Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay on this chapter... For some reason I seem to have less time in the summer months than I do in the academic year... Weird right? Anyways, please read and review! I really like constructive criticism.
Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.
"Who are they?" Anakin wanted to know, not even waiting until he was out of earshot to make that demand. Padme sighed and shushed him, leading him further down the hall towards an open meditation room to have a private conversation. Well, as private as Anakin's thunderous voice would allow through this particularly difficult conversation.
"How should I know?" Padme tried to fight back, but Anakin cornered her and stared her down.
"You wouldn't trust them if you didn't know." He informed her flatly, knowing her better than she realized most days, "What astounds me is that you are lying to me? Me of all people?" Padme sighed and turned her eyes downward, ashamed of the fact that he was right.
"They are very important Anakin." She replied somberly, "That's really all I can tell you." He gawked at her, amazed at her audacity. And his stare guilted her into saying more, "What I can tell you for sure is that they love you and want to keep you safe."
Stunned, he stepped back towards the wall and crossed his arms, "They love me?" He echoed her in incredulity in a sigh, rolling his eyes in much the same way Luke did when he was frustrated, "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?" Out of impulse, he reached into his pocket and clutched his new talisman, his gift from Palpatine. It was strangely cold to the touch, but that fact did little to cool him down.
Frustrated, Padme raised her hands and waved them to the side, unsure of what else to say. "I promised them I wouldn't tell you-"
"-Oh, well that makes everything better!-" Anakin cried out, growing more upset by the minute, as though a thick, dark cloud was forming in his skull, making his thoughts very foggy.
"-But I can't lie to you." Her retort stopped his rant in its tracks. He just gawked at her, his jaw slack as his misty ocean eyes hungrily stared down at her, desiring answers. "They are our future son and daughter."
The silence was palpable as Anakin's eyes darted from one end of the room to another, and finally he was able to spit something out, though it wasn't what she was expecting. He started laughing at her; hard. "You've been talking to Threepio I see." And then he stepped back and muttered, "I really need to fix that damned droid."
Frustrated, Padme gasped, "I didn't hear this from Threepio!... I saw it in a vision!"
Again, Anakin laughed, "A vision?" he teased, "So now you're a Jedi?" She couldn't believe the tone of his voice, his high and mighty persona out and in the open once again. But even she noticed this was different. He was different. That fact, however, only made her fight on.
"I saw it because of that stupid Kasha crystal you left at home!" She nearly shouted. Anakin froze, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"And why would you have the Kasha crystal on you?" He wanted to know, making Padme gasp in frustration.
She stepped closer to him and informed him, "Rush had gone through our stuff and found... found your spare lightsaber." she paused a moment, registering how Anakin's face resembled that of her father on a very, very bad day. Protective. Violated. Furious, "So I moved stuff around and kept the crystal on me to hide it... And started having weird dreams until Luke crushed the thing."
"Luke?" Anakin inquired, "As in the name we picked out while the Darklighers were hiding out in the apartment?" Padme nodded, certain of herself, "Names they probably overheard and are using against us." To that she flushed. This is going nowhere. She finally realized, amazed at how stubborn Anakin was being at the moment. Could he not sense this truth in the Force?
"They aren't lying." She told him sternly, "They are our Luke and Leia and they are here to keep us safe from Dark Jedi that want them dead."
This time Anakin's eyes narrowed. She could feel him read her, though how she knew that was beyond her understanding. Shortly after they'd married, she'd started picking up on weird instances where she could feel what Anakin was doing in the Force. Most of these moments she attributed to being married to the apparent buffoon.
"I sense desperation in you." He informed her sagely, "Though whether that has brought you to lie to me or not, I cannot be sure. Or perhaps you truly believe them." His pause gave her a moment to observe him, to scrutinize him with open eyes; he was different, something was wrong. But he too was scrutinizing her, trying to discern the situation, "Is this about us having children?" He suddenly decided.
