Yes it has been a while...
School started so that kept me busy as well as getting very sick. I may or may not have demonstrated my frustrations at being ill in this chapter. This is also not betaed as I didn't want to put off publishing this chapter since I've been gone over a month. Well enjoy...
...I don't own Star Wars Disney...
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Obi-Wan Kenobi had finally resurfaced and Vader felt his lips curl. Even his master would not be able to stop his revenge, which was probably why he left a message for the old man. Oh Sidious would make him pay later, but it'd be worth it. As the crew had prepared his modified TIE, he ignored the requests from the officers that he took backup and stormed down to the detention center. Threatening Organa caused the darkside to whisper eagerly as he prepared for the hunt.
Once he might have taken off immediately, but he found excuses to linger. Leia… Obi-Wan would pay for stealing his daughter but amidst the preparations, his feet began to wander toward the barracks and to Leia's Force-presence, a supernova of brightness. It was hot, but instead of burning, her presence soaked through his body gently warming him. He may have been cold and firmly entrenched in darkness, but his light called.
Lying to oneself is in general a bad idea, and Vader knew that, yet as he wandered closer to his child, his mind grappled for an excuse. Surprisingly the excuse rested with Organa and for once the man was going to be useful.
Entering the barracks he looked around and watched in amusement as his men straightened themselves and stood at attention. In the corner he could spot Leia glaring at a holotable and Caden not so subtly trying to get her to stand.
"At ease," he commanded and walked deeper into the barracks, noting with displeasure various articles of clothing strewn around. The men shifted slightly as they noticed their breakage of regulation. Before he could decide what to an appropriate punishment would be an unbidden memory rose in his mind.
A young version of Anakin stood in his room while Obi-Wan glared at him. Around him various droid parts lay on the floor, exactly as they were supposed to do. As Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose, Anakin had to reconsider and concluded that maybe he should have been a tad neater, if just to avoid the inevitable meditation on why it was important to engage in orderliness.
Before Obi-Wan could began his lecture, Anakin blurted out, "Master everything is where it's supposed to be!"
Shaking his head, his Master surveyed the room, "Just this once Anakin, just this once," he turned to leave, "This room better be spotless by the time I come back!"
Vader scowled as the memory faded and looked to where Leia was sitting, "Leia, I need to speak to you alone."
She got up irritably with one last glare at the game board and walked towards him. Vader walked outside of the room, not wanting to have his troops overhear a rather sensitive conversation. Looking around the barrack he gave a cold warning, "By the time I'm done with my conversation this barrack better be up to regulations or else for every minute it isn't, a day of janitor duty is being added.
The door slid closed, but Vader could still feel the rush of relief in the room and he heard his troops shouting desperately to bring every little detail up to regulations.
Hearing a slight snort, Vader looked down at Leia, "I told Caden that maybe they should clean up their quarters before playing games."
Resisting the urge to snort, "Perhaps they should've listened to you, although I do wonder what the holotable has done to you."
Leia looked away in embarrassment, "I lost epically to Caden because I was distracted."
"Excuses, excuses…" he murmured.
At Leia's silence, he noticed with amusement that he had just teased her. Feeling slightly out of depth, he turned the focus of the conversation to more pressing matters, "I'm going to be leaving while you continue to Imperial Center."
Nibbling on her lip, Leia looked at him searchingly, "You're off to kill someone."
"Yes," he replied, wishing that he could lie if only to avoid the disappointed look in Leia's eyes, which was ridiculous since he was a kriffing Sith, "While I'm gone you're allowed to visit your father and mother."
The words burned on his tongue, but the hug he received from his daughter made it worth it. Stroking her hair, he continued, "I can't make any promises for when you arrive on Imperial Center. It will be up to the Emperor's discretion then."
"Thank you," she whispered, "thank you."
A sense of urgency crept into his voice, "Remember Leia you have to shield yourself then. He can't find out that you can use the Force. Please promise me you'll keep yourself safe."
She pulled back, "I promise Lord Vader."
He opened the door again and noticed in amusement that the room was clean, cleaner that he could ever remember a barrack being. Leia wandered in and sat down across from Caden, her body radiating irritation.
