A/N: I've decided to restructure the earlier chapters in order to fit in with the latter part of this story so this will be my last update until next week. ALSO! This chapter is where the more adult themes begin. If you are not 18(+) or are uncomfortable with any of the warnings I listed at the beginning of this story, please don't read. From here on the story will push some boundaries.

Anyway! Hope you all enjoy :)

Chapter 3: A Beast's Heaven

Dashed dreams and prospects crashed into her mind like a monsoon, here she was a twenty-one year old woman entering a cavern which belonged to a beast. Perhaps she was being melodramatic thinking of him in such a way but then again… she'd seen his record: beast, monster, demented creature, emotionless machine were words to describe his behavior on the battlefield. With her temple resting upon the window, Padmé stared at the hectic traffic of Coruscant. Her eyes flickered trailing the shuttles and speeders zooming past as she wanted nothing more than to silence the questions that were ricocheting off the walls in her mind. Questions resembling: Where could a Sith Lord possibly live? Did he have his own underground lair? Did his establishments have a moat?- okay maybe not a moat. Gargoyles perhaps? Padmé almost laughed aloud at herself as she struggled to find any form of comic relief from the burning and deep concern in the pit of her stomach.

When the shuttle began to slow at the tallest skyscraper in the cities hub, she blinked in complete utter confusion and overwhelming disbelief. The shuttle descended towards an extravagant veranda that was at least five times the size of her own. But that wasn't the main feature that caught her eye, it was the massive terrace that seemed to span the of the entire perimeter of the penthouse. It was lined with flower bed-after-flower bed. Her jaw slacked just a fraction, there's no way… she internally whispered with her eyes glued on the breathtaking beauty of the place. She almost felt like a child peering in the window to a candy shop- the place was that captivating. With a sharp shake of the head, she stood as the ramp lowered. Trekking swiftly away from the shuttle, she stormed up to the Sith Lord who was speaking to one of his officers.

"Is this a joke?" Padmé snapped, her finger pointing up at the rooftop.

Vader's back straightened as he swiftly dismissed the man he was speaking to before turning towards her, "A joke? Unfortunately, I am unsure of what you mean Senator," he muttered however there was a smugness in his voice that didn't sit well with her- he knew exactly what she meant.

The woman immediately rolled her eyes before turning to the stare at the veranda where the waterflow of fountains filled her ears. "You know exactly what I mean," she sniped back glaring at him within the corner of her eye.

"You do have quite the attitude don't you. I'm okay with that." Vader dryly chuckled, "If you're referring to the lack of rock formations, gargoyles, and moats I send you my deepest regards for the disappointing realization that none of those things are here for you," he quipped arrogantly, "Though if you want those things, that can be arranged."

For just a split second she was taken off guard by his witty riposte, for more reasons than she would like to admit to herself. He'd been eavesdropping on her thoughts again even though they weren't nearone another. Another shock was his tenor, it had a playful undertone that she was not aware could even exist in someone such as himself. Padmé had meant to assess for herself the limits of this individuals temperance and she found herself borderline amazed that he didn't lash out at her. The only thing he did was leave her looking foolish standing dumbfounded beside him.

"That won't be necessary," Padmé tried to recover, her professional expression never faltering even if her mind was scrambling. Turning her attention elsewhere, her eyes rested upon Dormé whom was speaking with a golden protocol droid. She was smiling, laughing even- the Senator couldn't understand what could possibly be so funny in a situation like this. Her shoulders immediately stiffened as the droid swiftly turned to waddle towards them.

"Master you have returned!" A joyful robotic voice chirped, "Oh Mistress Padmé Amidala. Hello! I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations," he beamed tipping his head towards Padmé, "Oh it is so wonderful to have you here."

She could almost feel Vader's annoyance and frustration with the droid, the only question she asked herself was why? Why did he appear displeased with the fact 3PO was being nice? It seemed the droids attitude would help make up for Vader's poor behavior. "Thank you," Padmé replied with a smile, while internally not agreeing with his observation of her situation being 'wonderful.' She was now to be a glorified prisoner to his Master- Padmé could hardly see that as wonderful.