Stunned, Padme shook her head, unsure of what to say. It seemed, however, Anakin was willing to talk for both of them, "Fine... you want me to fess up, I will... I was relieved when you pointed out how dangerous it would be to start a family, way back on Naboo when we were first married. I'm not ready. And frankly, I'm not sure when I will be." He then stepped back and turned about, leaving Padme standing in confusion as she attempted to sort out the conversation.
She, however, was left with no opportunity to retort. Anakin was out the door as though a gust of wind.
He didn't even bother waving at the two 'liars' as he passed them, fuming. He hated hurting his wife, and he knew his words likely stung. Self loathing permeated through his skin and he wanted to go meditate it off, unsure if he'd ever be able to. That damned technique is useless!
He could sense the Darklighter's eyes on him as he moved, and fought away the sensation. He wanted nothing to do with them.
Rather, he still had a bone to pick with Ahsoka for running off.
As Ahsoka approached the injured form of Rex, she swallowed a little, praying he didn't blame her for this. Blaming herself was heavy enough. He was out cold, tired from recovery and she wanted so badly to wake him up and tell him just how sorry she was that this happened to him.
But, as she stared at the fallen fighter, his blond hair giving way to the true, dark brown color beneath, a shadow crossed her room. It flickered by, subtle and protective. And familiar.
"Who's there?" Ahsoka wanted to know, standing up and fetching her lightsaber through the force at the same time. When no one answered, she waited just a little longer, frustrated. After a time, she decided the shadow was just a figment of her imagination.
She was still pretty tired after all.
Apparently she wasn't the only one. "You shouldn't shout near a sleeping man." Rex warned, his voice as exhausted as he looked. Mortified by her mistake, Ahsoka covered her mouth and swiftly apologized. Rex merely chuckled and shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it." He assured her, "I was pretending anyway... keeps those quack medidroids away."
To that, Ahsoka smiled and inquired, "How are you feeling?"
With a grin, Rex informed her, "Spry. Yourself?"
"Despondent." She retorted flatly, glancing away, "I'm sorry." She eventually said, her voice soft as though on the brink of tears, "I'm sorry that I didn't say anything and that you got hurt trying to help me."
To that, he replied, "It wasn't your fault... I blame that Togruta guy and his Mirialan friend." That perked her Montrals up a little.
"Togruta guy?" She wanted to know. Rex nodded, quiet a minute as he adjusted his position to something more comfortable.
"They're those Dark Jedi that keep tailing Wezz and Potkin." He pointed out, "I'd faced them once before, but I should have known I'd see them again if Wezz was involved. She brought us out to Naboo to track you down... though I think she was more concerned with her own mission than ours." he paused and let out an exhausted breath. "They were after her and I got in the way, but the Togruta saved me. Which was an odd move, if you ask me... Apparently I'd shot his mother."
He then turned towards Ahsoka and inquired, "You've been around me most of the fights we're in... Did I ever kill a Togruta woman before?"
Surprised by the allegation, Ahsoka sat back and contemplated this, rushing through her memories as quickly as she could. But no dead Togruta every came to mind. Helping them, yes. Killing them...
And then she made the connection, I'll bet those are Luke and Leia's enemies. "I don't think so."
Relieved, Rex nodded and leaned back further into his pillow, "Good... I was hoping he'd mixed me up with someone else... Not sure if I could live with that kind of guilt." Ahsoka nodded, understanding. They shared another comfortable silence as they both deliberated the strange duo that attacked Wezz and Rex on Naboo, but soon Rex was curious about other things. "So what kind of punishment have they doled out on you?"
Ahsoka gasped and rolled her eyes, "I'm confined to the temple for two weeks of mandatory military protocol lessons..." She groaned, "While Master Anakin's been given three weeks of meditative leave to recover from his 'episode' or whatever... Stupid, lucky SkyGuy." she groaned.