Turning around, he let the door slide closed. The hunger within him grew as he thought of Kenobi and his vengeance. Death was too kind for his old Master for what he had done. Phantom fire licked his limbs and he could almost smell his burn flesh mixed with sulfur.
"You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would, destroy the Sith, not join them. It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness," cried his Master as he picked up Vader's lightsaber and began to walk away.
The hot winds swept around them and ignoring the agony of his lost limbs or the searing heat of the lava below him, Vader screamed, "I hate you!"
The darkside burned through him, fueled by his agony he tried to move forward, to reach out and somehow end the traitor's life. Yet Obi-Wan, just shook his head slightly, looking into his yellow eyes, "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you."
Then the pain overwhelmed him and he screamed. Obi-Wan just left him to burn.
Obi-Wan had always been a liar because the Jedi never loved, their ridiculous code didn't allow them to and Obi-Wan would never have broken the code. Then he and the traitor Organa stole his daughter. It wasn't like they gave Leia to her family, a family that never had been told that Padmé's child lived. What had they planned for Leia? Did they hope that'd she grow up into a little tool of the Rebellion to be sent against him and kill him?
He stood in front of his child, his lightsaber ignited and ready to kill. He saw her surprise, fear, and a burning hatred shining through her eyes. He could feel her hatred for him, her desire to destroy him. What had he done to deserve it.
"You'll pay for everything you've done. If not today, one day. I know this," she threatened as she moved backwards slowly from his approaching form. Her eyes burned with conviction as she continued, "You can kill me but you kill what I stand for… And you won't stop justice."
Her declaration took him back because she didn't fear death and he could feel her longing for it. What had happened to his sweet precious little angel? The he heard his voice, slightly mocking, as he advanced upon Leia, "You misunderstand. Your end will not be like your precious Alderaan."
Angry swept through him as he noticed the disgusted look on her face. What was he doing? He was treating her like any traitor and toying with her. As he saw her face twist into an angry snarl, he realized why she lived, although not why she seemingly lost the will to survive, to bring about his end.
The voice continued, mocking and cruel, promising untold amount of pain, "That was far too swift. You will find that-"
His alter ego seemed to sense something for he felt his rushing anger, and when he spoke it wasn't mocking, but angry and derisive, "What you dare? Do you truly think you can ambush a Dark Lord of the Sith?"
As he looked around trying to pinpoint the source of the ambush, Leia yelled something at him and began to run.
"Run Princess. Tell your friends where you are," he mocked and ignit his lightsaber to follow her into the mist, "Lure the boy to me."
The vision ended and Vader felt horror coursing through his body as he considered hunting his daughter like an animal, to use her as bait for a boy. If things were different, if they had never formed a bond, Vader knew that was what could have happened. Organa would've raised his daughter, instilling her with a feeling of righteous justice and poisoning her against him. She was strong willed, like him, like Padmé, and she would've fought to her last breath. Yet in that vision she hated him with a passion, a passion hard enough to find among the Jedi, who he had nearly annihilated. That version of him hated her also and had promised to torture her although to what ends he didn't understand. Hating Leia was impossible for him now, she was too innocent and his. That a version of him could hate her was unimaginable, but yet he would have.
He began to walk forward and his thoughts dwelled on the vision. He had alluded to Alderaan's end, but mentioned that was swift. Even if the Empire took action against Alderaan for treasonous activities the end wouldn't be swift unless… His eyes widened, surely his Master wouldn't. Alderaan was a core world after all and its destruction would cause the galaxy to quake in fear, but it was senseless. There would be no boundaries for the people anymore and without the feeling of safety people would flock to rebel. Surely his Master wouldn't… Surely he wouldn't either, for that Leia hated him with a burning passion. Had he been instrumental in the destruction of Alderaan? He couldn't see himself being an accessory to genocide.
His lightsaber moved forward first blue, but later red coupled with his mechanical breathing.
…The children cried and looked up to him, not understanding as he moved forward to cut them down... The infants whose sole misfortune had been to be chosen by the Force…
...A warrior running forward in a battle cry quickly cut down… the villages burned and he personally saw to the execution of the natives..