"Perhaps, Master… I shall escort Mistress Padmé-"

"Just Padmé… please," she corrected with a plea.

The droid shuttered and notched his head to the side, "That would be against my etiquette protocol. Unfortunately, I am unable to process that request. My greatest apologies my Lady."

Padmé's face heated slightly, "Oh… okay."

"Proceeding…" 3PO continued, "Master the Emperor wishes for you to make contact with him. Do you wish for me to give Mistress Padmé a tour of the establishments?"

The young Senator tilted her head slightly, her chin inching upwards in slight defiance. The droid may be nice… but he was speaking as if she wasn't standing there. He was asking permission from Vader to show her the penthouse. But when Vader seemingly ignored the droid with his head turning towards her, she was again taken off guard. "You are free to move about the apartment as you wish, however the third floor is restricted," Vader informed her professionally. "Threepio will help you get acclimated," he said sharply before making his usual abrupt exit. Padmé eyed the Sith's movements, watching his cloak billow as he vanished beyond the far corner of the overhang.

"Well let's get you both inside," 3PO said cheerfully leading both the Senator and her handmaiden towards the massive overhang. "There are three levels and the roof in which you will have full access too, this is the bottom floor," he sang scurrying along the dusk marble floor. Padmé glanced around the lavish seating area making their way back to the droid as he led them up small flight of stairs to enter an atrium.

Her eyes pulled upwards at the impressive crystal chandelier above before her gaze moved around the spacious chamber. There were three sets of curved banisters leading up to the ceiling, signifying the four floors that made up the penthouse. The seamless glass windows spanned the entire lower level allowing an extraordinary amount of light into the chamber contrasting with the darker marble flooring. The area was completely open with indoor plant beds to add a bit of color. She expected Vader's establishments to be anything but what it was as her eyes to lingered on the massive kitchen and living space.

"This is the atrium; the kitchen, living room, and the dining room proper are on this floor," The droid chirped on, "Here's the main turbolift that can carry you to any floor of the building, and this one will bring you to any floor from here upwards. You must have an access card to enter this level or to access the lower floors. I am sure my Master will give you one in the near future."

"So if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is on the third floor?" She questioned automatically staring up at the ominous second railing.

"It's just my Master's personal floor," He replied, skillfully brushing off the question, "Anywho, let's head to the second level," he piped stepping into the lift. Tearing her eyes away from gawking, Padmé followed. Within a matter of seconds the doors opened and droid stepped out immediately. "This level contains the gym, exercise pool, sauna, several offices and bedrooms. Dormé, you will be staying in this room," He beamed strolling down a perpendicular hall before gesturing towards a door, "If you would like to stay and make yourself at home, that would be quite alright. You're belongs should be brought up within a matter of minutes."

Dormé glanced at Padmé as they stood outside the room, "It's okay, you should rest it's been a long day," Padmé smiled warmly.

"Are you certain, milady?" She wondered with concern broadcasted across her features.

"Yes, I'll comm if I need anything," Padmé assured her, Dormé nodded still hesitant as she wondered into the room, the door sliding shut.

"Shall we continue?" Threepio questioned with a tilt of his head.

"Sure," Padmé nodded.

"Oh wonderful," he gushed strolling down the hall with Padmé in tow. The young woman started to contemplate how many people 3PO actually greeted for Lord Vader? Had he been deprived of such actions? The droid was genuinely excited it seemed. "Also the main pool is on the rooftop level which can only be reached on the fourth floor…"

After a while, Padmé found herself zoning out as her own thoughts became too pressing to ignore. She pictured Vader's establishments being insufferable, suffocatingly dark and dismal. Even if there was an overall dark complexion to the place, the natural lighting made up for the darker color schemes. When they rounded the massive hall and re-entered the lift, the droid immediately pressed the fourth floor. Padmé frowned staring over the lift controls, her eyes lingered on the small divot next to the third floor button signifying a key was needed to access it.

