Raw Honey
Main Theme- All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Bauhaus
The white of a bacta bandage is almost lost in the blue holo. Most would miss the bandage, but not Darth Sidious. He could inquire about the injury, but he waits for his Apprentice to explain himself. The report comes to an end as swiftly as it began with no explanation for the bandage. The Emperor allows Vader to get away with it for now. He's returning to Coruscant, and he'll have much to answer for. He only has to wait a standard week for his Dark Lord's return.
The days pass slowly like treacle syrup.
When his attendants announce Vader's landing, he informs them that he'll be in the throne room. He's there but in the garden area, pruning some of the flowers. The candlewick flowers of Alderaan have been given him particular trouble. He blames the new head gardener's overwatering of them. He'll correct the man tomorrow.
Vader strides into the garden as though he's won the war. His jubilation is only visible in the Force. His mask and suit conceal his physical form from everyone, giving the impression of foreboding doom to the public.
"Only you should see my face." Anakin promised him shortly after the Empire's birth and Padmé's death. He broke it recently with Luke, his son with Padmé.
"We need to go to your meditation retreat."
"Your meditation retreat, Anakin."
"Fine, our meditation retreat!"
"What has got you so worked up?"
"I found your son."
The Emperor snips the head off a perfectly healthy candlewick flower.
The blueblossoms tickle his bare ankles. He holds his boots in one hand, while the other brushes the hair off his face. The ocean breeze carries a chill. For a moment, all he can think of is his son frolicking in these fields. Armitage loves being outside amongst the trees and flowers. He'd stay outside if it weren't for Arkanis's near-constant rains. By now, Ch'been should've delivered the news. He hopes Bren escapes into the Unknown Regions with Armitage and live. Yet, Bren will most likely leave their son in his Nagai brother's care and then come back for him. Bren loves him too much to abandon him.
The blueblossom fields end where the ebons rule.
The pitch-black trees ring the fortress. It's built similar to the one on Mustafar, but this is far smaller with numerous halls. It's the lesser Krayt dragon of the two. At the dragon's heart is a courtyard with a field of Queen's Heart and a japor tree. There's a white lattice table with matching chairs right under the tree.
He sets the table for three.
The dustcrepes take up most of the flowery plates. The crispy yet soft bread is dusted with cinnamon. The jar of jhen honey is at the center of the table with a honey dipper resting on top of its lid. He picks it up and twirls the dipper in his hand like a magical soldier from one of Armitage's and Bren's cartoons. He says the magic words:
"May the Force be with you."
Anakin holds Sheev's hand as they get off the boat. His beloved wouldn't have allowed this if they were in public. They even left the Royal Guards at the palace. Sheev didn't want to frighten his son, or at least that's what Anakin believes. He wears such a pensive expression that it deepens the jagged furrows in his pale face. Anakin wants to kiss his worries away, but Sheev needs to see Rama.
Underneath, the bone-white japor tree is a table set for teatime. All it's missing is the tea and Rama. The young man's hooded jacket hangs on the back of a chair. His beloved lets go of his hand and takes the jacket from the chair. He examines it with an intensity reserved for his fine arts and Sith tomes. It's black with silver buttons shaped like roses. It has a ridiculously high collar that would give some of Sheev's Chancellor robes a run for their credits. Sheev frowns as he finds glitter on the jacket's shoulders. His beloved hates glitter.
"I have selected tarine tea. Its earthy richness should go well with the sweetness of the jhen honey and spice of the dustcrepes." Rama's presence in the Force returns with a cold snap. Still, Anakin is amazed at how quietly the younger man crept on them. Rama carries a silver tray with the obsidian tea set that Sheev got him after Fortress Vader's completion.
It's been eight years since father and son were together. Anakin wishes for love between them. Instead, green eyes are filled with wariness as though expecting his father to hurt him, while pure anguish swirls in those golden eyes.
"H-How about we sit down?" Anakin speaks up after a minute.
"It would be rude of me to sit before the Emperor and his Lord Vader," Rama says demurely with a hint of coldness. Sheev returns the jacket to its place and takes the seat at the left. Anakin pulls the chair out for him. He sits with little acknowledgement as though it were a throne. Anakin joins him in the opposite seat with less royal inclination. Finally, Rama lays the tray on the table, right by the honey jar, and sits with his father's grace.
"Lord Vader, would you like some honey on your dustcrepes?"
"Sure, Rama. I'll pour the tea!" Anakin uses the Force to do this, earning a wry smirk from Sheev and a fleeting look of wonder from Rama. White wisps of steam rise from the dark cups. Rama drizzles the sweet amber all over the dustcrepe with the small dipper.
"You're conducting like the ISO conductor after a few drinks," Sheev comments. Anakin almost believes Rama won't respond given his frosty silence beforehand.
