Chapter 3: The Mirror

There was silence.

The letter in Padmé's hand quivered as she tried to calm her hands. In the back of her mind, she noted it was warm as if it had been carried about in nervous hands. Within the mirror on the wall next to her, Padmé's reflection gazed back, her eyes haunted and her skin deadly pale.

"W… who's there?" she called out, her quiet voice ringing through the empty corridor.

Silence.

"I know s… someone's there," she said with a shaking voice.

A sudden breeze caused her to whip around.

There was no one there but she knew he was watching.

And waiting.

"Come out!" she cried out in challenge, hoping that her air would draw out her stalker. Fear left her as anger took hold of her emotions.

The silence mocked her.

Her heart still throbbing in her chest, Padmé turned to leave.

"Wait…" the voice hissed, its inhumanness sending chills down her spine.

Paralyzed in her spot, Padmé frantically looked about, but no one was there.

"What do you want of me?" she asked, her voice catching in a sob. Hot tears rolled down her face and landed on the cool floor. "Please, tell me so I can bother you no further."

Invisible hands crept about her, sifting through her long hair and brushing her pale cheeks. Without realizing it, Padmé closed her eyes as the room became dark and her heart slowed down to an even pace. Padmé's head lulled to her shoulder as a sleeping sensation overcame her.

"My poor child, I am your Angel," the voice whispered, its tendrils wrapping about her.

Momentarily, her eyes fluttered open as she had the distinct feeling that she'd heard that voice before, perhaps in a dream. The tendrils continued to wrap around her, winding her up in their haunting chant.

"Angel, angel, angel…"

Slowly, she began to walk towards the mirror, her unblinking eyes locked into its deep reflection. As her hand went limp, the letter fell to the cool ground to be swallowed by the billowing mist.

"I am your Angel…" the voice hissed, almost sounding threatening. "Come to me, your Angel…"

For the briefest of moments, as she came before the mirror and rested her hands against its cold frame, Padmé thought she saw someone on the other side beckoning her with gloved hands.

Standing before it, she leaned up against it as he pulled her towards him.

She saw him and their eyes met.

Suddenly, his control over her wavered and, pulling away, she fell to the ground, in the process nearly hitting her head against the marble floor. The mist was gone and she found herself staring up at the ceiling.

"Padmé, why are you lying on the floor?"

Bolting upright as her heart nearly bust out of her chest, Padmé saw that a worried Sabé looked down at her.

"We have to get out of here," Padmé gasped. In an instant, she stood up and quickly led her friend from the haunted hallway and from his prying eyes.

"What's wrong?" Sabé asked, her blue eyes trying to read Padmé's. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

At that, Padmé stopped walking and collapsed against the wall as she held her head in her hands. A sob broke from her trembling lips as his voice filled her head. "He's watching me," she moaned, her unseeing eyes meeting Sabé's worried ones. "He says he is…"

"Who?"

"Him," she whispered shuddering.

"The phantom in that room?" Sabé guessed, her brow knitting together in worry.

Padmé could only pathetically sob and shake her head. "He spoke to me," she finally said.

"Padmé, I didn't hear anything," Sabé said slowly, resting her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"You didn't hear that hissing?"

Her friend shook her blond- head. "Are you sure you weren't just dreaming."

Ferverently shaking her head, Padmé began to get frustrated. "No, and he touched me…"

"Touched you?" Sabé gasped. "Did you see him?"

Padmé nodded. "He was in the mirror."

That convinced Sabé that Padmé was just worn out from undue stress. "Let's get you to bed- it has been a long day," she said a little too cheerfully.

"But he was there," Padmé insisted, refashioning to move when her friend tugged on her hand. "He was…" Suddenly fumbling in her cloak pocket, she said, "He gave me a letter…"

"A letter?"

"Where is it?" Padmé mumbled, looking up sadly when it was not there. "He gave it to me."

"Of course he did," Sabé said without really thinking, for she was wondering if she could somehow take Padmé to the Healer's Ward on the sly.

"I think we're in great danger."

Had they lingered a moment longer, they would have heard distant laughter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Spoiler for the next chapter: The Aftermath

Before she even knew it, Padmé found herself being led into the Healer's Ward. It was a large area with many windowed rooms containing stretchers and medical equipment. Worried Knights leading along little younglings with bruises and broken arms passed them by.

They walked unimpeded down the long corridor to a large room at the end. Standing in the doorway with a frazzled look on his face was a large creature that Padmé had never seen before.

Unabashed, Sabé pulled Padmé up to him only to have the Healer giver them a curious look. "You need to check in with the receptionist," he said wearily but in a kind manner as he gestured to the door through which they'd just come.

Then, he saw what the problem was- an unharmed but obviously spooked Padmé.

"Oh, Force- will this never end?" he muttered. "The sixth in the past day…"