"This floor is the where the main chambers are located. Down the hall, are my Master's chambers and over here… are yours," he chirped as the door slid open. Her eyes widened glancing around, to her genuine surprise it was the first time the flooring had changed, it was navy blue marble with gold accents. Wondering into the spacious room, her eyes glanced at the outrageously large bed with a golden metal canopy and ornate headboard. She felt herself gravitate towards the bed, to slip her fingers against the glistening, soft, white silk of the bedspread. She suddenly felt exhausted staring at the comfortable surface, she'd had a long day and the bed looked invitingly comfy.

"Do you wish to retire for a while Mistress Padmé? Or perhaps lunch?" Threepio questioned, "My Master said that you would want to unpack your belongings," the droid muttered waddling towards the various boxes and cases stacked neatly in a categorized fashion towards the corner of the room. "If you would like to rest for a while, I am sure Dormé and I would love to help you set up your room afterwards."

Padmé bit her lip before replying, "That sounds perfect, thank you Threepio."

"Excellent, I will leave you to get settled then. If there is anything you require you may contact me on the interface beside the door," 3PO nodded. With that, the golden droid waddled from the room, the door sliding shut behind him. A deep sigh of relief left her lips as she fell back onto the bed, shutting her heavy eyelids. Padmé was glad to be alone for a moment as she kicked off her heels and curled herself onto the comforter dragging a pillow from the top of the bed as she nestled. Without trying, she found herself slip into sleep.

After his meeting with the Emperor, Vader found himself aggravated. He was landlocked for the first time in his entire life. Even rebel uprisings and reports of lingering Jedi weren't enough to get him out of Imperial City. With his head falling back against the leather office chair, he stared over the Rebellion's assault schematics on his holoscreen during the Battle of Almas searching for instances where they faltered and how they may go about re-strategizing for their next attack. As time carried on, he found himself becoming distracted knowing her presence was close by. Even if he couldn't see her, feeling her was enough to sooth the tension in his shoulders and from her quiet, dreamy thoughts- he knew his Senator was in a deep sleep.

He wondered how he was going to approach her now that she was in his establishments. It was obvious that she didn't like him and he surely wasn't expecting her too.. Though, he'd still tested his progress earlier at her apartment, he had her body complacent but her mind was stubborn. Even with her rational mind against him, she liked the way he touched her, she felt guilty feeling the way she did. He pressed himself deeper into his seat, swaying side-to-side. Vader never became anxious but he could feel himself becoming such a way not knowing how to connect with her mind. He wanted to beclose to her but the thoughts circulating the forefront of her mental barriers were ones signifying that she desired to be alone. The young Lord frowned, he supposed it was a good thing he had Threepio- Vader wasn't sure what he'd do without the overbearingly kind droid. Vader found his disgusting positivity insufferable at times but the Senator and her handmaiden seemed to like him. A small smirk pulled at the Sith's lips knowing that his future bride was surprised by his establishments, she appreciated the flowers. When he'd had them imported he wasn't thinking of her exclusively but he was satisfied that she seemed fascinated with him now because of them.

Vader did not want the rest of the galaxy knowing he was human, but he desired for the Senator to see him as such. Even if he marginally wanted that, Vader couldn't believe he'd allowed her to speak to him with such hidden venom earlier- he wasn't sure how much more of that he could take. He knew his patience with her would be tested daily, interacting with her was much different than watching her from afar. It did not go unnoticed by the Sith Lord that every time he mentioned the rebellion, her shields would become stronger. The association with rebel sympathizers was another issue that would cause Vader headaches, he needed to understand the extent of her involvement. The only reason why he had a hunch of her association was because of her views regarding the Empire and democracy and the increase of protection of her thoughts revolving the subject.

With a small sigh, Vader ran a hand through his dark blond hair, brushing the hood of his cloak down as he did. He wanted to show her his face, perhaps if she knew he was only a couple years older than herself, she wouldn't be so adamant in her mission of provoking him. Right now the Senator believed he was an aging pervert, she had truly become physically ill thinking about that back at her apartment. However, the young Sith Lord knew he couldn't show her… not yet anyway, he wanted her to lower her mental barriers slightly before knowing what he looked like.

