As Empress

Summary: The Emperor wants Padmé to marry his heir, Darth Vader. She has said no, but now it is Vader who shows up to ask her to marry him.

Padmé hadn't heard the door open or his footsteps. She looked up from her datapad, and he was standing there. She sucked in a sharp breath but otherwise gave no other sign of surprise.

She had never seen him this close before; it had always been at a distance. However, Darth Vader was as he always was. He stood tall and straight in sharp black clothes with a long black cape. A lightsaber hung on his bell. His hair was long but brushed back, and he stared at her with sharp piercing gold eyes.

There was a long moment of silence as neither one moved.

"Lord Vader," she said finally. "I thought my answer to the Emperor's proposal was clear."

Though she had declined, Emperor Palpatine hadn't accepted that answer. He had told her to think some more about it. She had expected that eventually, he would pressure her again, but not this soon.

Vader was silent for several heartbeats.

And then in a monotone voice he said, "The Emperor is dying."

Her eyes went wide. There had been rumors about the Emperor's health but then again there were always rumors.

"That . . . changes nothing," she said. "I knew that marrying you would mean that eventually you would take the throne making me empress. Just because things are happening sooner rather than later has not changed my answer. I will not marry you."

"I do not think you have fully thought this through," Vader said. He walked forward and around her desk. He stopped only an arm's length away. "As empress you could change this galaxy for good. Bring comfort to the sick. Rebuild crumbling planets. Create new homes, new jobs. Usher in a wave of peace and prosperity this galaxy desperately needs after the wars that ravaged it."

"And you can't do that?" she snapped. His face was unchanged. "Of course you can't. You want to quell the people's anger by using me."

"Yes," he admitted. "You have dedicated yourself to serving the people of this galaxy. You have a true passion to better it. You love people and they love you back."

"And they fear you. Will that fear help keep this Empire together when Palpatine dies and others claw for power?"

He sighed. There was a slip of his mask. There was a slight downturn of his mouth. A note of tiredness. A mark of disappointment.

"And you think you can save this galaxy from that fate? Save it for what is to come?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Think on it, Senator."

Without another word, he turned around and left her office.

"How long have you been waiting here?" Padmé asked.

Vader stood on her darkened veranda blending in with the shadows. It was well into the night and she should have been asleep but . . . She had come down for some fresh air.

"How long were you planning on waiting?" she asked.

"I knew you would come."

She shivered at that thought.

"Did you think all those reports would persuade me?" she asked as she folded her arms across her chest. She had become aware she was only wearing her nightgown and robe.

Over the weeks since their last meeting, she had been receiving reports sent to her personal frequency. It wasn't marked as being from him, instead the sender was named Skywalker. But she knew it was him.

The reports gave details on the movements of certain high-ranking officials in the Empire. Those who might be aware of the still-very-secret status of the Emperor's health. People like Grand Moff Tarkin, who were obviously collecting power and money.

She had debated on passing the information on to the Rebellion, but had decided she would wait to see what all she could milk from Vader. These reports held classified information about the Empire's war machine including fleet locations, factories, and mines. Once she used it, Vader may stop to prevent any more information from reaching the Rebels.

Vader had to know of her connections; Palpatine had known. It was why she wasn't that active in the Rebellion as Bail or Mon. She was being watched too closely. The Emperor was not going to have the senator of his home planet and former protege being revealed as a Rebel.

"I wanted you well informed," he said. "I wanted you to see the proof that there are those wish to tear this galaxy apart and push it further into war."

"I don't think I'll be able to help you with Tarkin," she said dryly.

"I can handle Tarkin," he said far too confidently. "But what I need is the support of the people. If Tarkin or anyone else makes some spurring speech rallying people to their side then the Empire will crack. I don't want a war, Amidala."

"If you already know what he is doing then why not stop him now?"

"I am not foolish. If I move too fast, battles will break out. I'll be labeled the instigator. There are those hoping I take the bait. Though that is not to say I've been doing nothing. I have already been working against him and have set up multiple levels of preactions, but he does have favor with some people that I do not."

"And you think I can sway these people to your side?"

There was a short and stiff chuckle. "No. You would only push them into Tarkin's arm faster. But you could sway others."

Like the Rebellion.

He slowly walked over to her and pulled out a holodisc from his pocket. There was a soft click as he turned it on and a red hologram popped up.

"What is that?" she asked.

"A battle station," he said.

She titled her head. It was completely round and looked more like a moon. He clicked another button and the hologram changed to show lines of data. It was the specifications of battle station.

"It can't be . . . that big?" she asked.

"It is. The main weapon is designed to destroy an entire planet in a single blast."

"What?" she said breathlessly.