"That's because his rival slipped a sleeping potion into his bottle of Corellian whiskey. It's rather impressive he didn't collapse until after 'The Imperial March.'"
"Yeah, that was an interesting Empire Day." Anakin grins at Rama and Sheev finally talking to each other.
"Would you like some honey, Your Majesty?"
"No. You…may call me father."
"And you can call me Anakin!"
"As you wish," Rama acquiesces. He drizzles honey on his dustcrepe but only half of what he gave Anakin.
"So, Rama, where'd you learn to bake like this?"
"My visions provided me the recipes. I just merely needed the kitchen and time to try them out."
"Is it your hobby when you're not acting?"
"Acting?" Sheev gives his son a curious look. "I thought you would be a dancer given all the recitals you liked to put on for me."
"I also sing and play instruments, mostly those with keys and strings." Anakin delights at the pride in Rama's voice as he further surprises his father.
"You are quite musically talented."
"It must be a quirk of the Force." I certainly didn't get it from you or Sly Moore. Anakin winces at Rama's implication. He tears at the dustcrepe and pops one into his mouth. He makes delighted noises.
"This is perfect! Where'd you get the honey?"
"Sartinaynian. It's where you got me." Anakin blushes at Rama's rather polite wording. He did find Rama on the planet but in the middle of a holofilm he was shooting. He barged in, fully suited and with a squad of Stormtroopers, and proceeded to escort Rama from the set and onto the Executor. He only gave Rama enough time to collect his things and say goodbye to his director. Looking back on it now, he knows he could've done it more secretly and without damaging Rama's career.
"Is that where you've been living?"
"I was starring in a holofilm there. I live elsewhere."
"But you must have a place you call home." Anakin presses for an answer. Rama inclines his head as though he's in prayer.
"My son, where did you go all those years ago?"
"Father, you know the answer," Rama replies rather frostily.
"I wouldn't be asking if I did." Heat creeps into Sheev's voice, the kind of heat only found in anger.
"How convenient you've forgotten," Rama sneers. "I wish I had such luxury, but I'm always doomed to remember the past."
"Rama, please," Anakin begs softly. Rama's face softens for a fraction of second.
"You sent me to Kessel, to the asylum-mines that Trioculus ruled without restraint. He was obsessed with Sly Moore, so you can imagine what he would do with her teenage son." Horror twists and contorts Sheev's face into one of seething hatred. Anakin hasn't seen the expression since Sheev detailed the decades of hell that Darth Plagueis put him through.
"I should've prolonged Kadann's death!" Sheev hisses, but Rama reacts with a blank Sabacc face as though he can't believe the sincerity of his father's outrage. "He sent you there. I would never punish you like that!"
"Still, you sought to punish me, and he did his Master's bidding," Rama replies darkly. "I just wanted to help the person I love the most, but you wouldn't accept it. I see now only the Chosen One is worthy of the Sith'ari's black heart."
"Rama—"
"Anakin, I need a break." Rama snatches his cup as he stalks out of the courtyard, leaving behind ice in his wake. Sheev leans over his cup of tea and stares down at the dark liquid. Sorrow, pain, and regret echo across their bond. Anakin goes to his side and embraces him.
"One day, they'll join us, but we must be patient. You told me that, remember?"
"…."
"It hurts like hell, but I know Rama will love you again. Until then, I'm here and will do thy bidding."
"Anakin…" The kiss holds the rest of his words.
I believe in you.
Author's Comments- Here are the links:
"Bauhaus – All We Ever Wanted Was Everything" by Dear Mortal aided in this story's final form: a href=" watch?v=qPNa9KD4Y_k"Link/a
Here is an image of candlewick flowers: a href=" . "Link/a
I used the hooded jacket that David Bowie wears in this particular scene from The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) for Rama's jacket though with some embellishments: a href=" . "Link/a
This is another pseudo-sequel to a href=" /works/40507122"Domestic Bliss/a. But for those who haven't read it, this is an AU where Anakin keeps his hot bod and is romantically involved with Palpatine who gets to keep his scarred face. This story is set after the AU's ESB where Anakin finds out about Luke, tells Palpatine about him, and they try to get Luke to join them, but Luke is far too Light for them and completely traumatized that his father is Vader and banging the Emperor. Palpatine finally decides to spill the tea about his own son who's been missing for nearly a decade. Anakin doesn't take it too well at first, but he can't stay mad at his love, especially since he has someone to commiserate with over lost sons. He also decides to keep an eye out for Palpatine's son, which is rather unfortunate for Rama in this story. In my stories, Triclops is Rama because there's no way he'd keep that name. Also, he and Bren are Armitage's parents, so Armitage is Palpatine's grandson.