Chapter 9
Padme woke alone, the loss of the feeling of his body on hers made her frown. She had forgotten how much being beneath him could soothe her very soul. She slowly sat up in bed and looked around the room, expecting to find him close by but the only sign he had been there was his mask sitting on the nightstand beside her. She took to take a closer look, surprised how heavy it really was. She couldn't help but feel the burn of despair as she stared into the dark eyes of the mask. She hated it, she hated the way it changed his voice, bringing him deeper in the darkness overtaking him. She thought of all the lives that were taken with the last thing they saw was this monstrosity looking down upon them.
"It's only so no one finds out who I was. I may have stayed loyal to the Empire, but the galaxy has lost trust in Jedi, they may not understand that I am no Jedi." She looked over seeing him standing in the doorway of the fresher. "I know it scares you…. I won't wear it here."
"It's not so much that it in itself scares me, but what it represents." She tossed the mask back onto the table.
"After the night we had let's not ruin it now my love. Come here… Shower with me." He smiled his half smile and reached his hand out to her. "I want to bury myself deep inside you while the hot water runs over us."
Her mouth ran dry and the fire she had for him in her very core began to burn again. Wordlessly she got up and took his hand letting him lead her into the shower he already had running. He had been busy that morning setting out candles of her favorite scent and lightening them, recreating their wedding night. "You remembered." She smiled leaning forward to get a closer smell.
"Of course, I remembered. That was that happiest night of my life. Rivaled only but the day you told me I was going to be a father." He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close against him, watching her face in the mirror.
"If you aren't Anakin, why do these memories mean anything to you?" She asked holding is eye contact in their reflection.
"Padme….."
"I'm sorry but I know your heart, I know the good in you won't be defeated Ani…. I believe in you and always will."
"You just don't know when to shut that pretty mouth do you." The flash of anger that overtook his eyes as he released. "I'm going to shower, tell the Commander I expect a full report on all he has been doing to keep you safe when I am done."
"Ani…"
"Just go Padme, before I lose my patience with you."
"I've made you angry and now you are going to take it out on Bly, just leave him and Belme out of this Anakin."
"Oh, has the commander made it into your inner circle my love? Has he become privy to all the secrets you continue to hide from me? Maybe the good commander has been doing time in your bed during my absence. What of your unnaturally modified handmaiden? Don't think I won't be finding out what you have been hiding. Don't take the fact I want you alive and by my side as a sign you will get away with treason or lying to me!"
She could see his eyes begin to burn the red and golden glow they now had whenever he was angry, but she would not back down, and she would not show him fear.
"Lord Vader I am your wife not your prisoner or your Slave, as much as it seems you are trying to make me. If you want me to love you and not fear you then these threats need to stop. I have never lied to you Anakin. In the past I have not let you in on things, but I had my reasons and none of them were malicious against you. I love you….. You were my first lover and my only lover. Bly has been great and had made my friend very happy I won't have you going and ruining that with one of your temper tantrums!"
"Watch yourself wife!" He spoke through clenched teeth, getting right in her face.
"I will well you pay me the respect I am owed as your wife. You throw that word around and only seem to treat me as such when you want a place to stuff your lightsaber."
She could see him loose his resolve as much as he was fighting it and he broke out laughing at her crude lightsaber joke.
"That's playing dirty my love." All signs of his anger quickly dissipated. "I'm sorry….. I know you are keeping something from me, something the Emperor may know. I can't protect you if you aren't honest with me." He decided to try and reason with her instead of intimidating her.
"Can we just forget everything except for last night…. And enjoy our shower?" Padme didn't want to have continuing lying to him so she decided to shift focus and knew her husband's sexual appetite would be the way. "I want more of you, I've missed you… All of you." She smiled devilishly as she let her hand cup his manhood.
Hid eyes grew dark with lust and desire as he grabbed ahold of her and pulled her into the steaming shower to have his way with her. Their moans and screams of pleasure quickly filled the room.
"I guess…. He has managed to get back on her good side." Belme rolled her eyes and she poured Bly a glass of blue milk.
"I think he loves her, and a man does strange things when he loves a woman. Perhaps she just realizes he is only doing what he thinks is best for her. I would go to the ends of the universe and disobey any order to keep you safe. I would do things to protect you that you may not like but I would worry about that later."
She smiled shyly at him as she continued to serve breakfast. She assumed that Vader and Padme probably wouldn't be joining them anytime soon, but she wanted to make sure she had all her responsibilities covered not wanting unnecessary friction with Vader. He already tried to mess up something important to her and she didn't want to anger him in any way if she could help it. Meanwhile the screams of ecstasy coming from Padme just seemed to get louder and more frequent.
"Belme… Can I ask you something?"
"Hmm, oh yeah of course."
"Is there a reason you haven't … Let me make love to you yet?"
"…. I…. I just am not ready… for that. It's… I'm sorry if I disappoint you Bly. Its not that I don't want to be with you in that way I just…"
"Hey, stop right there because you don't disappoint me. I'm the one who's sorry." He was on his feet and wrapping his arms around her. "I just haven't felt like this about someone and I am overanxious to explore everything with you. I'm falling in love with you and can wait as long as you need."
Before she could respond Padme's comm which she left with Bly began to go off, interrupting their moment.
"Looks like its Senator Organa. I think she would want to take this." The memories of seeing her with the child Organa brought stayed in his mind. He didn't fully understand but had a good idea of why.
Belme took the comm and switch it on and were greeted by who appeared to be Queen Organa.
"Padme, I don't have much time, the Emperor had one of his assassins come. Bail is dead and they took Leia…. I don't know what to do, I am so sorry we promised we would take care of your….." The message ended without warning.
Belme looked up at Bly eyes wide. "Do you think Vader had something to do with this?"
"I need you to level with me, This baby… It's the baby Lord Vader thinks died. Isn't it?" He looked at Belme and could see her hesitation in answering. "If it is his daughter, he wouldn't harm her, and he would have gone himself to get her. Listen I promised I wouldn't say anything but if this is their child it is in everyone best interest that we tell Lord Vader. He will be angry, but he will do everything in his power to fix this."
"Fix what Commander?" Vader boomed as he marched into the dining room.
(Question to readers, do you like these short daily uploads or would you prefer longer weekly ones?)