To that, Rex laughed and shrugged, "No kidding." He replied, "But at least you'll be able to visit me here in the infirmary... Keep boredom at bay. The masters told me they'd rather I stay here since it's the second time I've met that weird pair."
Shrugging, Ahsoka chuckled, "Not sure I'm all that good of company... I'm a lot younger than you so you'll probably get tired of the stuff I like to talk about."
"Not really." Rex informed her, "Us clones reach maturity in ten years... You're probably older than I am in reality." That widened the Togruta's eyes. "Course, that doesn't mean much when you consider the preparations we go through on Kamino."
Smiling, Ahsoka nodded, "No different than being a Jedi Padawan." She told him.
He grinned, "No, I suppose not." They both could not help but chuckle at that notion, with Rex leaning back into his pillows. "So, what does a Jedi commander talk about off the clock, anyways?"
"Well," Ahsoka deliberated as she brought her left hand to her chin in thought, "Don't tell Master Koon about this, but there are these two comedians I like to listen to. Very inappropriate stuff, but they are particularly funny... They are amateurs now, but Luke assures me they only get funnier over time."
Smirking, Rex nodded his head off to the side, "That so?" When she nodded, he added, "They wouldn't be the ones pretending to be General Skywalker with that great, big wig, are they?... And General Kenobi's-"
"-Bright red beard!" Ahsoka chimed in with him, laughing her heart out alongside the injured captain.
Laughter sounded beyond the infirmary door that stopped him in his tracks. With metal hand raised, Anakin halted and took a deep breath, attempting to release some of his frustration into the Force. Though the technique rarely worked as well as he'd hoped, this time he felt trapped inside the cloud of his own frustration.
Stepping away from the door, he decided to mind Ahsoka later and seek some help of his own. Who this help was, however, was a question all itself.
So as he meandered down the halls aimlessly, trying over and over again to exhale his anger away, Anakin took Palpatine's medallion out of his pocket and stared at it. He found that at the correct angle, the sun's light seemed to go through the stone, making it look like glass. Eventually he wandered on to an empty balcony overlooking the green meditation grounds and stopped.
A familiar, cold feeling was running down his spine.
Turning about, Anakin watched as small streams of smoke slowly pooled together into a grand mist that soon ignited itself. And from those flames came the smirking form of Demantis.
"Anakin." he grinned his arms spread wide as though ready to hug, "Back so soon from Tatooine?"
Frowning, Anakin gripped his new medallion closer and moved towards the monster, "You could have told me who you were!" That accusation only made Demantis's smile grow wider, "Or that my own mother killed you!"
Chuckling, Demantis stepped around him, curling his mustache up on the left side, "True... but how much of that would you have believed?" He then stepped forward and sighed, "Especially given your natural tendency to repel the unwanted from you."
Slamming his hand on the railing, Anakin hissed, "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Smiling wide, Demantis informed him with his grin extending to his fire-like eyes, "It means you are much like the man you are named for... He had a terrible tendency to only accept what he believed to be true and his limited foresight suffered from it."
Anakin stood by stunned, unsure of what to say at first, "The man I am named for?... You mean my father?" To that, Demantis frowned.
"Your mother and I had a very complicated relationship." He pointed out, "But no one complicated that more than Anakin, filling her head with his ideals. They grew up together and so he had a very powerful influence on her." The fierce glow in Demantis's eyes seemed to fade away to green for a moment, but that was only a flicker. "They were sent away to guard the cornerstone of Advorosia and turned our trust in them against us."
Curious now more than anything, Anakin had to ask, "Who was he?"
Frowning, Demantis turned his eyes away, "A youth taken in by my father when his kingdom fell." He paused and cracked the knuckles in his hands with a slight flex, "His surname had been Windrider; his was a competitor against our tribe that had sacked many a village before their downfall. Since he was only a babe in the onslaught, my father took pity on him... He invited that monster right into our midst." There was a pause before the demon added, "He was even named regent of the southern provinces, he was so beloved."