A sight disturbance outside the door caught his attention, from the presence he could tell it was 3PO. The door swiftly pulled open upon the droid's approach, "Master, Mistress Padmé and her handmaiden are settling in," he chirped happily. "I am quite excited to have them here-"

"I am well aware, Threepio," Vader muttered cutting the droid off with an impassive tone.

"Are you not excited Master? Isn't this what you have been planning?" 3PO questioned, his head notching to the side as he stepped inside the office.

"I do not get excited," Vader responded, his expression void of emotion.

"Well, Mistress Padmé is very beautiful," the droid commented, "She is quite young for a Senator is she not?"

"She is…" Vader nodded slowly, "Is there any significance for this line of questioning Threepio? If not, I have documents to read."

"Oh yes… I actually came to ask if you'd like me to invite Mistress Padmé to attend dinner with you this evening?" Threepio wondered, "You talk about her quite often so I figured that perhaps-"

"She is not fond of me 3PO," the Sith announced harshly, "I am sure she'd like some time to herself, she's had a long day." Vader eyed the droid carefully as he shifted his golden feet against the ground, "Is there something else you wish to ask me Threepio?"

"No Master. I will return to my standard duties," the droid said quietly and with that he was out the door. Vader sat perplexed for a moment, he was unable to read 3PO's mind because… well he didn't have one. The Sith Lord knew there was more the droid wanted to add but seemed to give up on telling him. The man sighed staring back at the screen before him, he needed to keep himself preoccupied for now- he didn't want to think about the Senator.

It was late in the evening when Vader finally emerged from his office, trekking down the hall- he was deep in thought about the several Jedi that had appeared on their radar. One of which was on the frontlines during the Battle of Almas, somehow the cretin had managed to escape his grasp. The young Lord knew he had sensed another force sensitive individual in the base but Vader never actually saw them. Wondering towards the lift, still deep in thought, he pressed the fourth floor automatically- making his way towards his chambers. When the lift opened, he glanced towards the end of the hall. Immediately, thoughts of the Senator came rushing back into his mind as he eyed her bedroom. However, he could tell she wasn't there. His eyes lingered above him in the direction of the infinity pool that resided on the roof. She was up there, he could feel her.

Swallowing hard, he quickly abandoned the idea of heading to his quarters for much needed rest to turn sharply towards the spiral staircase that would take him to the roof. Silently, he made his way up the transparisteel stairs and when he finally reached the glass structure at the top of the building- his eyes immediately fell upon her. The Senator was resting in the hot tub a few meters from the waterfall, with her eyes gently closed. The luminated water revealed her body; inching back in the shadows he watched her. He could sense how relaxed and content she was being alone in the quiet. Taking advantage of the leisure within her barriers, Vader stealthily began influencing them. A small smirk pulled at the edges of his lips as he watched her expression soften even more than it already was, he'd never had the opportunity to touch her barriers when she was so at peace- he was finding it easier to sway her mind when she was like this. His concentration faltered as he felt a small disturbance in the Force, his eyes narrowed as he watched the device sitting beside her head disrupt her peace. The woman swiftly shifted in the water, rolling to allow her shoulder blades to touch the cool air as her elbows propped her up against the natural stone edge. He watched a frown pull at her lips, followed by an annoyed eyeroll. Rush Clovis, was the name that brushed through her thoughts as she stared at her commlink.

Vader tensed as irritation boiled beneath his skin, a man should not be contacting her so late. What made him even more agitated was that it was the same man whom had left her office late the day before. Vader took an unconscious step forward in the darkness as he waited for her to either accept or deny the transmission. He wanted her to ignore it, he even contemplated testing his power over her again to see if she'd follow a small Force suggestion but, he advised himself against it. He watched the Senator release a deep sigh, he could feel the conflict in her mind about answering the call. Peering into her thoughts, he heard her deliberation…

Why is he doing this? She internally muttered, Why can't he just accept that I want things between us to return to a professional one- he shouldn't be calling so late. Vader knew that she was going against her better judgement as she answered the transmission. The Sith's jaw tightened as she pulled the device to her ear.

