Sorry if anyone felt squicky about that last chapter. Hope you like this one. Please! Reviews! thanks!

14. Scouting

When her tears finally stopped, and the room was bathed in dazzling morning light, Aurren hauled herself out of bed and into the bathroom. It was still early and a long bath seemed like a decent replacement for the night of sleep she lacked. She filled the deep tub with hot water and sunk down into it, preparing herself for the day.

In his own rooms on the other side of the villa, Darth Vader was laying awake in his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had too many contradicting emotions right now. He wanted things that he didn't want… if that made any sense. He thought about what it meant that the force had shown him its compassion after so long.

He sprung from his bed full of nervous energy. Today he wanted to find the spot where his palace, the place that would be his sanctuary, would be built. Of course, he knew that it was most likely that they would not find the perfect spot today, but nevertheless he was looking forward to it.

Entering his fresher, he quickly showered, shaved and got dressed. He ordered a droid to bring his breakfast to his quarters, and ate hastily as he reviewed data pads full of information on Alderaan. Since this was going to be his new home, he wanted to know everything he could.

Back in Aurren's room, she had emerged from the bathroom as fresh and clean as summer rain. It was a definite luxury for her to be able to take a long leisurely bath, her fresher on the star ship only had a small tub and integrated shower, the tub itself actually too small to take a satisfying bath in. For the second time in as many days, she entered the immense walk-in closet and marveled at all the selections.

Today she would be boarding a small ship with Lord Vader and touring some of the countryside, scouting for possible locations for his new estate. Part of her was excited to be getting out and exploring, she always loved the countryside this time of year, with its fresh new greens and fragrant blooms and cool breezes. Another part of her was slightly apprehensive about it. She didn't want to be, but she was. Her dream the previous evening had been a sort of a wake up call to her. Since the day she was taken to the orphanage after her parents death, she had tried to shun emotion and attachment- it always ended in sadness. That was her way of dealing with her loss. For 20 years she held back her tears and sorrows, and now, that repressed sorrow had finally reared its head. But that was in the past. It was over and done with. There was nothing she could do about it now… there was nothing she could do about it then. When she really thought about it, perhaps she was lucky she was out that morning instead of in the home when her parents were murdered. She very well would have had her life taken as well.

Inside the closet, she had the task of deciding once again what was appropriate. Secretly, she wished she could just wear her boring gray uniform. On the star ship, the uniform was always appropriate. Here, in this beautiful villa, she had to choose from row after row of exquisite finery, and it was very hard.

Aurren finally settled on a soft, dark blue cotton empire waist dress with cap sleeves and a deep vee neck that fell just at mid thigh, with a pair of cream colored knee length tights underneath. It was comfortable and provided for movement, as well as having a casual elegance to it.

She smoothed her hair back from her face and tied it back. Looking in the mirror she admired the cut and quality of the garment. She had never had clothes like these. And she had to admit, they made her look fantastic.

Glancing at the chronometer on the wall, it read 0800 hours. 'One hour…,' thought Aurren, 'that should be at least enough time to start exploring this house.' Grabbing a set of dark blue dura-leather utility slippers from the closet, she slipped then on her feet then left her quarters.

Downstairs, Lord Vader was already prepared for the day. He sat before the hearth in the kitchen as the few remaining embers from the fire that burned there the night before crackled and faded out. He was prepared to depart, and thought that Miss Farr would be early- she seemed to be always early. He was poring over maps on a small data pad, plotting out the area they would cover today. He stopped and looked away when he could hear soft footsteps passing through the dining room. He was right, she was ready. Looking at his wrist chronometer, he realized exactly how early she was. "Hmm…" he thought, "she's probably going to do some exploring while she has time," and without another thought, sat back in his chair feeling rather satisfied and continued his work.

Aurren did not notice Vader in the kitchen as she passed through the dining room. She had intended on exploring the rooms beyond the other side of the dining room, but halted before she made it thorough the threshold.

It was a beautiful morning, and the grass and trees sparkled as if sprinkled with diamond dust from the thick layer of spring dew. She didn't know how she hadn't noticed the magnificent gardens and terraces the night before, and stepped out of the glass doors onto the back veranda.

There was just too much to take in. It was a virtual riot of color- blazing reds, yellows, pinks and oranges, alongside deep cool greens, purples, blues and whites. She simply stood there, enjoying the gentle breeze, the warm sunshine and the fragrant air surrounding her. It was absolutely sublime.

Back inside, Vader was beginning to grow a bit restless. He was ready to go, but he wasn't ready to face her. After the night before, he didn't know how he would be able to look at her without thinking about all the things he saw- from the things he made up to the vision the force had sent him. At least she wouldn't see his face. He knew that he wore his emotions very blatantly upon his face.