...A house of Jedi Padawans fell to his blades despite their deliberate isolation…
...Bombers flying through the air leaving smoking crater behind…
For the first time he felt a semblance of guilt for his actions. Feeling slightly confused he prepared for his hunt. His feeling were distinctly un-Sith like, but he had some honor and it demanded that he confront his actions. Something that he didn't want to do. The excuse: "They were traitors" didn't cut it anymore, not when he considered the civilian casualties, people who had just gone by their lives or forced into situations of not their own choice.
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Obi-Wan cracked his back as he stood up, having finished cleaning his lightsaber. Sand did indeed get everywhere despite his care. He thought of Luke back on Tatooine and he hoped he could return to protect the youth. Tatooine, he had discovered, was nearly the opposite of safe. Sand storms rose from nowhere and he could only thank the Force how lucky his Master had been to meet Anakin, who offered them shelter. A sand storm seemed like nothing inside a Nubian Cruiser, the only evidence the slight sway of the ship and some equipment malfunction, but outside the winds pounded against the body. Sand could be inhaled and even if the person could get to safety, numerous people still died from suffocation. Beyond the sandstorm lurked various other dangers from the slave trade to the sand people. It wasn't uncommon to lose a child, it was almost expected. Few children survived to adulthood.
Yes, Obi-Wan thought, he did indeed want to return to Tatooine because Luke did indeed need protecting. He had to survive Vader and keep him distracted long enough. Groaning he slumped back down into his seat, he was screwed.
"Kriff," he muttered quietly, letting out a rare curse.
His accomplice walked in on him and raised his eyebrow at the curse, "You're Obi-Wan Kenobi?"
Obi-Wan looked up, "Yes, although in all the excitement I seem to not have gotten your name."
The stranger stared at him, "Call me Shadow, there's no Sith-kriffing hell way I'm telling my real name to a self-sacrificing bastard."
Obi-Wan smiled slightly, "Nice to meet you Shadow. You know of any good planets to head from here?"
Shadow stared at him, his eyes narrowed, "I thought you wanted Vader's attention?"
Obi-Wan winced as he thought of his old Padawan bearing down upon him, "I need to distract him, lead him on a hunt where I'm the bait," standing up he walked to the viewport, "and he'll give chase and catch me because he hates me enough."
The other man whistled slowly, giving him an incredulous look, "I know Vader hates Jedi, but man what did you do to get that sort of attention?"
Letting out a bitter laugh, he gazed out the window, "I almost killed him."
The warm winds blasted against him, "You were my brother Anakin, I loved you!." Then his friend burned, his little brother consumed by flames. He wanted to help him, to rush to him, to say "I'm sorry," but he couldn't. The yellow-red eyes haunted him because there was nothing left of the boy he once knew. So he walked away even though each step was heavy. The screams rang through the air and the words "I hate you!" reverberated in his ears. He couldn't look back, if he did he would save his brother. He had to check on Padmé, make sure she was alive.
"Don't look back," he whispered to himself, "Don't look back."
Shadow was silent as he considered what to say, "I guess that a pretty good reason although why didn't you just kill him. Would've saved the galaxy a lot of trouble."
He shook his head as he turned to Shadow, "When someone is on fire next to a pit of lava, unable to move, you tend to assume they're dead."
Shadow winced slightly, "Almost makes me feel sorry for the guy, almost. I guess that explains the suit," glancing at his chrono momentarily, "I'll be heading out. You should to, the Empire will know by now that you were here."
Obi-Wan bowed his head, "May the Force be with you."
The door slid closed and Obi-Wan sighed wondering where he'd head. In this moment he felt sol old and alone. Through the shattered bond with his former Padawan he could feel the familiar anger; there was always anger, never anything else. He didn't want to hide or run anymore, but he had to. Luke was counting on him; Leia was now lost. He couldn't help but feeling as if he had failed as he wandered down the hallway to the hangar bay. No child should be lost to darkness, yet it still happened.