"Clovis, I told you-" The woman began to scold through the device, however she was abruptly cut off.

"You weren't at the Senate today, what is going on? I had to hear through the HoloNet that Imperial men were at your apartment. Are you safe?" The man on the other end said with an overbearing amount of worry.

"I'm fine," She assured him, flipping back over in the water before standing. Vader felt heat rise in his body, leering over her divine body.

Water droplets rolled down the toned skin of her exposed stomach and above the thin royal blue fabric covering her breasts. The Sith swallowed hard, unintentionally licking his lips as his mouth suddenly became dry. She was a goddess glistening in the moonlight of Coruscant. The wet tips of her chestnut curls stuck to the skin just above the sides of her hipbones. Vader hadn't ever seen her hair down before, at the Senate she'd always have it in a tight braided bun or pinned in a headdress. Her locks were long, the mane of curls reaching far past her navel. He found himself so fixated on her body that he'd completely missed part of her conversation with the man on the other end of the transmission. Captivated, Vader watched as she raked a hand through her hair- tossing some of it back off her face. Realizing his jaw had fallen open, he swiftly clamped it shut as she stepped from the water swiping a white towel from the nearby stone bench.

"Clovis, you can't be calling me like this," the woman muttered as she started drying the ends of her hair. "It's well past midnight."

"Where are you?" He demanded and an outraged expression crossed the woman's features.

"That's none of your business," the Senator snapped, "You have no right calling me so late and demanding things of me. I don't want you calling me anymore unless it's during business hours-"

"Padmé-" the man began to say.

"No, I'm tired of this! It is over between us, take a minute and register that in your mind. I don't want you appearing at my office unannounced or calling me about personal matters. Goodnight Clovis," she retorted swiftly cutting him off before ending the transmission. "Kriff… he is relentless," the woman groaned to herself tossing the commlink onto a nearby table.

Vader inched back in the shadows when the young woman began drying her body from the beads of water that were still adhered, goosebumps formed across her pearl skin as she shivered. She was cold, the he could tell more ways than one. The pebbles of her nipples had hardened under the fabric that barely contained her breasts. When the woman bit her lip, she reached down gathering a familiar piece of silk material before throwing it elegantly over her shoulders. A sense of pride, etched across Vader's shoulders- so she has the cloak I gave her. He could feel his arousal becoming a painful nuisance beneath his belt; 3PO had said something accurate for once- she was incredibly beautiful, an angel among men. Snapping his attention, he knew now that she was warm she'd undoubtably be heading back to her quarters for the night. Taking one last glance, she gathered her commlink, and without hesitation he made his leave- silently disappearing back down the staircase.

Once stealthily making his way into his chambers, he flung the material of his cloak to the foot of the bed. He bit his lip feverishly, his eyes darting towards the bed then towards the fresher- he shook his thoughts aside heading into the fresher. Vader had never pleasured himself to the thoughts of a woman before and he wasn't going to start now because of her. He audibly groaned as he peeled off the multiple layers of fabric shielding him from the world. When they were gone, he didn't hesitate stepping into a cold shower. The water pelted down against his shoulder blades as his palms reached out to press against the wall. His head hung low between his arms; if he found himself feeling this way every night, the number of frigid showers he'd have to take would be insufferable. His shoulder length dark blond locks clung to his neck as he waited for the water to work its magic. Even with his skull and neck freezing from the cold, his thoughts could not be swayed from her body.

"Fuck," he cursed himself pushing off the wall to allow for the cold to plummet against his chest. She was just so tiny, her thoughts always innocent, she was polar opposite of him. Her skin was fair, not a single scar flawed her skin. While his tanned skin was shrouded in them, there were too many for him to count- too many for him to even remember where he had acquired some them.

