Chapter 5
The fires continued to burn through the kingdom and the cries of the people rang through the town crying out for the Queen and King however no one was coming. Anakin was stealthily following the witch named Alwina hoping she would lead him to his brother. He didn't know why he couldn't use the force but he was grateful, otherwise she could have sensed him following her. He watches her turn another corner heading towards a locked room at the end of the hallway.
Anakin presses his back up against the door watching her open the door. He slips quietly towards the door as he hears her voice "It's time" he hears her say "Thalia's revenge will be complete" she adds as Anakin's eyes widen as he pokes his head slowly around the corner - there in the middle was his brother, held in place by force resistant cuffs, head low but body bruised and broken. There had been an open wound on the side of his face which had now stopped bleeding but there were marks down his face from where the blood had run.
Alwina nodded to two witches on either side who began to uncut Obi Wan. Anakin realised now was his chance and while they were not looking, he slipped him and behind Alwina, grabbing her and holding his sword to her neck. "Release him now or she's dead" he warns them. The witches suddenly turn towards him as Obi Wan slowly raises his head "A—Anakin?" He wearily asks. The witches remain still "Release him now!" Anakin snaps once more as Alwina smirks, despite the weapon at her neck
Anakin then sees the two witches charge straight for him with their staffs leaving him with no choice but to push Alwina away and fight the two witches. The first one went down in minutes thanks to his sword going through her stomach, the second one was a little stronger and seemed to match his fighting, until she tried to leap behind him however Anakin was quicker and raised his sword stabbing her straight through the torso.
Her staff falls to the ground followed by her body as Anakin then turns his attention to Alwina "Release him or you're next" he warns her. Alwina says nothing but releases the last cuff from Obi Wan and Anakin is quick to grab his brother. She grins "You may have your brother but Thalia's revenge is almost complete" she warns.
Anakin helps his brother to sit before he moves over towards her grabbing her wrists into a pair of stun cuffs, the very same they were going to use on Obi Wan. "You're coming with us" he tells her "Can you stand brother?" He asks. Obi Wan nodded "But I can't use the force" he confesses. Anakin nods "You're not the only one, something is in this castle blocking us" he informs him. Alwina chuckles.
"You won't win. Thalia was ensure that you and the Queen is dead" she gloats as Anakin only shoves her down the hallway once more "We've stopped Thalia and her mother before, we'll stop her again. This kingdom is not hers and never will be" he states as Obi Wan then adds "My wife's more stronger than you think, Thalia may try to break her but she's wrong about her" he points out.
They then stop in the middle of the hallway "Anakin, we need a plan" Obi Wan states "We don't have the force but we still can't go bursting into the throne room. Thalia wants us to do that" he reminds him as Anakin thought for a moment before he smirks and Obi Wan then shakes his head "Oh no, I know that look, Anakin please don't tell me you're thinking what I don't want to hear" he confesses. Anakin grins
"You're still weak before and you don't have the force which make you weaker and Thalia's been obsessed with me since I was first captured by her. I enter the throne room with Alwina. I keep her focus on me and you sneak in and get to Padme" he explains. Alwina rolls her eyes but said nothing. Thalia wouldn't be taken down so easily so grew up with her and witnessed Thalia's abilities first hand
Flashback
Alwina watched as her young friend attempted once more to produce magic from her fingers. Alwina felt sorry for her, for she was only three and she had only started her teachings at age five but Alwina had heard from her mother than Thalia's mother wanted to start teaching her young for she wanted to avenge Thalia's father's death.
Alwina watched her young friend then begin to cry at not being able to produce any magic as Shira moved over towards her "Thalia, witches don't cry they never give up" she explains kneeling before her little girl who sniffs "I can't do it mommy" she sobs as Shira lifts her into her arms "Of course you can my baby. Your father will be proud of you to know you avenged his death" she insists. Thalia looks up at her mother smiling down at her before she nods
Shira stood back up and stepped back as Thalia closed her eyes and stretched out her hands, Shira smiles as she sees sparks of force lighting begin to appear from her finger tips. Alwina's eyes widen in shock as she then sees the force lighting increase and Thalia's powers hit a nearby tree knocking it from its roots to the ground. "Well done my child" Shira smiles as Thalia grins back at her and Alwina knew then and there her friend would become a strong and powerful witch
End of flashback
Anakin, Obi Wan and Alwina, still with her hands cuffed, stood just meters from the throne room and with no force, they could not sense anything in there and Anakin for a moment feared Padme was indeed dead and the children were still safe in the dungeons but he wouldn't think like that. "So brother, you'll remain here out of sight and when I go through the door with our new friend here" he grins as Alwina shook her head once more "You'll quietly follow and slip in and focus on Padme" he insists.