Tiredly he punched in his hyperspace coordinates, Tirahnn. His fighter slowly rose into the air and glided into space. As he prepared for the jump, he watched in surprise as a TIE fighter appeared.
Vader…
They hung still in space, each feeling out in the Force, unsure how to react. For ten years they hadn't had contact. In that time everything had changed. He could feel the darkside attacking him, trying to garner his submission. It pained Obi-Wan to be so close, to feel the presence that was so distinctly Anakin, yet not.
Into the Force, Obi-Wan whispered, "I loved you-" his ship entered hyperspace, "and I can't stop," he finished out loud.
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Vader growled in anger as the ship entered hyperspace. He had been so close to Obi-Wan and the man had managed to evade him. It wouldn't matter though because his ship's computer had locked onto Obi-Wan's ship before he entered hyperspace. While the technology was still in its infancy, he should be able to calculate the trajectory of Obi-Wan's hyperspace jump. The Force would aid him.
I loved you
Vader growled as he busied himself over his controls. Obi-Wan continued to lie, he had never loved Vader, he had instead been resentful. Obi-Wan should've known better than to try to influence him, he wouldn't fall for such pathetic lies. Victory would be sweet, but death wasn't something he'd grant his old Master. It was time Obi-Wan was on the receiving end of his ire, to feel how it was to be lied to, for his foundation to be destroyed. Once Obi-Wan was a shell of himself, only then, would he grant the fool death. He should've remained in hiding.
Half an hour later, a heavily modified TIE fighter entered hyperspace on its way to Tirahnn.
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Obi-Wan landed in the dense forest, having avoided Imperial detection. Despite fatigue causing his muscles to burn and his head to ache, he worked to camouflage his ship under the foliage. He'd have to alert the Imperials to his presence later, but first he needed to get some rest. Wandering off slightly, he picked a tall tree to climb, made himself a nest at the top, shielded himself in the Force, just in case, and let sleep take him.
"Master…. Master wake up," cried a young boy between various pokes.
Groaning Obi-Wan pulled his pillow closer and rolled in the other direction, "Five more minutes Anakin."
The poking was back, "Master… wake up… I made breakfast!"
Blearily he opened his eyes to observe the youth who held a plate of charred… something. Not wanting to hurt Anakin's feeling he accepted the offered fork and tried a mouthful. Deliberately he swallowed, suppressing the urge to gag.
"Delicous," he praised Anakin and the boy smiled.
The smile was worth eating the rest of the food. He had never seen the boy so happy nor did he understand why such a simple praise would make the boy so happy. Belatedly he realised that Anakin had very much been a slave and in his grief for Qui-Gon he hadn't attended to the boy as he should.
"Do you want to join me for a walk this morning?" he asked. Before he had gone alone, taking the time to think, but he needed to focus on Anakin. Anakin didn't deserve to be ignored, he had done nothing wrong. The smile was back, too happy for such a simple gesture and cute. He ruffled the boy's hair as they left the room.
He had to remember not to get attached, yet he knew he had already lost the battle.
…
Anakin was older know and he had grown to be stronger and somewhat moody. Sometimes Obi-Wan wondered how Qui-Gon dealt with him as he regarded Anakin's antics. The latest stunt had led Anakin to catch a bug.
He ignored the disapproving looks directed to him by the Master Healers as he sat by Anakin's side as the boy shivered through the night as his body fought the virus. He'd be alright they told him, but he couldn't let himself leave Anakin. Quietly grabbed Anakin's hand, holding it tightly.
"You have to get better Anakin, I don't know what I'd do without you… my little brother."
He was too attached and the next morning Anakin was up and about, feeling well again, and landing himself into the next bit of trouble. Obi-Wan was left to run after him and wonder if he already started to grey.
…
When Anakin met Padmé again, Obi-Wan felt the need to groan. He remembered his own youthful crushes as his Master admonished him for his attachments. He had waited with trepidation for Anakin to have his first crush and mistakenly thought with relief he had avoided the hurricane. Hopefully Padmé would understand that a relationship was impossible, but then he remembered both of their brazen attitude to rules and did let out a groan.