He stood abruptly and moved through the dining room, intending on merely wandering about the villa, when he noticed Aurren standing out on the veranda. He let his eyes run over her, admiring the way the slight breeze played with her hair and the morning sunlight cast a glow around her. He wanted to join her there, just to be next to her and take in all the beauty of the dawn.

Beauty. When was the last time he had truly considered beauty? Beauty in the small things in life, like the delicate petals of the sweet-scented moon rose, or the glory of high arching snow topped mountain peaks…? He couldn't remember, but he felt as if a part of him had come back to life that he had forgotten was there.

Aurren lingered a moment longer on the veranda, then turned to go back in the house. She was slightly startled to see Vader standing there, and quickly composed herself to greet him.

As she turned and walked towards him, Lord Vader also composed himself. He knew there was no way she would know what he had seen last night, he shouldn't worry about that.

"Good Morning my Lord, I trust you rested well?" she said with a slight bow as she closed the door to the outside behind her.

"Yes, thank you Miss Farr. I do not wish to rush you, I know it is not yet 0900 hours, but are you prepared to depart?"

"Yes my lord, I am ready. I have loaded the specifications on a data pad so we will have measurements handy. I can begin at once."

"Very well then, lets go."

They quickly made their way to the hanger bay, and Aurren was surprised to see a small ship parked their beside the cruised they arrived in. She didn't ask any questions, he was one of the most powerful men in the galaxy, he could have anything he wanted at his beck and call. He could have had a whole fleet of these ships delivered in the night while they slept.

It was a small, two-person ship, and they seated themselves in the cockpit side by side. Vader couldn't help but smile when he thought about Aurren's reaction to him piloting the cruiser yesterday. He glanced at the woman beside him going over her data pad as he powered up the ship. "Gosh this ship is small…" he thought, "and she's so close." He tried to concentrate on maneuvering the ship out of the hanger. "She's so close I think I can feel her body heat…"

Aurren stared blankly at the data pad, pressing the button that scrolls the data repetitively. She wasn't really going over her data- she didn't need to. She knew it back and forth and upside down. It was hers after all. She was just trying not to get overwhelmed as the Alderiaan countryside flew past her.

Once they had made a good ways away from the villa, Vader spoke. "Now, Miss Far," he said, "I have mapped out a route past several locations. I must admit, I don't know much about choosing a site for a home. What exactly are we looking for?"

Aurren glanced up from her data pad and thought for a moment. "Well, my lord, the best location would be one with a relatively large expanse of flat land. That being said, you could choose any location you wish. The plans can always be altered to fit whatever landscape you would like to see out your windows… well, with one exception, I don't think we could build a palace this size on a mountain. It would just… be impractical."

Vader did not need to turn his head to see that she kept her eyes on him the entire time she spoke. When most people talked to him, they simmered just under their surface with fear and always averted their eyes. 'It's refreshing,' he thought, 'to not be treated like a monster, but a man."

That thought took him back to why others treated him that way. 'Oh, right… because I'm Darth Vader." He felt his chest go tight and for a moment forgot to breathe. For some reason he thought back to the young technician he had killed upon arriving on the star ship. The one who's neck he had snapped without a moments thought to what that really meant. The ease with which he had gained the ability to cruelly and without reason send a being to meet his or her maker- whoever they believed it to be.

He didn't totally understand why he was feeling remorse all of a sudden for things that he had simply washed his hands of and forgotten for the past 5 years… but he knew it had something to do with the force.

He looked over to Aurren as she gazed out the window. Was it her that was doing this to him? He discarded that notion immediately. No, it wasn't her that was doing it to him, but it was the light of the force re-filling him that was giving him the ability to actually feel all of these things.

"My lord" she said, pulling him from his thoughts, "There is an area ahead called the Shoal Province. It's northern coast boarders the White Sea. It is renowned for its array of landscape, everything from sandy beaches to cool dark forests. Should we perhaps fly through and check it out? It is also on a major route, with cities scattered about the province."

"That sounds good, my lady, are we on the correct heading?"

"No sir, here… let me plug my data pad into the console and transmit the coordinates. We are not far off, it is just ahead."

They spent hours travelling through the Shoal Province, never once finding a place that spoke to Vader, but he really was taken aback by just how dazzling the countryside was. The white sands of the beaches sparkled like crystal, the valleys were sweet and fragrant, and the forests were cool and still. But none of these places were where he would have his home.

He couldn't help but think as they made their way back to the villa about the beautiful valley full of wildflowers with the orchard on one side, rolling hills on another, protected by a giant graceful mountain he saw in his vision last night. He wanted to ask her where it was. He wanted to go there. He wanted to stay there forever.

"Miss Farr, am I to understand that you were born and raised on Alderaan?" He didn't know why he asked, or how she would even answer. Or if, for that matter, she would even speak about it. After what he had seen last night, he knew he wouldn't want to. It was the way he had felt after his mother's death, and he had never spoken of it to anyone, save his blasted cheating dead wife.