After another ten minutes in the teeth chattering cold, he found the status of his body sufficient before he switched off the water. Sauntering across the stone tile, he beckoned a towel into his hand before ruffling it against his hair. He didn't dare glance towards the mirror as he maneuvered back into his bedroom, he couldn't risk possibly seeing his eyes considering his relaxed state of mind. Tossing himself onto the bed, he wondered when the last time he'd ever actually slept in his own bedroom. Since his arrival back to Imperial Center, he'd been staying in his wing at the palace. Then before that, he'd been on the Executor for months, his quarters there were more used than anywhere else. The penthouse barely even looked recognizable since the last time he'd seen it, 3PO had done a good job finding botanists who could actually take care of the outrageous number of plants.

The young Sith Lord raked fingers through his hair and held them there; how long does Sidious actually intend to keep me here? Three months seemed like an eternity to be away from his post, he could rely on Admiral Piett to take care of the 501st Legion yet still that thought didn't sit right. Vader hated being sidelined, a feeling he had never actually experienced before - after another victory on his record no less. Though he supposed a victory only meant not a failure; he had never failed any of his orders, no matter what needed to be done. Sometimes it would be at the expense of starships or men but it was worth it to triumph. He couldn't forget that this marriage was also a mission, he needed to somehow make it work with his Senator. He thought it would be simple considering he'd already been coaxing of her for years but her overall reaction to him wasn't one he had anticipated.

She had made a scene in front of his men and received no consequences for her actions. He had allowed her to interrupt him when he was briefing Captain Lasky on the new safety protocols regarding her. Vader honestly had no clue how to actually handle her, usually if someone did such a thing he'd dispose of them- there was no place for disobedience or disrespect in his ranks. There was part of him that was furious with her behavior while the other was impressed. She wasn't scared of him in the same way everyone else was who surrounded him. Perhaps her lack of fear was an unintended result of his influence. Either way, he didn't mind her brashness around his trusted men but in public or around Sidious he could not allow her to act in such a manner. Sidious would become suspicious, his Master knew how serious Vader was regarding such matters. His Master would believe his apprentice was beginning to care and show compassion for the woman… which was not allowed. Vader stopped his thoughts before they could delve deeper, he didn't want to think about such things before he slept. Involuntary visions could arise from them, ones he didn't particularly wish to see.

His mind opted to thinking about his Senator and that man she was speaking with not an hour ago. Vader felt a unwelcomed feeling stir in his body, she had been intimate with him. The Sith Lord had seen the visions plastered within the man's thoughts as he left her office. Quite honestly, Vader wasn't one to judge if she'd been with other men- once she'd been with him, every other sexual experience she had would be insignificant in comparison. However, something about Clovis annoyed Vader. That man was obsessed with her. Even if he shouldn't be one to judge about that form of behavior, he didn't like Clovis. It infuriated the Sith Lord that he'd called her so late- interrupting her peace. He didn't want that imbecile calling her anymore or even glancing in her direction. If Clovis' undesirable behavior continued, Vader would have no option but to intervene especially when she was to be his wife.

With the night drifting further into early morning, Vader finally managed to silence his mind to get a few hours of rest.

Hearing the grueling sound of her alarm, Padmé shifted beneath the covers pulling the fabric up and over her head in sleepy disagreement. She'd stayed up far too late and was feeling the ramifications of her choices before tossing the silk sheets from her body. Dragging open her heavy eyes she was taken back by her surroundings. The woman was no longer in her apartment - she was living with the Dark Lord himself. Staring at the chrono she cursed herself, this was the fourth time her alarm had gone off, she was going to be late!

Her attention flickered towards the door as it slid open and she was relieved to see Dormé striding in, "My lady, did you just wake up?" She questioned surprised before swiftly heading towards the closet.

"I must have slept through my alarm," or turned it off in my sleep… wouldn't be the first time, she scolded herself. Then even more annoyance entered mind as she started to wonder how she was going to get to the Senate, would Vader take her or one of his men? Captain Typho had been relieved from duty and sent back to Naboo even if it was against Padmé's wishes. She had forgot to request he stay in his position as the head of her security… "Dormé have you seen Threepio this morning?" Padmé quickly asked as she stripped off her nightclothes before grabbing a brassiere, clipping it on swiftly.