Anakin looked at him curiously, but lost interest when Obi-Wan waved him off. He was doomed because Obi-Wan knew that Anakin wanted to be a Jedi and he loved his little brother too much to let him throw it away. He'd protect him and were Anakin to leave, Obi-Wan would join him.
So when Anakin didn't show for lunch or snuck out into the night on Coruscant or when the Jedi Council asked him where Anakin was, he covered for his brother. He was with Padmé and it hurt him to think that Anakin didn't trust him enough to tell him.
Perhaps he should've told the truth.
Something stirred Obi-Wan out of his dreams and he opened his eyes, trying to discern the source of the interruption. He felt tired, but adrenaline filled his body, forcing him to be prepared.
He sneezed.
Everything became unnaturally quiet and Obi-Wan felt the warning from the Force a second to late as a Force-push flung him from his tree. Mechanical breathing filled the air and Obi-Wan shakily got to his feet as he watched a red lightsaber ignite, illuminating his former Padawan.
Obi-Wan swallowed as he observed the black mask and wondered about the face it hid. Had Anakin been scarred by the fire or had his face been burned. The eyes though probably burned a Sithly yellow. He wondered what Vader was thinking, as he had yet to move. Obi-Wan's lightsaber remained, retracted, in his hand. Part of him wondered if he should ignite and begin the deadly dance for his life. Running would be pointless as Vader's mastery of the Force would be enough to stop him. Furthermore, he simply felt too tired.
He sneezed, again.
Reaching out in the Force, he immediately recoiled from the wall of darkness teeming with tendrils that tried to ensnare him. His heart began to pound as more adrenaline rushed through his system. He was about to die and could do nothing because he was too kriffing tired.
"You're sick," rumbled Vader.
Obi-Wan chuckled slightly, "I applaud your observational skills. Think you can come back in two days?"
The feeling of anger surrounded him and Obi-Wan could feel himself becoming slightly nauseous from the constant exposure to the darkside and its constant probing.
Incredulous, "You decided to surface after all these years and are too sick to fight."
Leaning slightly on a tree, Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, "I assure you I didn't choose to get sick. So if you aren't coming back later perhaps you should get to killing me. I assume you prefer people conscious when you do it, so you should do it rather soon."
Vader crossed his arm and Obi-Wan had a brief image of Anakin pouting because he had been denied dessert, "I don't plan on killing you."
Obi-Wan jerked away from the tree, staring at Vader in disbelief, "Excuse me?" and tried to ignore the niggling feeling in his stomach of worry or… something.
"I don't plan on killing you," Vader repeated himself and Obi-Wan could feel his glare.
"I'm sorry," he replied, "You, who goes around murdering just about everyone, but not me? What makes me so special?"
Vader began to take slow deliberates step forward, "You're quite special Obi-Wan. I don't think there's anybody I hate more. You turned Padmé against me… you left me to die, too cowardly to finish the act yourself… you cut off all my remaining limbs."
Vader stood almost in front of Obi-wan and Obi-Wan clutched his lightsaber tightly, wondering if he could kill the monster through surprise, as Vader moved closer, "I hate you Obi-Wan and death… death is too good for you. I'll destroy you first."
Letting out a scream of pain, Obi-Wan looked down at his wrist which Vader had grabbed, "Don't do anything foolish now… Master."
The lightsaber fell to the floor.
Obi-Wan looked back up at the mask, trying to find anything remaining of Anakin, "I didn't turn her against you, you did that the moment you-"
A hand slapped against his face and Obi-Wan fell to the ground where he discreetly slipped his lightsaber into his waistband. Vader looked down at him and he could feel an invisible hand tightening around his throat.
"Don't talk about her."
"Or what? You'll kill me," he joked back, ignoring the pain as Vader's boot ground one of his legs into the forest floor.
"You'll learn," hissed his old friend, "because I'll break you until nobody will recognize Obi-Wan Kenobi. Then I'll kill you."
He looked up at him sadly, there was nothing left of Anakin, "You're probably the only person that recognizes me now Darth. I'm not the same person anymore, how could I be, you destroyed everything I cared about. You know what Padmé said before she died?"