"Windrider." Anakin echoed, frowning a little at how the name seemed to lack the flow of his name, "What did he do to betray you so?"
With his eyes glowing like lava pits, the man sneered, "He contaminated your mother and in turn let loose the Shaetin on our world... I am what I am because of him. A ghost forced to dwell and feed in the shadows, unable to become one with the Force, yet unable to live a full life. It is a horrendous curse, as all I feel is unquenchable hunger. Though, there are some powerful benefits to such a form." Then, he paused a moment, smirking devilishly, "And you are what you are for that same reason."
Weary of the man's sudden turns of emotion, Anakin took a cautious step back, "And what am I exactly?"
Grinning all the while, Demantis backed him up against the banister of the balcony and reached into his pocket, "The first law of the Drajdai: no energy dissipates. And if the cornerstone holding my kind back on Advorosia was destroyed by your parents, where do you suppose that energy went to? Would it not explain your unusual connection to the Force?" Stunned, Anakin only watched as the fiend removed his talisman from his pocket, "And why is it that you seem to collect dark objects such as this?"
"Dark objects?" Anakin wondered, stepping closer to the demon. He stared at the obsidian talisman curiously, as if through new eyes.
Demantis nodded and raised his hand over the small disc, seemingly pulling a shadow-like bug right out of the stone. Grinning, the fiend ate the bug, making a crunching noise as he did. "Indeed, quite dark." He realized as his eyes began to glow anew, "Sith alchemy from the taste of it."
He then smiled at Anakin in a way that almost reminded him of a grandfather, "The role of the cornerstone was to collect dark energy and amplify it into a greater power to thwart Shaetin like myself back into their mass grave." He explained, "I believe this very same power now lives inside of you... Imagine Anakin, all the amazing things you could do with that kind of power! You could truly rise up and become the Chosen One."
"The Jedi do not use the dark side." He retorted in uncertainty, "It clouds the mind."
Shrugging, Demantis stomped over towards the banisters himself and replied, "And what of the light side?" He paused and stared Anakin down, "Our teachings indicate that the Drajdai used the lightest aspects of the Force, the seven lights, which have historically done more destruction than anything the dark side has accomplished. Even the Jedi do not use absolute light, but a watered down, neutral version of it."
Covering his ears as he leaned on the railing, staring down into the meditation gardens in agony, Anakin growled in frustration. "I know nothing of Drajdai or Shaetin." he admitted in a sigh, "How can I be sure you are telling me the truth?"
Smiling, Demantis rested his hand on the man, "And you're being my grandson isn't reason enough?" Anakin turned to him, confusion in his eyes, as the demon passed his talisman back, "I only wish to help you meet your potential... To help you become the dark lord that saves the galaxy from all its faults: faults only wronged men like ourselves truly understand." He then rested a second hand on Anakin's other shoulder, his eyes turning their natural green, "And in turn, your darkness will sustain me enough to continue to help you mature and grow."
Turning his eyes back to the meditation gardens, Anakin sighed. His heart weighed heavily on the topic: here was his family before him, offering him the galaxy in exchange for trust. But here darkness also lurked. Could it be so bad to follow this demon? He could sense how his heart craved for compromise.
"I need time." Anakin admitted as he faced his grandfather once more. Smiling, the demon nodded and stepped back, his body whisked away by the winds.
If there was one thing she hated, it was preparing for a party the day after coming home from a long trip. It was annoying, to say the least. Though her handmaidens were quite capable, it was final touches that made these events a success. Especially when dealing with the Roonan.
It didn't especially help that Anakin had arrived late last night. Apparently he'd stewed over his behavior at the temple and came home, a little grouchy, but himself nonetheless. If it weren't for the fact that her own claim was seemingly ludicrous, she would not have forgiven him so easily. She was actually tempted to kick him out of bed when he'd arrived, but changed her mind at the sight of his contemplative and torn expression. He even apologized to her for his behavior.
