Chapter 20

She wanted to believe he was simply a man wanting to save his family, that he was open to doing whatever it took to keep them together. But what she wanted to do and what she was going to do are very different things. She had to put the safety of their daughter first and do whatever to keep her life safe as possible. She watched him cautiously, glued to the same spot trying desperately to figure out what the best course of action was.

"Ani…"

"I can see it in your eyes, you don't believe me… You don't trust me." He was eerily calm as he spoke, approaching her slowly.

"I don't know what to trust or believe, I just know Leia is my priority over anything else."

"You think a couple clones, a failed padawan, and an abomination of the force can protect our daughter better than I can. You think they can hide her from me?" The laugh he let out disturbed her, the longer he delved into the darkness the more unhinged he seemed to become.

"When did you become this hateful person?"

"When everyone I cared about began to betray me. My loving wife being the worst of them. By my count Padme this is the fifth time in the last 6 months. I'm running out of forgiveness for you."

"If you want to talk about betrayal you should start with the man in the mirror. No one has betrayed more than him." Padme's defiance escaped her.

He was silent as he closed the distance between them, the way he moved like a nexu on the prowl for a kill, but she did not feel fear. She was done being afraid of this man. When he reached her, he cupped her face in his still human hand lovingly which threw her off expecting more aggression from him. "If you run… I will hunt you down." He whispered before claiming her lips in a rough kiss.

She kept her eyes glued to his as they stood there in a tense silence. "If you know what was said you know I have no intentions of running from you."

"But you wish to take my daughter from me, to keep me from finding my son?"

"I don't want the darkness that has taken you from me to hurt our children…."

He couldn't hide the hurt from his eyes, she waited for the Anger to overtake them, but it never did. He turned to look out the window, resting his forehead against the cool glass. "I can't let you do that Padme."

"What happens now?" She came to stand beside him staring off to the horizon.

"I knew this would most likely be how this ended up. In both the palace and my ship there is a cell made especially for you. So, I can have you within my reach at all times."

"So, I am to be your imprisoned concubine?"

"If it works…" He shifted his face to look at her.

"And if I fight?"

"We both know you aren't stronger than me…. Not physically. I will take you down if I must. I would like to do this without harming you. I want you to crave my touch not fear it. "

She turned to him leaning up and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Don't forget I love you. I am so sorry."

He felt a sharp pain, and everything went black.

Back on Naboo

Belme laid wrapped in Bly's strong arms just enjoying the feeling of his warm skin against hers. His touch was rough and clumsy, but she loved it and was already addicted. The events of the night replaying in her mind causing her to smile wildly.

"You should be sleeping Lady." He whispered into her ear before playfully nibbling on her earlobe.

"Well that isn't helping me get there." She giggled rolling over to face him. "I'm just taking it all in."

Bly lazily trailed kisses down her forehead to her lips. "I hope any doubts you have about me are gone."

"I can't promise I won't have moments of insecurity Bly… This… my life is complicated."

"I know I'm not experienced with this relationship stuff, but it seems pretty simple to me. I fell in love with you and you are desperately in love with me." Bly smirked pulling her closer to him.

"Oh… you think so?" She swatted him on the chest playfully.

"I do… am I wrong Milady?" Bly acted as thought he was hurt and rubbed where she had hit him dramatically. "I believe there are laws against abusing ones lover you know."

Belme laughed loudly, the sound filled the room only muffled when he claimed her lips in a heated kiss. "I love you Bel…. I don't care about anything else just that."

"Belme… Please are you there!" Padme's voice surprised her as she shot up grabbing her emergency comm from her end table drawer.

"Milady… Is everything alright?" The fear something horrible had happened caused her to overlook the fact Bly was there listening.

"I'm in trouble… I made it off planet, but it won't be long until her is after me."

"What?! What's happening." Belme stood and began to pace the room.