Vader didn't respond, but the pressure on his leg abated slightly, "She said there was still good in you."
Vader yanked him off the ground and pushed him against the tree, "And then you stole my child while her body was still warm. She never said she wanted Organa to have the child! I saw his memories! Then you were going to raise her and turn her into a little perfect tool for your rebellion so she'd what, kill her own father?"
Snarling, Obi-Wan retorted, "Oh yes, that'd would've been a brilliant idea. Let's give an infant to a man who had just choked his pregnant wife and slaughtered younglings. I saw that Anakin, I saw the footage. They trusted you and you killed them one by one. I didn't want to believe it because you were my brother, I lov-"
A gloved hand wrapped around his throat, cutting off Obi-Wan's air, "Enough with your lies Obi-Wan. You never cared for me so don't go around pretending you did. You never loved me, your precious code forbids it. Cease with your lies, it won't help you."
As he felt his head begin to swim and vision blur, he whispered, "I'm sorry," then all went black.
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Leia sat in the chair, anxiously waiting for her mother to arrive. The room was white, matching the general theme of the Star Destroyer, while the two chairs and the table in between them, were grey. She knew that behind one door and the fake wall stood Caden, keeping vigilante watch while the other one hid her father.
The door behind her slid open and there was a happy shout of "Leia!" before her mother's two arms encircled her. A smile crept on her face as she returned the hug, not having seen her mother since the departure from Alderaan..
"I missed you," she whispered, "Please don't leave."
Her mother kneeled down besides her, "Oh my sweet precious child. You will have to be strong."
Leia shook her head empathetically, "I want to be with you. They're going to kill Daddy."
"I know," she replied, stroking Leia's head, as she began to cry, "I know… Tell your Daddy I love him… I love you too Leia always remember that. I don't care what happens, what you do, know you'll always be welcome home."
"But why…" Leia whispered.
"Look at me Leia."
Leia looked to the side, unwilling to meet her mother's eyes. A small hand gently grabbed her chin, so her mother could look at her.
Whispering in a soothing voice, "Do you remember our stories? Do you remember our songs?"
Leia hunched her shoulders slightly and bit her lip, "Yes mother."
"Then you remember the story of our ancestors… They came from the great lands in their ships. It was a marvelous time with the Corellians developing the first hyperdrives, but with great achievement came conflict. People could travel with such ease and so they fought over resources and it is amidst this conflict, that the Twins came. Do you remember the Twins Leia?"
"Yes ma," Leia whispered as she hugged her knees, "The Twins were joined at birth by their hands and their mother, who saw their disfigurement, sold them to the Thiud. He then raised them as child soldiers."
"The Twins were special for one was filled anger and the other kindness, yet they loved each other dearly, willing to do whatever it took to insure the other survived. Despite the Thuid's attempt, no one could ever part them. They remained dependent on each other and no sword or laser could break their hands apart, for they refused to let go. Through the brother's anger and hatred they protected themselves and found fear and respect, while the sister's kindness brought them help and friends… How did they find Alderaan Leia?"
Bored Leia looked away from her mother at the table, "There was a battle and they needed to do repairs. The Gods had watched over the two so they led them to Alderaan where they found a planet untouched by war or strife. While they did their repairs, the Sister told her brother that they should bring everyone here, while the Brother argued that it was a foolish risk and could live there in peace. Yet it wasn't to be for they both knew Thiud's forces would eventually come and destroy any peace on the planet and so they left, each with a different plan on how to return."
A arms snaked around Leia, and she let herself be seated on her mother's lap, "When they returned to Thiud the Sister quietly spread the word that should they free themselves there was a world to live on in peace. The Brother spread the word that there was a world to win after they proved themselves the strongest. Both of them wrong and both were right. Without fear the world would have been seized from them, but without peace they'd weaken themselves and be no better than those they escaped. But as things go, the Thiud heard of the plan and seized the Twins. 'Talk!' He ordered them, but they wouldn't. The Brother raged at the Thiud while the Sister whispered to the Guard who were also slaves. As his once loyal Guard began to whisper traitorous words, the Thuid looked for the source and he found her. In his desperate bid for power he shot her."