And he was certainly in the way of earning 'forgiveness points' this morning, waking up early with her, assisting the preparations and intending to be a Jedi 'representative' at the event that could, or could not, turn the war over. While she stressed and strolled about, he stood behind her, trying to keep her nerves from undoing themselves.
As droid after droid zipped about, attempting to attain the impossible perfection its mistress desired, she fought back her panic attack. Though, attack did seem far too weak a word for how she was feeling inside.
"You need to calm down." Anakin assisted beside her, "Stressing over things hardly completes them any better." She turned about and faced him, nodding and taking his hand while he guided her to sit down. Yet, even as they moved, Threepio's voice rang out, commenting over some atrocity or another.
"Mistress Padme!" He eventually called out, forcing a very frustrated sigh from her. She stood slowly, the room about to spin as she fretted inside and out over whatever it was that Threepio had noticed.
"What is it Threepio?" She asked, Anakin at her side as Leia halted her preparations across the room.
The golden droid gestured to the large desert in the middle of their conversation and began blathering on about the situation. Even as Leia watched them interact, she found herself in disbelief. It seemed she was not alone in her musings.
"I never thought that droid could get any more uptight." Luke suddenly muttered to her, passing by with a stack of cushions under his arm. "He really loosened up for us." Leia chuckled and shrugged.
"Not us." She finally decided, "Han." To that, Luke had to nod and agree, even as he watched his own father direct the two infamous droids on a 'secret mission' and passed them the proper credits to achieve their goals. The man then glanced their way, a strange darkness gleaming in his eye. No, Luke soon realized, not his eye... his aura.
Turning back to Leia, Luke shot her a concerned glance as he continued his own assignment of placing the cushions over all the chairs brought out from storage for the party. She nodded to him, not sure what to make of Anakin herself. It was always clear he wasn't entirely certain of them, but now he seemed to borderline loath them. What could have brought this on? She wondered, trying to keep the thoughts to herself.
It failed, Perhaps Palpatine left him with another parting gift.
Shrugging, Leia continued to clear off unwanted items to make way for the buffet that was coming out. Padme insisted their spare tables would not be enough for this gathering. With a sigh, Leia prayed she was right... I don't want to have to eat all that food if no one shows up. She heard Luke chuckle as he passed her by in search of more seating.
Sidious was being lulled to sleep by the senator before him, older and fossilized into the dank and decrepit being this human truly was. It was frustrating to be stuck here with the ancient man droning on when there were so many other interesting things to attend to. Namely those Darklighters.
Yes, he was quite keen on unraveling them that much more.
The peculiar attraction he'd felt towards Jaina, who had a light and darkness in her that was both exploitable and seductive, lingered despite his best attempts to remove it. Then there was that Jacen character, who was easier to dislike than that whelp Skywalker. Though Anakin's own research denied it, he was still fairly certain that there was a powerful connection between the three.
But his thoughts were cut short as the buffoon before him drolled on, "And so, the health committee feels it would be beneficial-" blah, blah, blah, his darkest voice seemed to mock the old fool. He knew he was going to deny this refugee health care expansion, as it took money away from his mechanized machine of a grand army. One he needed at the ready to rule with absolution.
"My apologies, dear friend," Palpatine spoke with as kind yet firm a voice as possible, "But I cannot sanction nor endorse your proposal. You will need to send it through the regular channels, same as everyone else."
"But Chancellor!" The elderly man cried out, but was shushed by the raised hand of the authority in the room.
"I will not hold favorites in a time of war Stevus." He sternly elucidated, "And you will not bully me into a move I cannot see fit to push myself. Not at the expense of stealing resources from soldiers on the front, which you have yet to witness. The Galactic Senate is your best and only recourse." Rather than continue to argue, the bald man nodded, his brown eyes falling to the ground.
"Thank you for seeing me, Chancellor." Was his solemn reply as he exited the chamber, head hung low.