Aurren figured this would come out eventually, and she had prepared herself for it. Actually, she had prepared herself for it years and years ago. She had a routine answer she gave when she was asked about her life on Alderaan before she moved to Coruscant. She would normally just explain that she was raised in an orphanage and worked hard to make her way to where she was today. Which was why perhaps she surprised herself when the words left her lips.

"Yes my lord, I was born on the Alderiaan Countryside not too far from where the Villa is."

'Stupid!' thought Aurren, 'too much information.'

"Really?" Lord Vader asked. "How did you come to become an architect on the star ship?"

"Well…' she said, trying to think back to her normal reply… which was somehow momentarily forgotten. "I… well…" she let out a long deep sigh then sat back in her seat. "Do you really want to know? It is such a boring story my Lord, I am nothing special."

He was struck by her comment that she was "nothing special." 'Of course you are!' he thought, but replied more wisely. "Yes, Miss Farr, I would like to know. I admire your accomplishments, especially you being so young. Perhaps I may understand how you have become so gifted if I know where you come from."

He didn't need to know where she came from, he already knew, it was after the tears and the funeral pyre that he was interested in. And truly, he was very interested.

"Let's see. I was born outside a small village called Pappillon. I lived with my mother and father on an orchard. When I was six, my parents were murdered in our home while I played in the meadow. I was sent to an orphanage in the capital city. I guess it was there that I fell in love with architecture. I just… immersed myself in it. I… I didn't have any friends, so my studying never suffered for that. Mostly I spent my free time in the Library and Archives, reading about different places, buildings, artists… I became a friend of a sort with several of the royal architects. They helped me gain admission to the academy on Coruscant when I was 16. The year I turned 21 I graduated from the academy with full honors at the top of the class and accepted a job working for the government… the Republic at the time. I did the same sort of work I have been doing for the past 5 years for the Empire. When the republic fell, I swore loyalty to the Emperor. I was actually taken to him directly… those with military information were watched very closely for a while… but I am sure you know that my lord. And I guess… well, that's it. I have been living on that blasted star ship for 5 years."

She couldn't believe she had just told him all of that, even though it was the abbreviated version. She really couldn't believe she had the nerve to call the star ship "that blasted star ship." 'I think I just overstepped my bounds,' she thought to herself.

"It seems you have been a very busy young lady then Miss Farr… very hard working, just as it stated in your information file." He smiled under his mask, yet again. He felt endeared to her when she had cursed living on a star ship. "I too hate living on a ship. No real, pure, natural light, no plants or animals, stale recycled air, endless expanses of… gray…."

Aurren was looking out the window but not seeing anything, just listening to his voice. He had such a soothing voice. "Yeah," she said, "too much blasted gray… my lord."

They remained quiet as they traveled the remaining distance back to the estate. It was a comfortable silence, not one that either of them felt the need to break with small talk. It was as if somehow just coming to the conclusion together that the ship was not a pleasant place to live, they had created a sort of understanding between them.

When they finally arrived, Vader helped Aurren off the ship and guided her on his arm back to the house. They had barely said more than a few words to each other, but they strolled so naturally next to each other as they took in the exquisite sunset that turned everything beautiful in its radiant pink light.

They entered again through the kitchen, and there was a fire in the hearth in the kitchen that the droids had made to stave off the chill of the early spring night. A simple yet elegant spread was laid out on the counters waiting their return.

"My lady, if you would forgive me, I have matters I must attend to now. Please dine, enjoy yourself, explore the home, relax, whatever you may wish."

"Thank you my lord," replied Aurren. She didn't know why, but she felt a slight disappointment that she would be left alone… no, that he would be leaving her.

"Should we depart at 0900 tomorrow morning, or would you prefer an earlier rise?"

"Whatever pleases you my lord, I am fully at your command."

Vader paused at this. He liked that she wished to please him… and that it seemed that she in all honesty wanted to, not because she was commanded to. But he also wished she weren't so submissive. Her intellect and her passion for her work and her beauty all pointed to a fire that should be inside of her, but he barely felt a single ember burning.

For years, everything was his way. The way he wanted it. When he wanted it. No questions asked. But now, in this moment, he truly wanted to know what she wanted. What her opinion on the matter was.

He didn't want to force her to do anything.

"Let's just say 0900 again, and if we run into each other earlier and we are both ready, then we will depart then, how does that sound?"

"That is fine my lord, I will be ready again tomorrow."

He turned to leave the room but then turned back to her. "Thank you Miss Farr for your diligent hard work. I do appreciate it. Rest well this evening."

"Thank you, my lord, it is an honor to work for you."

With that, he left. And Aurren finally realized something she hadn't before. For once in her life, she really, really felt safe. As if nothing could harm her. After all, what could with the illustrious Darth Vader as her master?