Sorry I haven't posted in a while- DRl and computer viruses are the usual suspects.
Chapter 11: The Great Deceiver
Vader used the Force to slowly open the door to reveal her disbelieving person.
"Anakin?" she whispered again, her eyes welling up with tears. Her young heart, moments ago ready to break in pain, fluttered in hope upon seeing the familiar, boyish smile that she'd fallen in love with five years ago.
"Mommy!" Leia cried out. Bolting off of Vader's lap, she ran to Padmé and flung her small arms about her legs.
Despite the butterflies that filled her stomach and the sure blush that spread across her face as he watched her with those vibrant eyes, Padmé picked up the little girl and held her close. "I… was so worried," she stammered into Leia's curly head, placing a grateful kiss there as she closed her eyes in relief.
"I was worried about you," Leia said staunchly, jabbing a little finger into Padmé's chest. "You cried,"
At loss for words, Padmé tired to stammer something out but stopped upon seeing Leia's brown eyes gaze at her accusingly.
"How about you go back to your room?" Vader suggested gently, deftly plucking Leia out of her mother's arms and placing her on the floor with a slight pat on the bottom. "Your mother and I need to have a little time alone," he explained upon seeing her crestfallen face.
His sudden transformation had left Padmé ill at ease- had her daughter, with her powerful innocence, actually brought him back to the Light? She hesitantly regarded Vader. "It's alright- she can stay," Padmé said.
A sly grin was sent her way, one that made her heart thump. "No- I want some time alone… with you," he whispered, his baby blue eyes boring into hers as he placed his gloved hand on her slender neck. His thumb brushed against her skin as he expectantly waited for the little girl to leave.
But, it seemed that Leia wouldn't be swayed. "I wanna stay with Mommy," she said quietly, her big eyes not blinking as she popped her thumb into her mouth, obviously haunted by memories of the family she'd been taken from. "I want to stay with Mommy," she whispered, her big brown eyes not blinking as she popped her thumb into her mouth, the ragged blanket she carried suddenly drawn close.
"I'll stay with her for you," Vader said, his fingers lightly trailing down Padmé's back as he knelt down before the two year old.
"I still wanna."
"Princes…"
"Daddy…"
Big brown eyes stared into blue ones, and Padmé could literally feel the invisible war that was raging between the Sith and his daughter.
Then, a familiar personage stepped into the room. "Uh… oh," Jixton grimaced, immediately backing out of the door with his hands held up in front of him as he saw the seriousness of the moment. "I'm not in the mood for group hugs right now."
Vader said something dryly under his breath, but he was covert enough in doing so that Padmé could not understand what he said. "Would you please take the princess back to her quarters- and see to it that she doesn't escape… again." Vader's voice held enough of a threat that the man actually considered him seriously for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.
Still, when he looked back down at the child, Jixton had obvious confusion written on his face and seemed unsure of what to do.
"Tell her to come to you," Vader instructed rather impatiently, drumming his fingers on his bent knee before standing up to his full height.
"Come princess- we don't want to get Uncle D cranky again, especially not this early in the morning," Jixton said cheerfully, ignoring the look his employer sent him.
Leia did not move but continued to plead her reluctant mother with her eyes.
"Jixton…"
"What do you want me to do- pick her up?" the large man cried out.
A stern look was his reply.
Grumbling something about Vader and his lack of humor, Jixton effortlessly picked up the protesting Leia and carried her out of sight.
"So long, princess," Vader whispered, his blue eyes not blinking. "Enjoy your innocence while you still have it."
Once more, Padmé did not hear him, but it wasn't because he was whispering.
She was
watching his hand move towards his lightsaber.
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