"I don't remember this," interrupted Leia.
Her mother smiled, "Only once a child is told how the story ends, so listen well."
Her nose scrunched up and she stared at her mother's brown eyes quizzically, "You said they escaped when I was younger and everyone settled Alderaan."
"And they did," her mother replied, "But that isn't the full story," Leia nodded, appeased for the moment, but her brows remained furrowed as her mother continued her voice a bare whisper, "...The Brother felt her mortal wound and in their shock they let go of each other. Letting out a feral growl he attacked the Thuid, killing him while the Guard watched in shock. With tears running down his face, the Brother picked up his sister to carry her away. The Guard followed loyal to the Sister. Together they matched across the field and their friends flocked to them. Lining up behind the Guard. It was as the sun was high in the sky that they met the Army. Met with a superior force, they were forced to surrender. It was there that the next Thuin launched himself at the Sister and Brother for their role in his father's death. 'Death to the traitors!' he snarled.
The Gods saw all though and whispered to him, 'We can give you the strength to succeed in return for your life, for all power comes at a price.' The Brother readily agreed for their was no life without his sister and the Gods blessed him with fire in return. The fire gave him strength and he rushed at the Army where he once had served. No soldier who raised their weapons against him was spared, but it was the commanders he was after, the ones who gave them orders and the next Thuin. He tortured those as the fire consumed him for fire has a price, it always feeds on life. As his blade, ons stolen from a fallen for, hovered over the last Thuin, a babe, he heard his Sister call. She limped towards him even as he felt her life drain from him.
'Brother,' she pleased, 'Let him live for he has committed no crimes. Let him know mercy so he may show others.'
The Brother scowled, 'Yet they never showed mercy to us.'
Smiling, the Sister embraced him, 'Because they never learned. So let him live so he may known mercy.'
The Brother nodded and swiftly delivered a shallow cut, 'So he may always remember.'
As they died in each other's arms, the fire swept through both, freeing them of guilt so they could find peace, while the Sister's kindness brought them them to Alderaan, named for them. It was on Alderaan that they were burned and their ashes lifted by the winds so they could be with the Gods and touched by the troubles if those with sentience. Sometimes when it is dark and our fires are lit, the Brother comes and hunts because there are those that forget mercy and so he reminds them or kills them because death will reach everyone and justice will be served. On the highest peaks of our mountains, the Sister watches and gives advice to those who seek her advice. At dawn and dusk they meet and that's why those lived well die in their sleep and illnesses are cured in the morning and evening. Together they're the strongest for kindness and hate are both necessary to survive… You're strong Leia, I know you are. You'll survive as long as you remember that hate and kindness, light and dark, can't exist without each other. You must embody both.."
Leia was silent for awhile, "I remember the Sister, she was there on the mountain when I was declared the Princess."
Her mother looked at her seriously and Leia could feel her surprise, "Did she say anything?"
"Yes," Leia whispered, "She said that I was only half made and that I should be careful about playing with fire until I was whole because fire burns on life and only when I'm whole can I fight back."
When her mother left, Leia thought back to what she hadn't said, that the Sister told her that her fate was entwined with the bringer of death. She belonged to him and even if she were whole, he'd be there to tear her apart again or have her caged and were she to escape, the galaxy would burn. It had been an unsettling message to hear and she lacked the courage to voice the piece of information that had been imparted on her. Nevermind how she had seen the Brother and had been unable to look at him as she saw the blood dripping down his hands.
She was pulled out of her musings as the door to the detention block opened to reveal her father. Surprisingly clean with fresh clothes, he looks from what Leia imagined he'd appear as. But when she went to hug him, he winced, and she knew that only superficially he was fine.
"How are you," her father asked and she noticed the slightly raspy tone to his voice.
Leia tried to smile as she studied his tired face and discern what made him appear so different, "Alright father. I'm sleeping with Aunt Sola and her family. Lord Vader has been busy, he had to leave so we're traveling to Coruscant without him.
Her father nodded and sat down in a chair, resting his manacled hands on the table, "I'm glad you're okay… There's something I have to tell you Leia."
