Epilogue

Flashback

Whilst the doctor and his staff tended to the Queen, Obi Wan stood before his brother who was sitting on the edge of one of the beds. Jacen sat on one side of Anakin and Kiara sat on the other. Despite still needing to be patched up, Obi Wan wanted to put his brother's heart back in his body. He gently took the heart from his little girl as he looked to his brother

"Careful brother, you've not done this before" Anakin smirks as Obi Wan tilts his head

"You know I could easily keep you in line with this in my possession and any time you step out of line" he cheekily smirks as Anakin laughs

"You wouldn't do that to your own brother" he replies as Jacen and Kiara both giggled. They never missed the chance to see their father and uncle stirring each other up. Obi Wan sighs before he looks back at him

"It's tempting but we need our royal guard in tact" he admits taking a deep breath "Ready?" he asks as Anakin nods and closes his eyes.

Obi Wan then reaches towards his brother gently pushing the heart back into his body. Anakin gasps before he feels his heart beating again. Anakin then got up and embraced his brother

"Thank you" he says as Obi Wan kept his arms around him. He was still grateful to have his brother back after thinking he was lost for good.

End of flashback

It had been nearly two weeks since Shira and Thalia's attempt destroy their family and take over the kingdom. Padme and Obi Wan had recovered from their injuries and were overjoyed to have their son and Anakin back. They had informed the council that Jacen would remain with them and when they were ready, they would send for the council to which they surprisingly agreed.

Although Anakin did joke that was because Padme nearly scolded them and refused to back down to anything else they said and he pointed out that no one had told the council off but Padme did and Obi Wan wasn't going to argue with that. They knew Thalia was still out there but perhaps with her mother gone, she wouldn't attempt to try anything unless she wanted to end up dead but never the less, Anakin took his royal guard role seriously and ensured highest protection for the family whilst Kiara and Jacen just were happy to have their uncle back.

Anakin was watching Jacen and Kiara play out in the gardens that morning. Padme and Obi Wan had royal duties to attend to and had asked Anakin to look after the children to which he always enjoyed spending time with his nephew and niece. He watched them chasing each other around the fountain laughing together. It was a sight which made Anakin smile right before he sense a disturbance in the force. One hand quickly moved to his lightsaber hilt as he moves closer towards the children, his eyes on alert until he heard an unexpected voice

"So young, so innocence, not knowing what is to come" they spoke as Anakin turns around finding himself face to face with Thalia. A black hood and cloak over her dress and her eyes glowed a sickly yellow. Anakin sensed nothing but darkness for her which upset him because when he was her prisoner, he sensed a potential for change.

"You shouldn't be here" he warns her as Thalia smirks

"And yet if you wanted to arrest me, you would have called for your guards" she reminds him. Anakin glances back at Jacen and Kiara who had not noticed the surprise arrival of Thalia before he turns back to her

"It's tempting" he warns her "After all, you tried to corrupt me into turning my nephew against his parents then attempted to kill them" he reminds her as Thalia shrugs

"My mother raised me to know only one thing" she admits "That you, your brother and his wife killed my father and that won't change. My mother is dead because of you" she glares. She raises a hand to touch his cheek "I know you're hurting because you can't love her" she tells him "Once I possess her heart, I'll kill her husband and she can be yours" she insists "Those children will be the future of the Sith" she adds

Anakin brushes her off. There was a time where he did love Padme but he always knew she was in love with his brother ever since she first came to Courscant and he fought for his brother in that tournament but he wasn't about to make anyone forced to love him and he loved his niece and nephew. Anakin backs away

"Nothing you can say will force me to betray my family and you will never have this kingdom" he informs her as Thalia only tilts her head

"That's a shame, but you will see me again" she informs her before she disappears once more. Anakin stood there in silence just as Jacen and Kiara excitedly called out to him

"Uncle Ani!" they cried running towards him as he turns to catch them in his arms "Come play with us!" Jacen tells him as Kiara tapped his shoulder

"Jacen nearly pushed me into the fountain" she points out as Jacen scoffs

"Tattle tale!" he cries as Anakin only laughs before he places them back down.

"Alright, you two, get ready to run. Here I come" he warns them watching them start to run away as Jacen yells back

"No cheating" he adds as Anakin shakes his head before he takes off after his niece and nephew. He wasn't going to let Thalia's words get to him. She may try again but she wouldn't succeed.