"Yes milady, he informed me that Lord Vader would be escorting you to the Senate today," her handmaiden replied handing Padmé a standard gown that she would occasionally wear. Padmé frowned at the woman's response before throwing the dress over her head.

"Wonderful," The Senator muttered sarcastically turning to allow Dormé to fasten the back of her dress.

"Perhaps it won't be so bad," the taller woman whispered.

Padmé scoffed, "Just the thing I need, to have Darth Vader snooping about my office."

"He will likely leave you alone my lady, he has so far," she shrugged.

Padmé thought about her handmaidens observation for a moment, she was right- he'd left her alone since she arrived and hadn't made any attempts of speaking with her. Still… the way he touched her back at her apartment was still fresh in mind. She felt her cheeks heat just thinking about it, Force… what is wrong with me? She scolded herself vehemently for allowing her cheeks become flush because of him- because of a murder, a monster…

"Hopefully having his presence there with keep Clovis at bay," Padmé sighed pushing away the more dismal thoughts.

"Is he still trying to contact you my lady?" Dormé asked with a hint of concern.

"He called me last night," the woman frowned with a nod as she took a seat in front of the vanity.

"Ugh, that man is intolerable my lady," the woman muttered as she began to tightly braid the Senator's hair.

"I tried to make myself clear last night… hopefully he finally got the message."

Within the hour Padmé was prepped and ready for her day. When she finally emerged from the room, her eyes flickered down to the end of the hall witnessing the Dark Lord of the Sith speaking with 3PO. The woman froze immediately, discomfort rising in her body as her hands brushed against the smooth satin of her dress. She found herself transfixed on the mysterious cloaked man, his broad shoulders bent slightly as his neck craned in order to keep his deep voice from carrying as he spoke to his protocol droid. Finding herself staring, again, she cursed herself, even standing several meters away, his stature was intimidating- if she weren't wearing heels he'd be roughly a foot taller than herself. Obnoxiously, her heels clicked against the marble flooring as she strode towards the Sith, hoping that they would be leaving shortly.

"Mistress Padmé, good morning," 3PO beamed waddling away from the Sith to greet her, she watched Vader's shoulders tighten before straightening to his full height yet he never moved towards her.

"Good morning Threepio," Padmé smiled respectfully. Unconsciously, her eyes flickered towards Vader hoping that he'd say something of substance to her today considering they had barely spoken since she arrived at his establishments. Even if she couldn't see his face, Padmé could feel his eyes on her.

"We should be going. You have a meeting at nine," Vader announced shortly before turning on his heel and striding towards the lift. The woman inched her head back slightly from his indifferent monotone voice before reluctantly following him after saying a quick farewell to 3PO. Interestingly enough, Vader waited for her at the entrance of the lift allowing her in as he folded in after. It was a blessing that the lift ride only took a few short seconds. The Sith trekked from the elevator and Padmé fell in tow behind him. But when he stopped abruptly, the woman almost walked straight into his back from his sudden lack of movement. "Have you eaten?" Vader questioned, the hood of his cloak peering back at her.

A confused expression appeared on the woman's face, "Why does it matter?" She wondered truthfully before following up with an excuse, "I usually eat when I get to my office."

"No you don't," he argued sternly, twisting completely towards her now. A flustered feeling swept through her body, how did he know that? She pondered. "Your mind is open to me Senator, lying about something so pointless is unbecoming of you."

"Why do you care?" Padmé retorted, "Can we just go?"

His shoulders straightened at her questions before he sharply turned storming towards the veranda. Giving him a wide berth of space as to not almost crash into him again, Padmé followed him out. She began to wonder why he would ask her something like that? A small gasp left her lips as she pushed her cheekbones- was it that obvious her eating habits were so poor? Feeling just a bit self-conscious she forced herself down the few steps until her eyes glanced up to see Vader standing at attention, waiting, beside an onyx speeder. Though, it was different than the one she'd seen him with when they'd left her apartment the previous day. Just from its features Padmé could tell it was fast. She wondered just how senseless Vader's flying might be considering his reputation as a pilot. Without a word, Padmé slipped into the passenger's side, then watched Vader practically float into the pilots seat.

