Chapter 7: Shattered Families
"What?" Bail sputtered, already reaching for the blaster that was concealed within his robes.
"I suggest you don't even try that," Vader said dryly, flicking his fingers. The blaster flew out of Bail's hand and into Vader's outstretched one.
Crying out, Breha pulled Leia into her protective arms as she trembled in fear.
"Vader! Please don't!" Padmé begged, grabbing his arm. "Please! End this sick fascination with destroying families! Just because you thought you never had one…"
"Silence!" Vader roared so loudly that the crystals on the chandelier hanging above them shook. "You have been under suspicion for quite some time," he sneered, delighting in watching Bail blanch. "Perhaps this lesson will teach you to reconsider where your loyalties lie."
Meanwhile, little Leia had burst into tears and, when she tried to run to Bail's side for safety, she suddenly stopped as if she had run into an invisible wall. Struggling against it, she sobbed with her arms outstretched towards the also crying Breha.
"Vader, you will not get away with this," Breha said with what little boldness she could muster. Helpless, she watched as the child she'd raised as her own became enveloped by the darkness.
"Watch it, Organa," Vader snapped, "unless you wish to lose another child." His malicious blue eyes flickered to Breha's stomach where a mostly concealed curve grew.
Eyes widening in fright, Breha's hands flew to her stomach where the unborn child, the one she'd so desperately tried to conceive, innocently grew.
Padmé could see the horror that filled her friend's eyes as she was threatened to suffer yet another empty cradle. Tears streaming down her face and dripping off her chin, Padmé brokenheartedly watched Breha battle over which she would save- her baby or the little girl whom she had dearly loved as her own.
"You!" Anakin shouted accusingly, his handsome face transforming into a mask Padmé did not recognize. His heavy glare fell on Padmé. "You brought him here!"
From within the ship, Obi-Wan called out a desperate warning to her, but Padmé didn't hear him.
She had to save Anakin from what he'd become.
"Palpatine was right," Anakin said in a voice that was barely above a whisper, "sometimes you are blind to the true nature of those you love."
Moments later, she fell into complete darkness, but she could still hear the war that was being raged between her fallen husband and his mentor.
"Breha!" Padmé cried out. "Let Leia go- you will regret it for the rest of your life… like… like I have," she said in a faltering voice. "I should have let Anakin go, but… I couldn't!" she sobbed.
"I can't leave my baby," Breha wept, shaking her face which was covered with her hands.
By then, they had attracted the attention of everyone present, including the Emperor.
"I'll take care of her for you," Padmé pleaded, gently placing her shaking hands of her friend's shoulders. "As a mother, I promise you."
Something flickered in Breha's eyes and, after a few more heavy sobs, she reluctantly shook her head before scooping Leia into her arms and giving the little girl a big hug.
"You have chosen wisely," Vader said in a taunting
voice, "but I hope you will take this lesson to heart, for I would
hate to do further damage to your… little family."
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