Sidious had to smile at himself while he watched the fool go, proud that he'd disarmed that idea without further argument. As he breathed in ease at a brief reprieve from playing the stern chancellor, he carefully stretched his senses out, just to see that all his plans were still in order.
And what he found was most peculiar; a ship in descent with an abnormal, abysmally dark presence.
Anakin watched and fumed. Fumed and watched. Watched... and fumed.
He was waiting to see red, especially in knowing what audacity it took for Rush Clovis to appear here in his home. He goes through our drawers and expects a free meal? Was Anakin's initial thought, What an ass...
It seemed he wasn't alone in his thinking, as 'Luke' was now seated across the room from him, watching the suspicious character himself. Anakin took a moment to glance his way, finding that Luke had managed the same, and reached out to him in the Force, sensing that the older man also sensed something off about the guy. At least I'm not alone.
He'd come to this to support Padme, especially in knowing that the Darklighters were here. Despite the tingling feeling in the back of his mind that said to trust them, he decidedly didn't want them alone with her all the time. Especially at night when the hired help all went home or turned in on another level.
On top of this, he had more selfish reasons to appear. His meditative leave started yesterday and he was hoping to steal his beloved senator away on a small vacation for a few days, a feat made impossible if these two refused to leave her side. And it was clear they refused, even as Anakin suggested that Luke go out with the droids in search of Jogan fruit to top the cake off with.
His exact words had been, "Nah, I'll stay here and help out." That hadn't helped Anakin's mood any, seeming as the man barely lifted a finger for this party in his humble opinion.
Now he was relieved that the man had remained behind, especially since the droids still had not made it back to the party with their delivery. Should Clovis try anything, Anakin now had back up between the three Force sensitives in the room.
He glanced over another direction, finding 'Leia' standing beside Padme, talking fervently with the Roonan senator Padme had pulled this whole thing together for. Senator Aang held great influence for an upcoming vote she wanted desperately to sway, one Anakin wasn't sure if he agreed with her on. She wanted to deescalate the war effort, the war he personally fought in for the better part of this past year. She was of the mind that negotiations should resume.
He thought that was like trying to stop an Opee sea killer with a salad fork.
As he stood there, monitoring the room, Senator Mon Mothma approached him, her red hair standing apart greatly from her white garb. "Good afternoon, Master Skywalker." She nodded to him, a courtesy he mimicked, "It is good to see the Jedi here, especially in light of what happened on Alderaan this past week." He grunted, still furious about that whole mess, having learned the details from Ahsoka when he was finally able to talk with her the night before.
While she apparently had sniffed out the bad guy, it was Luke who stopped Aura Singh in her tracks. His displeasure was quelled, however, when their conversation unearthed the true enemy of the situation, Ziro the Hutt. The purple pain was now sentenced to an extended stay at his private cell.
"It is my pleasure, Senator Mothma." He replied, his usual self on the outside while this unfamiliar anger stewed within. "Senator Amidala is a dear friend."
Smiling, Mon nodded, "She says the same about you. I understand you became acquainted while you were both still quite young."
Shrugging, Anakin elaborated, "I may have assisted the senator while she was still queen of Naboo in freeing her home during the blockade." As he spoke, he watched Leia stand to fetch refreshments. Watching her brought a bit of guilt to his heart, noticing how Padme had carefully picked out a pants version of her red dress for Leia to wear, likely wanting to match as 'mother and daughter' or something. He could not help noting how her petite form was soon shadowed by that of Rush Clovis, a leering stare in his eyes. Part of him laughed as she recoiled at the sight of the man, though whether that was at Clovis's action or Leia's reaction, he was unsure.
"Assisted?" Mon chuckled, pulling his attention back to her, "You sounded more the hero according to Padme's accounts." He grinned at that, returning to watching Leia 'talk' with Rush. He notice her glance over at Luke in a pleading fashion and that Luke had set his glass down and rose slowly, ignoring the dignitary next to him. The human woman beside him, however, had eyes with similar lust in them, and stood in front of him to block his path. If he felt frustration, he hid it well, even as his eyes never left Leia.
