Amazing – Yep. Major but-kicking will ensue. Note that next chapter is "Dark Lady Rampant." Suffice it to say that Master Windu is going to screw things up and get more than he bargained for before Anakira goes on the cleanse the temple.
Phantom – Thanks so much for the help.
Author's Note: Yes, another big change. I couldn't stomach having the anti-heroine/villian be female and the good offspring be a male. So, they're both girls. ;?D Actually, considering where I'm going with this story, that may not even matter...Lets hope our little "light" doesn't flicker out.
A Twist of Fate 6: Birth
The days went by quickly for Anakira. As Palpatine promised, she felt no pain during her brief pregnancy. She did not even have morning sickness but she did feel as thought she was somehow removed from the world, floating on some cloud a few inches from her body. It was unsettling when she thought about it, which was not often.
She did not think of much of anything and her thoughts drifted in and out with the tide. She often thought of contacting Obi-Wan but she did not dare to. She did not trust herself not to tell him to truth of what was happening to her.
Her outward appearance changed little. She was a tall, slender woman and the only weight she gained was in her middle. Even her waist expanded less than that of most women. She thought this might have something to do with what Palpatine had done to her, along with the acceleration. It made it much easier to hide her condition under robe and cloak.
On one clear, blue-skied day, Palpatine came to her with a very cowed looking woman in red robes who reminded her somehow of Padme's handmaidens when she had been Queen. She was wondering what was going on when the Chancellor spoke.
With utter certainty in his command and supremacy he said, "It is time, Anakira. I have brought this woman to attend you."
Anakira struggled to clear to fog from her brain and asked, "Time for what and who is this woman?"
Palpatine gave an unsavory little laugh and replied, "Her name is not important and what do you think it is time for, dear girl? What event have we been waiting for?"
Before she could answer, he stared at her intently and made a little gesture at her. She felt a tug from deep within her body. She knew then that she would be having the babies very soon indeed. She barely had the strength to follow Palpatine and the strange woman to a room with a view of the sea that held only a bed with clean, white sheets on it.
Palpatine promised to send a medical droid and barked an order at the nurse to let him know as soon as Anakira had delivered and almost ran out of the room. The droid arrived shortly and, more quickly than she thought possible, Anakira was holding two babies in her arms. She had two little girls. One had fine blonde hair and promised to be fairer than she was. The other had a full head of dark hair, like Bail.
She loved them but she had loved them since she first felt them inside her but she loved them even more now. She breathed deeply, inhaling the clean, baby scent at the top of their downy heads. She was not pleased when she was interrupted.
"My lady," the nurse practically squeaked, "what will you name them?"
Anakira looked at the babies again, then looked at the blonde baby and said, "She will be Lucina. She is stronger in the force than her twin." She raised the arm holding the dark baby and said, "She will be Leia."
Very timidly, the nurse said, "Mistress, I should clean the babies and inform the Chancellor. A nursery is being prepared in the room adjoining yours."
The thought of being separated from the babies infuriated Anakira. She did not want to let go of the babies so she used the force to choke the woman, just a little.
The nurse was barely audible when she gasped, "Lady, please…"
Anakira let her go. The woman collapsed onto the floor and Anakira said, "Woman, you answer to me for these babies, not the Chancellor. If anything happens to them while they are in your care or you try to take them away from me, this is the merest taste of what I will do to you. You can take them now because they need to be cleaned and rest and so do I but do not think that I am not watching you or that I am diminished enough that I could not hold you accountable."
The nurse picked herself off the ground and scurried to clean the babies. Anakira glared at her but said nothing further. She had made her point and the weakness of birth was already starting to fade.
Back on Coruscant, the Jedi Council was in a clandestine meeting. There were tremors in the Force that must be dealt with. Both Obi-Wan and Yoda had sensed a great upheaval involving Anakira, the Chosen One.
"I should go," said Obi-Wan, "I know her better than anyone else and will be able to help her."
Mace Windu shook his head and responded, "No, Obi-Wan. It is because you are close to her you should not go. What if she is the problem? Could you deal with that?"
Obi-Wan had to restrain himself from rising from his seat and shouting, "Anakira would not be the problem. I don't accept that."
"I should go," said Windu, "You are too personally involved. We have located Grievous. We need you to go after him."
Obi-Wan agreed reluctantly. He did not like it that Yoda was off helping the Wookies, Windu was going to see what was wrong with Anakira, and he was going off after Grievous. A dark thought crossed his mind that all the most powerful Jedi would be gone from the temple but he shook it from his mind. There was much that needed to be done.