"It's a planet killer, Amidala. It's Palpatine's pet project. His solution to bring peace."

"It's been approved?"

"It's already in construction."

Another click of a button showed the station as it must be now. It was nothing more than a skeleton frame.

Suddenly all of Vader's reports whirled through her head.

"This is what Tarkin's after," she said. "The factories. The mines. He's securing resources for this . . . thing."

"Yes." His voice was annoying even as always. "It will be his crowning jewel of his Tarkin Doctrine."

"Rule by fear," Padmé quoted.

"If you step out of line your whole planet will be destroyed," he said. He turned the projector off and tucked the disc back into his pocket. "When Palpatine dies, I plan to engage Tarkin's forces and destroy the battle station."

"You don't wish to keep it?"

"No." Finally, his voice changed, but only subtly. It was hard and squeezed. "Tarkin most likely has his own plans for the public and how he will turn them against me. This is why I need you. Either I secure the battle station before Tarkin can claim it and move it or I can win the people. I cannot do both."

And that was why he needs me, Padmé thought to herself.

Padmé swept into his office with her back straight and head held high the next afternoon. She had purposely picked this outfit and spent a significant amount of time with her handmaidens doing her hair and makeup. It wasn't too ornate, but that didn't mean it didn't look rich. It was black, the color she most associated with the Empire and with Vader.

Vader, however, was in the completely opposite state. He had his cloak off and thrown onto the back of the chair that sat behind his desk. His hair was loose in messy waves and his sleeves were rolled up.

"Amidala," he said.

"I need to talk to you," she said.

He briefly glanced around before he nodded and stood straight. Was that quick look away his only sign that he was nervous? Or was it something else?

"I have conditions," she said.

That broke his mask. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open, though only a small amount.

"Anyone imprisoned due to being suspected or proven as a Rebel, supporting Rebels, or having anti-imperialistic ideals must be freed."

"Done."

He didn't flinch. Didn't even think about it.

She took a sharp breath. "I want control over the Senate."

"It is yours."

"I want to rework the tax system and cut the military budget to fund social programs with a strong focus on the outer rim and planets still suffering from battle scars."

"Done," he repeated.

"I want a program that helps support democratic governments."

"Fine."

She glared at him. He looked so unbothered.

"I want . . . the Jedi to be denounced as criminals. Any Jedi prisoners are to be freed—"

"There aren't any," he cut in.

"And allowed to be legal citizens," she finished regardless. "They are able to reclaim any property and assets that were seized by the Empire."

They both stood there staring.

If he really needed her as much as he claimed then he would meet her demands. All of them.

"These are my terms," he said. "The military is mine. Getting rid of that battle station will free up a lot of resources so I do not mind the budget cut. Otherwise, you must submit any requests and changes about the military or its budget to me. Second, slavery will not be legal. Once I've secured the Empire from those like Tarkin, I plan to target and eliminate the slave trade."

She had expected the military part but not the anti-slavery one.

"Lastly," he added, "I want an heir."

She blinked.

"A legitimate one." He folded his arms across his chest. "Those are my terms."

He wanted . . . a child? With her?

"Is that all?" she asked in a small voice. "Nothing about the Jedi?"

"Do I like the thought of them? No. But I know they are mostly dead. Whatever is left isn't that much of concern to me."

She bit her lip. The only condition of his she was caught on was having a child, but if that meant she got everything she had asked for . . .

"I accept," she said.

He dropped his arms and smiled. She stared. Never had she seen him with so much emotion. It made him look quite handsome.

"Good," he said. He rolled down his sleeves and grabbed his cape. "I will go the Emperor right now to receive his blessing for the marriage."

"Right now?" she asked as he hooked the cape's clasp. He nodded. She could feel the question right on the tip of her tongue. He was staring at her waiting as if he knew what was coming. "Why . . . why did he want us to get married?" she finally asked.

"Because he wanted to weaken the Rebellion," he replied matter-of-factly. He said nothing else as he walked by her.

She pursed her lips. That had also been her guess, but it just felt like that there was more to it than that.

"One more thing," she said. He stopped and turned to look at her."I don't need a ring, but I do want a wedding present." He raised an eyebrow. "Those plans. For that battle station. All of the plans. Any docs and files. I want them all."

"What for?"

"So I can destroy them."

His smile came quick and easy.

Padmé looked down into the crib. A pair of large blue-gray eyes were staring up at her, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Good morning my beautiful baby boy," she said softly as she gently picked up her son.

She softly kissed his forehead a few times while he wiggled in her arms. She glanced at the second crib to see the other little baby still asleep.

"Since you're up first, you get to eat first," she whispered walking over to a large cushioned rocking chair and sat down.