Obi Wan nodded - he wanted to argue with his brother but he was still trying to regain his strength and he only wanted to protect his wife and children and hopefully Anakin was right about keeping Thalia distracted. He watched his brother proceed down the hallway, with a tight grip on Alwina. When they reached the doors, Anakin nodded to Alwina nodding. She glared at him before she pushed opened the door. She heard Thalia speak as she entered the throne room
"Ah, my dear sister, have you brought our—" Thalia stopped when she saw Anakin holding Alwina's arm and her wrists in cuffs. Thalia stood to her feet "Well, well, look who has returned" she smirks, she moves over towards Padme, grabbing her hand "Look your highness, your royal guard has returned" she grins as Padme gasps
"Anakin, where's Obi Wan….." She is cut off as Thalia releases her grip on her causing her to fall down the ground as Anakin moves over towards her. He then heard small cries "Uncle Ani!" They cried as Anakin then saw Jacen, Kiara and Lily all standing with Bail, each of them had frightened looks on their faces whilst Bail couldn't even look at him. "It's over Thalia" he called out to her
"This kingdom is never going to be yours, I won't let you harm Padme or her children" he warns her as Thalia shrugs strolling towards him "And here I thought you were going to do the right thing and join me and I'll give you what you want the most" she reminds him going to touch his face as Anakin grabbed her wrist
"Love can't be forced, now surround to me now or I will kill you"he warns as Thalia grins "And I always thought the Jedi couldn't kill" she warns going on "But then again" she pauses before she uses her powers to push Obi Wan who had been sneaking into the throne room towards Padme, into the wall "He did. He murdered my father and you murdered my mother. I should do the Jedi a favour and kill both of you now" she informs him before she then hears
"No!" They cried, It was Padme, her voice weak but she was pulling herself to her feet - Anakin looked over at her - she looked worst for wear, nothing like he had seen, Thalia had broken her so much anyone else would have given up but not Padme. "This kingdom will never be yours and your parents were murdered because they are nothing but rotten Sith" she spat. Thalia turns back to look at her. "Oh, perhaps my mother was right about you, you are not to be trusted" she then begins to move towards her.
However, it all happened so fast, the moment Thalia began to turn towards Padme, Anakin reacted and grabbed his sword and before Alwina could warn her sister, Anakin rushed towards Thalia and with his sword stabbed her straight through the back. She cried out in pain as Alwina, distraught over seeing her stabbed, summoned her strength to break the cuffs on her wrists and rushed towards her sister. Padme remains standing as Anakin looks down at Thalia. "You left me with no choice" he informs her.
Alwina then starts cradling her sister "I'm so sorry" she cries before she looked up at him "Thalia's right, you are a murderer!" She cried "This was suppose to be her kingdom!" She cried. Padme then stepped up "No!" She cried "Thalia has no claim to the throne" she snaps back at her as Alwina glares up at her, then sees her fellow sisters at a loss. It was then Alwina knew what she had to do. "If you think this is over, your highness you're wrong" she cried
Alwina, still holding onto her friend, begins to chant along with her fellow sisters before her eyes glowed yellow as the windows shattered inwards as dark purple clouds filled the throne room. Screams of panics filled the throne room before there was silence once more.
Padme found herself still in the throne room, she then spotted her husband still unconscious where Thalia had thrown him. "Obi Wan!" She cried rushing over towards him however it was the next cry that froze her in her steps "Kiara!" Came her son's voice "Uncle Anakin!" He cried. Padme then looks around and she could not see her daughter or brother in law
Alwina and her fellow sisters had used their magic to take them all from the palace back to the safety of their camp. Alwina grieved for her friend and sister Thalia, taken from her in the blink of an eye, but they did indeed score a small victory. Alwina watched her sisters carry Thalia's cold body away before she turned her attention to the young man with his hands in cuffs above his head and the little girl clinging to him.
"Your Queen may still have her kingdom but you'll never see her again" she informs him as Anakin glares back at her "I'll stay but send Kiara back to her parents. She doesn't deserve this" he tells her as Alwina shrugged before she smirked before she places one hand on his face "Foolish man, it's her we want in our covern and you're going to ensure she becomes a witch like me" she reveals.
Kiara shakes her head "Leave uncle Ani alone" she cried "I want to go home" she sobs as Alwina kneels down to her "Oh but you are home" she reveals. Anakin struggles in his binds as Alwina smirks before she then starts to choke him hearing him gasp for air "Men don't do well here in our covern and while the child is here, you will remain alive" she warns before she releases her grip on him as he lets out a gasp
"Consider that a warning" she tells him before she exits the tent leaving Anakin catching his breath and Kiara sobbing by his side, fearing she'll never see home again.