"Senator Amidala does tend to embellish." he grinned, his eyes falling back on Senator Mothma. For some reason, it pleased him to see the Darklighters in a pickle.
Chuckling, Mothma nodded, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, "Indeed she does... But usually her praise is valid." Anakin chuckled and prepared for a comment, but was halted by the bleeps of Artoo and Threepio exiting the lift. He smiled, relieved that Padme's worries were at an end and turned to check once more on the status of Luke and Leia. A quick glance to his right showed Luke attempting to regain some personal space. And a quick glance to his left...
Mothma had said something to him, but he did not hear it. All he felt was an undying need to move forward and towards the buffet. But this was not out of hunger, but rather some other, more primal requirement. Leia, trapped against the wall behind Clovis, had shot him a pleading look that near clouded his vision, filling him with something akin to anger, but unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It was protective... vindictive... vengeful...
This hazy feeling made him take steps forward, cross the room, push Threepio to the side (spilling the Jogun fruit onto the floor) and step right up to Clovis. He stared at the way the man had trapped Leia between his outstretched arms, holding her abreast despite all her polite attempts to break free. And she would remain polite, something inside Anakin insisted upon it. And that same something growled quietly. It seemed Clovis heard him, as he turned around with a slight grin on his face.
"Ah, Skywalker," He greeted, pulling the glass clutching Leia to his side possessively, "Fancy seeing a Jedi General here amongst the politicians-"
Before he could even understand the words coming out of his mouth, Anakin hissed at the man, "-Get your grubby little hands off my daughter." And with that, his right arm, as though acting on its own, did swing. Hard.
The connection was bitter sweet, appearing in slow motion to Anakin, despite being at unheard of speeds in reality. The metal prosthesis connected soundly with the crunching of bone coupling with the bruising of flesh. Clovis had hang time in the air as he near floated above the buffet before colliding with the various dishes and plates stacked upon it. The clatter was satisfying as the man rolled around, clutching his jaw as though in tremendous pain, his voice moaning incoherently. And with his moans, the fog lifted.
And Anakin stood above him, his fist still outstretched as he stared at it in bewildered wonder. Slowly he lowered it, still watching the limb with its own mind as it twitched in shock.
Various senators rushed to Clovis's aid, all stunned at the sight before them. Among them was Padme, who was first to inspect his wounds and determine that, "His jaw is broken..." She glanced about, spying some teeth that had fallen out in the collision of metal hand with bone, and then turned to Anakin, fury in her eyes. Deep, disdainful fury.
Ashamed, Anakin turned away. He had no idea what had come over him, but he knew the repercussions: the Roonan senator would blame Padme for all of this. That was why Leia hadn't caused a scene against the pompous ass. But his gaze moved only to find the stunned eyes of Leia upon him. She'd dropped her glasses during the conflict, her hands still in place as she stared at him. "What did you call me?" she eventually stuttered, her eyes looking as though near tears.
His mind screamed daughter while his mouth said, "I said something?" And it was true, he knew words had come out, but could barely recall which ones had. Or perhaps he was in denial. A denial firmly shaken as Leia nodded to him in awe.
Author's Note: We jumped around a little bit with this one. Please let me know if it was too confusing, as I'm always a little nervous about that. Anyways, I am curious: how do you think Anakin would have handled someone manhandling his daughter? You have my honest answer here (which is a shame because I despise violence of any kind), but I am curious about yours. Perhaps some of you can share your ideas in your review? I'm sure it will be a fun read for everyone!
That last part was especially for Lord Lelouch. I know it was a wait to get to this part, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! And thank you for those awesome reviews!
Please don't forget to review everyone! I keep seeing new people sending me feedback and I really, really appreciate it!