She had gotten quite good at the maneuver of balancing a baby and pulling down her top at the same time. The baby quickly latched on and started to nurse. She cradled her son and started to rock the chair. It wasn't long before she heard a whimper from the other crib that quickly escalated into crying.

That was to be expected. What wasn't expected was when Vader stormed into the room wearing sleep pants and nothing else.

"What is wrong?" he demanded as he marched over to the crib. "Why is she crying?"

"Because she is hungry," Padmé said softly. "And she knows that her brother is getting to nurse first and she is jealous."

She wasn't sure how Leia knew, but she just did.

Vader reached down with a gentleness Padmé still found surprising and picked up the wiggling baby. He carefully cradled her to his chest and started to slowly pace around the room.

It had been three years since they had married. Three years since Palpatine had died and Vader had taken the throne. Three years of Vader living up to each of her demands.

Their wedding had been rushed and quickly performed by the Emperor himself on his death bed as he lay connected to various machines that kept him alive. It smelled of bacta and death. After the ceremony, Vader had stayed behind. He knelt by the bedside as he and the Emperor exchanged words. What they said, she did not know as she was escorted out.

She always wondered what had been said. There had to be a reason why Palpatine had insisted Padmé and Vader get married, but even three years later she did not know what that was.

She had been cautious at first and had made preparations if things went poorly for her. The day she agreed to Vader's proposal she left his office and went directly to Bail and Mon. They were aghast that she had agreed to such a thing and were very doubtful and suspicious of Vader's intention.

She passed along all the information Vader had given her and told them about the planet-killing battle station. She promised she would deliver its plans soon. Then she made several recordings and gave copies to both of them in case of her untimely death or any mysterious disappearance. If she was used and easily discarded then she would burn Vader and his Empire down.

But they never had to use the footage because he had kept his promises.

"I know what you're trying to do," he had said early on. "You're trying to restore the Republic."

The two sat at a huge dining table with dozen of datapads and discs piled around them. She pursed her lips. It was true. Along with Bail and Mon, she had spent the week after her wedding making plans to weaken the monarchy and strengthen democracy.

"That won't happen," he said running a hand through his hair.

She took a deep breath as she mentally prepared herself for a verbal battle.

"The galaxy isn't ready for that. You're rushing it," he said before she could even begin.

She blinked. Her venom escaped her.

"What?"

"The galaxy is hurting," he said. "Bleeding. It's broken and barely holding together. You and your colleagues want to rush another drastic change. It won't stick. It will fail as the old Republic failed. What the galaxy truly needs right now is healing. It needs time to collect itself. Rebuild. If you bring about democracy now only those currently with power and money will secure seats and positions. Those people are the same ones in power in the Empire right now. Your first goal should be on the people. The common everyday people."

With Palpatine's death, Tarkin made his grab for power. He was the first Vader dealt with.

Vader had called it their honeymoon when he took her to the site of that dreadful battle station. She clenched her jaw to keep it from hanging open as she took in the size of it in person. They stood side by side as they watched it get ripped apart by hundreds of droids and salvage equipment.

"I wanted to blow it up," Vader said. They had been standing there in silence for over an hour simply watching the show. His back was straight and his hands were clasped behind his back. "But that would have been a waste of good metal."

In public, the two put on a good show that there were a couple. Nothing too showy. They held hands or looped arms. Occasionally he would kiss her hand or she would kiss his cheek. Very rarely would they share a short chaste kiss on the lips.

"We are to rule together," he had said. "I assure you that there are dozens of people watching us like hawks. They are waiting for any cracks, perceived or imaginary, between us that they can use to drive us apart and turn us against each other to use for their gain. We must always be aware of what the other is doing. We cannot learn secondhand about each other's plans movements. We are a whole."

But privately they were not intimate. They had their own wings of the palace. Their own rooms. Their own beds. They did try to eat dinner together if they were both on planet or on the same ship, and they used that time to talk about their plans. They became comfortable with each other though Padmé still did not classify him as a friend.

She had hoped to put off the matter of children for longer, but Vader brought it up a year ago. She decided on in vitro fertilization and to carry the pregnancy herself. She could have gotten a surrogate or used an artificial womb, but she decided she would carry the baby. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like it was something she had to do. Or maybe she wanted to do it.

Vader was involved in the pregnancy. He attended almost all of her check-ups. He was curious about how the nursery was progressing. He even read holobooks on advice about being a father.

She would never forget the look on his face when they learned it was twins. At first, it was shock, just like hers must have been, but then he smiled. A huge goofy smile that was so out of character for him. But it was genuine.

It made her heart skip a beat.

He was called away when she was five months along. Warlords were banding together and attacking weak outer rim systems. He called frequently to check up on her over the months.