That afternoon, Anakin, along with two guards, escorted the royal family out to the fields just outside of the marketplace for a picnic. Padme had cancelled all royal business for the afternoon to spend time with her children and husband. She wore a beautiful, long thin strapped yellow dress and her hair in long curls, a change from her royal official clothing.

The carriage came to a stop in a field of beautiful flowers as Obi Wan helped his wife from the carriage watching Jacen and Kiara run on ahead. Anakin followed behind them as the two guards carried the picnic baskets. Padme rests her head against Obi Wan's shoulder.

"We could have lost him, Obi Wan" Padme reveals to him referring to Jacen going on "I can still see him in the throne room that night. He looked straight at me like he resented me for sending him to the Temple" she confesses "What he must have seen and what they tried to do to him..." she sobs as Obi Wan holds her close

"They didn't succeed honey" he only replies "They may have gotten hold of Anakin's heart but I believe that Anakin only did what they ordered him to, to save Jacen. He loves Jacen and Kiara almost as much as we do" he reminds her as Padme smiles up at him

"I know but seeing his cold eyes staring at me, sitting in that witch's lap and eyes dry from tears, makes me want to hunt these witches down and see them gone from the land" she reveals. Obi Wan kisses her gently on the lips

"This kingdom is safe under your rule sweet heart" wrapping his arms around her as Padme rests her head against his chest before she looks up at him.

"I couldn't rule without you, Obi Wan" she admits. This was true - she may feel strong but since becoming a wife and mother, her husband and children made her stronger. Padme and Obi Wan then share a romantic passionate kiss right there amongst the flowers just as they heard their children

"Mommy, daddy!" Jacen and Kiara cried "Come play!" they cried. Obi Wan and Padme simply laugh before they hurry after their children, not before Padme stops beside her brother in law. Padme gently gives him a kiss on his cheek. He looks at her confused making her laugh

"Thank you Anakin" she says "Despite what happened with the witches, I know you protected Jacen until they gave you no choice and you also saved Kiara" she reminds him as Anakin smiles back

"You're all my family and I may be the head royal guard but family is everything" he assures her as Padme smiles before she watches him chase after his brother, Jacen and Kiara making her laugh as the children attempted to outsmart their father and uncle as Padme took a seat on the blanket with the food. Nothing was going to spoil their afternoon.

Watching from a distance and cloaking her presence from Obi Wan and Anakin, Thalia watched the royal family laughing, playing and enjoying their picnic, she glares coldly at her. She was now on her own. The witches were her only family but both her parents were dead and her killers were right in front of her. She could leave them thinking they would never see her again and she could move on but she told Anakin she would see him again and she would avenge her parents.

She slipped further into the forest "Enjoy your family your highness. For your children will soon know how it feels to lose their parents" she mutters.

Flashback

The witches had gathered in a circle behind Thalia as she stood before her mother's lifeless body in front of her. She died shortly after they arrived back home and Thalia went into shock. She tried reliving the last few moments of her mother but all she saw was the little girl holding the heart, her father on the ground meters from her, Anakin standing before her, his lightsaber straight through her mother's stomach before she fell into her arms.

Thalia sobs "I'm sorry I failed you mother" she whispers placing a hand on her cold hand "You wanted nothing more than the throne for our family and the Sith" she admits "And I will ensure the Sith rise again" she promises her just as one of her friends steps forward to place a hand on her shoulder.

"I love you mother. You taught me everything and I will make you proud" she assures her. She felt the tears down her cheeks. This was not how it was suppose to be happen - they were supposed to be in the palace, mother and daughter but instead she was farewelling her but she and the witches would take the kingdom from them.

End of flashback

As she watched both Obi Wan and Anakin carry Jacen and Kiara over towards Padme, sitting down on the blanket, she saw how Padme cuddled up to her Obi Wan, Jacen on her lap as Kiara cuddled in between them, enjoying the variety of foods brought for them. A beautiful sight and they looked happy but Thalia would destroy the royal family.

The end...Not! As you may have guessed, it's not! Thalia's revenge is only just beginning and she will attempt to bring danger to the royal family. Can Obi Wan, Padme and Anakin stop her once again, stay tuned for Fighting for the Kingdom.