed planet's standpoint, cause there was no way it was possible."
"The leias grew when the planet had no life to give. They offered all that the tribes needed, springing forth the entire planet from their seeds and roots. Soon bringing the rains that the ecosystems needed to grow and thieve. They continue to grow despite any circumstances, and the light they shine during the darkness– or so the locals believe, is to remind anyone that needs it, that there is always a glimmer of hope, no matter the darkness."
Padmé remained quiet as Vader finished, taking in his words and the story that they created. It brought warmth to her chest and she smiled even wider as she looked at the cascading flowers glowing below within the darkness. "I've never heard of such a tale," she whispered.
"Befriending locals usually does come with some perks," he stated and Padmé couldn't help the bitterness that exploded from with inside her.
"I wouldn't think you befriend anyone," she said, unable to hide the pure tartness in her words.
It sass and acidity did not go unnoticed by Vader, his own emotions being tapped upon her sudden outburst. "Not often," he replied with the same sharpness, "but your Rebellion does like to twist stories."
Padmé laughed at the sheer outrage of his statement. "And the Empire doesn't?"
A darkness seemed to pass around them, his eyes glowing a fiery shade of gold, and her own bitterness of emotions swirling from within– but she didn't want to fight. She hadn't meant to upset either of them.
She looked away, hoping to kill the connection. She tried to control her emotions, pushing them deep within herself as she steadied her voice. "And that story is your favorite," she asked, moving back to the previous topic. "When you were younger, I mean?"
"It was," Vader replied, although his bitterness remained at an increasingly high level.
Still, she ignored his bad temper and focused on the topic at hand. There seemed so much wrong with Vader and the flowers, as stupid as it may sound. She didn't care how much he tried to play it off, because Darth Vader and flowers did not go together. It seemed like a too hopeful of story for a Sith to remember such a tale. He said that even Threepio knew the mystical tale, which meant it held a greater value than even he let on. Why would Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, and mass murderer of millions hold onto a story with such a hopeful plot concerning beautiful flowers.
"Why?"
The questioned seemed to be the final straw, breaking whatever sanity or good nature Vader had left; a heat raising from his body, followed by a chill in the air. "Because I was young and foolish," he suddenly snapped, turning away from her and walking into the establishments "And apparently persuaded by silly flowers." His frustration was evident again, something tapped deep within him and hidden underneath his anger.
"Vader," Padmé called after him, walking at a quickened pace into the room and after the fleeting Sith Lord. "I don't want to fight. Why don't you join me? Just come to bed."
"I'm not tired," he answered, his voice lacking any and all emotion.
She wouldn't be deferred though as she took a step towards his now motionless body. "That's not what I had in mind," she said in an effort to persuade him, reaching out as she neared him and running her fingers up his stomach.
Unlike usual, her action did anything but lighten the mood. If anything, she felt the temperature drop ten degrees and could feel the ice daggers plummet through her skin from his eyes. "I don't want to have sex, Senator."
She frowned, slightly confused and slightly taken back. "I just–"
"Thought that I couldn't use you for sex, but you could use me?" he finished her statement, confusing her even further.
She took a step back hearing his words, understanding the point that he was making with them. "Vader," she said, pushing away her feelings of confusion and instead embracing her feelings of annoyance. "Just come lay with me." She reached out and grabbed his gloved hand, feeling the muscles contract beneath the leather. "What I did, I did for you."
He didn't move and he didn't pull away, but his gaze refused to even move towards her direction. "I didn't ask you to."
"I know you didn't," she said, squeezing his hand tighter. "That's my point." She took a step closer, grabbing for his other hand, and bringing both to her chest. "It's the same argument time and time again. I get it, arguing is what we do, because of what we are outside of this bubble and that's okay on most things, but not this. I don't want to argue on this anymore." She kissed his knuckles, the flesh hand first and robotic one second. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze that had turned towards her. "What I said remains true and I just need you to remember that in these moments– just these moments."
Vader's eyes were unreadable and he made no attempt to answer her words. He just continued to stare down upon her until Padmé decided not to wait for him and simply make the next move herself. Ever so gently, she took a step away from Vader, releasing his right arm but keeping his left within her grasp. She pulled him gently as she walked away, towards the singular bedroom she had found earlier and Vader silently followed her command.