She wasn't expecting him to be there for the birth. She had gone into labor early and as far as she knew he was still waging war. But some time during the umpteenth hour of labor he ran in out of breath and panting. His hair was greasy and wild. He still wore his armor, and his cape was torn and burnt. It was as if he had come right off the battlefield. But he immediately stepped up to her side and stayed there the entire time during the delivery.

He had to leave a few days after the birth. His battle had yet to be won. It took another two months before he returned. And now he paced from one end of the nursery to the other holding his wailing daughter.

"Luke is finished," she said. "Hand me Leia and you can burp Luke."

For a moment he just stood there blinking and confused. But then he shuffled over and they exchanged babies. Instantly Leia quieted as she started to suckle.

Padmé kissed her daughter's head. "You do not like being second do you?" she cooed. "No, you don't."

She looked up at her husband and son.

"I was wondering," she said. Vader was gently patting the baby's back. "Did you want children to secure your line to throne or was it because you honestly wanted to be a father?"

His eyes went wide and turned away from her. Was he embarrassed?

"Can it be both?" he asked.

She didn't push the subject any further, but she doubted that both of those things were equal to him.

"I look ridiculous, Padme," Vader grumbled as he walked in.

Padme walked over to Vader and placed her hands on his shoulders. He tensed up under her touch.

"You do not look ridiculous," she said as she smoothed out his clothes. "You look . . . dashing. Regal." She looked right up into those golden eyes of his. "Handsome."

She smiled and he smiled back. But then his smile fell and his face turned red. She chuckled as she stepped back.

"I don't understand the pomp and circumstance just for some holos," he said as he looked down at his boots.

"They're the official state holos of the royal family. The public has been begging for holos of the twins."

He let out a soft snort and rolled his eyes. "They don't need holos of the twins. Not till they're older."

"And how old were you thinking?"

"I don't know. Twenty?"

"I don't disagree with wanting to keep them out of the limelight. I also feel . . . protective of them. They're my babies. But we both knew this was going to happen with our positions."

Vader sighed and looked over at her. He looked sad. However, he didn't hold her gaze for long. He looked away and started to fidget with his clothes.

Padmé had worked with a designer for two months on his outfit. It was perfectly tailored to match his tall and muscular build. It was a mix of deep royal navy and black leather with some gold and black metallic detailing. Her own dress matched his.

"Why are we wearing blue?" he asked. "The color of the Empire is red."

And she hated it. It reminded her of the blood that had been spilled to make this Empire. One day she hoped to change the colors, so she started with what she could. The royal family.

"It brings out your eyes," she said. "And Luke's."

He gave her a shy smile then he walked over to the two hover bassinets.

"Do we have happy babies?" he asked.

Getting family holos should have been a day or two ordeal, but the problem was babies weren't always photogenic. They got cranky. It hadn't just been the formal official state holos either. Padmé had wanted some personal family holos which included her family with the babies. What was originally supposed to be one photoshoot had turned into several spread out over two weeks.

There had been a shoot with her parents, her sister, and her sister's family. Her nieces loved the babies and taking turns holding them. There was a formal one of just the Emperor and Empress. Vader hated it and grumbled the entire time. There was one just for the babies. But then Padmé decided she wanted one with just her and the babies.

Since it was so short notice, she kept it simple. She wore a simple white outfit and had ryoo flowers braided into her hair while the twins were placed in baskets full of the flowers beside her.

When Vader had learned about this he sulked and said he wanted a daddy and baby photoshoot. He kept his lowkey and casual. He wore a loose white shirt and black pants and the babies were only in their diapers. But it was a joyous shoot filled with giggles and laughter.

There was a magic Vader had with his children. He got them to laugh and smile and to look at him as he stood behind the photographer. He was there for every shoot with the twins. Without him, Padmé wondered how good any of the holos would have turned out.

Vader lifted Luke out of the bassinet. The little prince was dressed in a formal but comfy navy blue and white outfit. He looked very cute and damper.

"Are you ready?" Vader asked his son. "Hmm?"

It looked like the twins were calm. Padmé collected Leia and they walked out to the photoshoot together as a family.

.

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Author's Note: Sorry if this one feels like it isn't a complete story. This started off as a little snippet I was writing to a friend on discord months ago and then it grew longer and longer. I have more ideas for this AU, but don't know if I'll ever do anything more with it.

Also to the commenter who asked if I'd ever write any more rated M work like Blood Red Love, yes I would like to. I actually write anidala /vaderdala smut fics, but they only get posted on AO3. You can find me there under the same username, but my smut is posted under my psedu ArgentumSol. And when I say smut, I mean rated E, NSFW.