Biting on her lips, she nodded and listened, "First you have to understand I love you Leia. It doesn't matter to me that you were adopted because you were my Leia. I raised you and watched over you, you were always my daughter in everything but blood. What I need to tell you is about your birth parents."
The last sentence garnered Leia's attention, "You never wanted to talk about them."
"It was dangerous to," her father replied with a sigh, "But you deserve to know and you deserve to hear the truth from me as it was I that kept it from you."
"What truth?"
"Please Leia," he beseeched her, "Let me get there. It isn't easy for me because I love you and don't want to burden you with this knowledge… Your mother was a good friend of mine and while married, her marriage was forbidden by her husband's order. I didn't even know she was seeing anyone until I got a call on the night of Order 66. She needed medical attention and was heavily pregnant. She gave birth to you and I took you home, intending to raise you as my own and to protect you. We thought that your father had died, there was nothing to indicate he was alive. Then I get a call again after I had already brought you home and Breha was doting on you and worrying she would be a terrible mother," he trailed off, caught in memory, "I got a call again, your father was still alive-"
"What?" She exclaimed, "Who?"
"-and he was the Emperor's key enforcer subjugating worlds that resisted the Empire… Darth Vader."
Leia shook her head in disbelief as a tone of panic crept into her voice, "You're lying. He isn't my father. This is all a lie. Why would you have lied to me!"
Tears rain down his face, "Leia! Listen to me. I love you. I lo-"
"No… no… how do I know you do? Are you just lying again? I was with my father and you couldn't have said something earlier?"
Bail tried to reach for her hands but she pulled them back out of reach staring at him in horror, "I had to protect you. I wasn't going to let you know something that could lead to the Emperor killing you or for either of them to turn you to the darkside. The Emperor and Vader are both killers, I've taught you that!"
Leia laughed mockingly and sneered back at him, "So I'd try to rebel against the Empire and kill my father. What do I know actually that's true! If it hadn't been for your stupid rebellion dreams then you would be here, being shipped off to your own execution."
"I stopped all my treasonous and questionable actions for you Leia! I started it for you, because you shouldn't have to live in a galaxy ruled by monsters. I want to keep you safe."
"And yet Vader told the truth where you lied," she hissed back.
She could hear his anguish as she turned away from him, intent on walking out of the room, "He knows Leia because I told him to find your birth parents if I landed myself in trouble because I prefer Vader protecting you than some Moff like Tarkin getting his hand on you so he may parade you as his trophy or the Emperor making you his play thing. Vader may be a monster, but he'll keep you from them."
Anger roared through Leia and she stalked back to the table, slamming her hands against it, "The only monster I see is you."
Bail shook his head and his next words were bitter and sharp, "I'm sorry for not being excited about handing my kid over to a man who killed the younglings at the Jedi Temple, they were defenseless! I've seen him kill plenty of Senators for some imagined slight or not paying him enough respect, his temper has caused him to kill enough people and he'd have killed his wife if he hadn't been interrupted while he was choking her. Yes, I'll put my kid next to that monster! And does he show any remorse, no! The only thing he cares about is the Emperor's will, so trust me, had there been another way I'd have kept you far from him. But somehow he happens to be your best chance but if you don't understand that he's dangerous you'll find yourself seriously hurt one day Leia. I'm sorry for lying but knowing that one's father regularly attempts genocide is not something you tell a child"
Leia felt the truth in his words and turned away, remembering the death she had seen and felt because of Vader. Tears rolled from her eyes and she ran out of the room, ignoring her father's pleas.
? ﾝﾄﾾ? ﾝﾄﾾ? ﾝﾄﾾ? ﾝﾄﾾ? ﾝﾄﾾ? ﾝﾄﾾ?
Fun fact regarding Breha's story: In astronomy Alderaan is an old term referring to two pairs of stars, one in Canis Minor and the other in Gemini (the twins). So yeah, that rather inspired me.
Please review on what you liked or didn't since I was rather hesitant to elaborate on Alderaanian culture. I feel like a lot happened and to consider that I rewrote the beginning like five times. Next chapter Coruscant! (Finally!)