"Vader… Her found out what I was planning with Leia…. I… I shot him … with a stun beam. I don't know how long he will be down. I just grabbed Leia and …I made it to my ship." Padme's thoughts were scattered making it hard for her to put her words together.

"Milady… his men … how did you?"

"I snuck out… I have my ways… Listen… My friends are still going to come for you… I just need you to get away from Naboo… get to Tatooine they will meet you there."

"Why Tatooine?"

"As soon as he waked up he is going to order his men to bring you in… They won't be able to make it to you in time. Tatooine is the last place he will look. Just grab as much as you can for yourself and anything you managed to gather for the baby and leave."

"Will you be meeting us there then?"

"I can't… There is good in him Belme… I know and the only way I can safe him is to stay by his side…. I'm going to bring my husband back … or die trying."

"Padme… he is going to be enraged when he realizes what you have done… he will hurt you again."

"That's a chance I am willing to take… I just needed to know Leia was far away and with people I know will protect her…. I believe we will be together again one day… Until then please take care of her… and yourself." Padme ended the transmission before Belme could speak further leaving the young woman speechless.

"I.. Guess I wasn't supposed to hear that…" Bly's deep voice shocked her out of her thoughts.

"I … Bly I .. I am going to do this…."

"Where you even going to say goodbye to me? Or was I just going to find an empty bed when I woke up and realize you were leaving me!"

"I.. was going to tell you… I just hadn't figured out how… or what you would do … It isn't only my life involved."

"Do I get a say…. Do I get a choice?"

"You don't get a choice in my decision to do this for Padme."

"What about a choice in whether I choose the Empire or you?"

"I… I know how loyal you are to the Empire… You have spent your whole life a soldier following every order. I.. guess I assume I didn't stand a chance in that decision."

"Because clones are just mindless drones." He said bitterly getting out of bed and storming over to her.

"I didn't say that Bly… You know I don't think that way. I am not talking about clones. I am talking about Commander Bly.. A man and soldier." She stepped back as he approached put the wall prevented her from moving far.

He looked at her cocking his head to the side. "I am those things… but I also am your lover… and if I had to choose you or being an obedient soldier the rest of my life I would choose you… But you would have known that if you understood me at all!"

"Bly…. "

"I regret Order 66… I wish I had saved General Secura and ever since that day I am trying to be better… I thought you saw that."

"I do… I was scared… To have found you to maybe having to let you go… I was being selfish and just trying to prolong everything. We need you on our side and I want you to come with me….."

Meanwhile hours later on Coruscant

"The Empress has run off; you are to find her and bring her to me. She is not to be harmed, if one hair on her head is out of place its your life. Do I make myself clear?" Vader boomed his orders into his comm as he paced the apartment. Still feeling the sting from the stun blast as well as a hit on his pride.

"Of course, my Emperor, I will have the men out searching for Empress Vader on all levels of the planet."

"Good. I will be heading to Naboo… If she is found bring her to me there."

"Do you think she is fleeing to her home world sir."

"She is to smart for that… However, I know where I can find motivation for her to behave there."

"No need Milord… I'm right here." Her soft voice came from behind. The tone of defiance in it made his blood boil.

"Disregard Commander I found her…. Send a squad to my private apartment immediately." Vader then threw is comm against the wall shattering it. "That was treason…. And worst a betrayal of the deepest." He scoffed turning to face her. "What was the point of running to just come back?"

"We both know you would hunt me down to the ends of the galaxy."

Vader looked at her, a cocky smile on his face. "Good girl…." The realization of his daughter's absence however quickly turned the smile into a scowl. "WHERE IS SHE?!"

"Safe from you…. From your empire."

Vader moved towards her as six of the 501st clones entered the suite. Vader turned his attention to his men. "Take the Empress to her cell."

(Sorry for the lack of updates I had a Covid related scare I was dealing with but also have been battling with writer's block. Due to this please excuse the randomness in this chapter I am hoping to recatch my flow and I hope you all are still enjoying the story)