When they reached the bedroom, Padmé pulled Vader towards the bed and positioned him so the backs of his knees were touching the side of the mattress with her standing before him. Softly, she pushed Vader onto the bed and he allowed her to do whatever she wanted with ease, listening to her instructions and falling back with ease. When his body was completely down across the mattress, Padmé crawled in beside him and snuggled herself into the perfect position around his body.
It seemed silly, but fitting herself around body always seemed so perfect – so natural– like she belonged there. His warmth calmed her soul and his sweet scent made her heart race. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer into his side, and her eyes closed upon feeling the soothing pressure.
"The leias," he breathed, surprising her as he spoke, his voice breaking the silence of the darkness and further calming her with his surprisingly gentle tone. "The leias were a sign of hope for me. A light within the darkness."
Padmé opened her eyes, his confession more surprising than any of the information she had heard today. It made her heart race– nearly soar. It soared because somehow, somehow in someway she knew it wasn't the confession of Lord Vader. She knew something like that would never be said by a Dark Lord of the Sith, but the crippled man that lived within the beast.
Again, her heart skipped a beat. She turned to him, raising herself, and pressing her lips against his. "Thank you for being truthful with me," she whispered, before kissing him again.
He kissed her back, but shook his head as she pulled away, his eyes looking into hers and his hand moving through her fallen hair. "What are you doing to me?"
She smiled, dropping down, and snuggling into his chest before suddenly pushing away from him. Vader frowned in response, looking at her with questioning eyes, which she answered back with a sinful little smile.
"Behave," she whispered, watching as Vader's eyebrows fell further down towards his eyes.
Practically beaming, she pulled his shirt over her head, leaving herself in her bra and panties before him. She felt his gaze burning into her skin, practically engulfing her with flames of need, but his hands remained at his sides. She threw the garment across the room where it feel with a small clad before she turned back to the man before her, the man who was fully dressed within the bed with her.
"Come, come," she said, flexing her index finger at the Sith Lord and watching as he complied immediately. The power she felt was simply intoxicating.
He leaned up as commanded, allowing her to pull his shirt over his head. Padmé gripping the sides of the black material without delay, pulling it gently until it was over his head, and throwing it to join his other shirt on the far side of the room.
She turned back to him, but before she could return to her spot beside him, he was in a sitting position mere inches from her face. She almost jumped back at his sudden motion, her heart rising into her throat as his arms encased her and didn't allow her to move. For a moment, she was afraid she had pressed her limits, but the fear quickly evaporating when she saw the mischievous spark in his eyes. Ever so slowly, his hands reached around her body, tracing her skin and tickling her ribs as his fingers moved. His motion stopped when his fingers reached their target, coming to rest on top of the clasp of her bra. It stilled, as if waiting for permission, and Padmé remained quiet, giving him the small smile he needed to continue.
Gently, he unclasped her bra, the cold air colliding with the hotness of the formerly covered areas of her back and erecting her nipples are he moved it away. "Really going to press my limits tonight," he said with a small smile, kissing her quickly before pulling away with the garment in his grasp.
She fought back the urge to moan, feeling how the cold air it her body and the hotness of his body clashed against her skin. She was winning a losing battle and Vader can tell.
He looked at her, fighting his own eternal battle and Padmé knew from the way his body locked that he was aroused as well. "Well," he breathed, his tone low, attempting to hide the arousal within his voice. "Let's see how well we both can behave then."
He lowered himself back down to the bed and she did the same before she snuggled back into him. Their bodies touching, skin to skin, forming together and creating the spark of connection that Padmé loved. A shock of electricity moving through them that always brought her body, her mind, and soul to a high. Of course she craved him, but she was okay with this for now. The heat of his body, the smell of her lover, and everything in between, bringing her closer to a form of ecstasy that she hadn't felt in a long while. He pulled her closer against him and she held his arm tighter against her chest. She closed her eyes feeling his heartbeat against her back, a good night sleep waiting, but a voice– her voice– echoing within her mind.
"You aren't enough to save him."
Author's Note: Well I had to reread the entire thing to make sure this made sense still. Hopefully, y'all are still interested. As always, leave me a review. Onto the next one!