"You may want to put on your safety belt," he recommended as the speeder roared to life.

Padmé glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before she heeded his warning and strapped herself in. "What about you?" she questioned eyeing him slightly. Her misplaced concern recieved an arrogant scoff from the man to her left, in a blur, they were flying recklessly through the busy lanes of Coruscant. The acceleration force flung her back in the seat as her hand unconsciously shot out to grasp the doorhandle with a white knuckled grip. Padmé was thankful that she had mentally prepared herself for his flying because he was breaking every traffic law in the book. At the rate they were going, the usual fifteen minute flight would be minimized to under five minutes. The woman flinched as the speeder dipped violently to miss a stalled lane of speeders. After a minute she found herself struggling not to be impressed by the control he had but in the same influx of emotions, she was terrified. Wide-eyed, she remained unable to tear her gaze away from the flashes of speeders and shuttles they were whipping past.

In a record time of four minutes, they arrived at the Senate, Vader's speeder allowed immediate entry as they entered the restricted lot of the building. Padmé finally let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in as he lowered the speeder. When he powered down the engine and jumped out effortlessly, the woman was still in shock that they hadn't crashed- he was a kriffing maniac! When her door opened unexpectedly, her eyes flickered towards the Sith who was standing waiting patiently for her to get out as her restraints unsnapped inexplicably.

"You're insane," the woman breathed stepping onto the pavement before brushing down her dress. She could only hope that Dormé did a sufficient job at pinning her hair because if not- it probably looked a mess.

"I'm efficient," he countered as he shut the door behind her. She rolled her eyes before brushing past him towards the lift that would carry them to the main level of the Senate. As they stood together within the small space, Padmé began to wonder if he was actually giving her an escort to her office? What would her colleagues think if they saw her with Darth Vader? "It would be wise of you to become accustomed being near me Senator," he said suddenly, commenting on her thoughts once again.

"You say that as if it were an easy thing to do," she retorted quietly as the doors to the lift glided open. Four pairs of eyes connected with them, the Senators who were preparing to enter the lift took large steps back and to the side at the sight of the Sith Lord himself.

"After you, my lady," Vader whispered lowly above her ear, his deep voice sending pleasant shivers down her spine. She blinked to life stepping out of the lift with Vader in tow. She could feel him mirror her pace as he trailed closely behind, mimicking a shadow. What the hell is his deal? He's cold one minute then acts like that? She breathed in her mind, trying to keep her thoughts occupied as the eyes of her peers followed her in disbelief. Padmé found herself wanting to disappear into her office more and more as the whispers began. Finally when they arrived to her chambers, the metal slid open before she could even reach for the controls, her eyes glanced to the man behind her before she trekked inside.

"How did you know I had a meeting at nine?" Padmé wondered strolling towards her desk, glancing at her calendar. The meeting had just been added the previous night, she hadn't even heard about it.

"I am in charge of your security now, it's expected that I know where you need to be," he reminded her, the door to her office sliding closed behind him. Padmé sat down at her desk, quickly preparing for the unexpected meeting.

"Well, I wanted to prep for this… A-Are you staying?" She asked hesitantly, her eyes slightly flickering up in his direction.

"I will depart before you leave for your meeting, Senator," he replied indifferently with a sickening amount of professionalism.

Padmé was perplexed by his reply for a moment, but found herself shoving the feeling away when she checked the time again. With an internal sigh and a visible nod, she let the conversation go, she didn't have the time to decipher the true meaning behind his words. When seconds turned into minutes, she found his presence becoming more and more nerve-wracking even if he was just seemingly staring blankly out the window behind her. Padmé struggled to prepare for the Judiciary Committee meeting as she found mind preoccupied. Then unexpectedly, Vader straightened from his place beside the door and trudged out of her office, his sudden departure giving her whiplash. Padmé could only watch as he left, completely ignorant of his intentions as he vanished around the doorframe.