A/N: So, I'm atheist and after writing this, even I think I need Jesus to some level. (Jk – it's too much fun). Literally ~4k words of complete filth buried in here somewhere… With the understanding that some of you may hate me after this chapter, I feel as if a reminder should be announced: This story is NOT CANON! I never intended it to be. Due to this, the characters will do certain things that are outside of their preordained personalities (Also, this hasn't been edited…). On a more serious note, I do have to advise that there are a couple warnings for this chapter: voyeurism, MMF.
Chapter 27: Long Nights
Wondering through the halls of the palace, a frown tugged at Padmé's lips as her fingertips brushed across the gold trim. It had been a week since Vader had unexpectedly returned, her mind not truly wrapping itself around the fact their wedding was in less than three days. When Palpatine invited them to the palace to stay in preparation for the wedding – she didn't particularly want to go but, for optics, both Vader and Padmé figured it was the best course of action to take.
Coming across the west wing of the palace, she didn't have the faintest clue where she was going, Vader wouldn't be returning for a few more hours, as such, she decided to keep herself busy. She couldn't take sitting alone in the foreign room, her nerves about the wedding already at an all-time high. As she strolled further, a collection of giggles caught her attention and as she rounded the corner confusion racked her mind. Four of Palpatine's guard flanked the halls yet she knew they weren't the ones giggling.
"This wing is off limits, milady," one of them spoke stepping forward. If only for a split second she saw something that made her stomach flip before the guard stepped in front of her abruptly. Five women around her age were gathered, innocently playing Sabacc. When the guard spoke up their heads had turned, a lump formed in the Senator's throat. Every one of them had perfectly combed curled dark brunette locks, their similarly colored eyes wiry.
"Is she new?" One of them blurted, hopeless ignorance laced in her voice. Swiftly, the royal guard rotated his head towards the woman.
"No," he said firmly. "I will escort you back to your chambers, my lady."
"Wait," Padmé argued, her hand jolting out in a hopeless attempt to prevent the guard from grabbing her. Yet, he did, twisting her around sharply. "Get your hands off of me," she snarled breaking from his grasp.
"Return to your quarters," another guard roared, in a matter of seconds they were up, scurrying away. Even with the guard in her field of vision, her heart froze over noticing the blur of golden collars around each one of their necks, a barcode tattooed on the back of their upper arms. Suddenly, she found herself being pushed away - not stopping the guard as he led her back down the hall.
Once outside of the wing, he locked the massive blast doors behind them as he walked her back. Padmé tried to hide her panic yet as her mind was manic finding what she'd seen increasingly difficult to overlook. All those women almost looked identical to herself. As she glanced at her own reflection in one of the passing mirrors, Vader's necklace suddenly felt extraordinarily heavy. Forcing back any questions that dared to stir, once they reached her chambers - the guard unlocked the door all but shoving her inside. Before Padmé could even formulate her distaste, the door was slammed shut, locking mechanism activating. That's when she truly began to panic as she scanned the door for controls. They were absent. Her mind fell into a black hole, her heart thundering violently as she slammed her fists against the door.
"You can't lock me in here!" She screamed into the metal. Her fingers raked her hair violently as she turned to the inside of the room. The gaudy red velvet and gold made her stomach churn. Resting back against the door she tried to calm herself, trying to push the memories of her dream all those weeks ago away.
"What do you mean you locked her in her chambers?" Vader snarled storming towards the Senator's quarters.
"She was wondering the palace-"
"I don't give a fuck," he was almost ready to kill the man for such a stupid idea. She was no doubt going insane with the lack of door controls - the last thing he needed was for her to panic. The dream they shared still fresh even in his mind.
"She entered the west wing, my Lord," he argued, and Vader froze in his tracks, eyes darting back to the guard.
"What?" The young lord's skin became clammy in an instant. Vader's thoughts were scrambling, nerves on high alert. How the fuck did she make it past the blast doors? An endless list of complications raced through his mind if she'd seen anything.
"I tried to remove her but-"
"But?" Vader said through clenched teeth.
"She heard them playing sabacc. I suppose it caught her attention."
Vader eyed the ceiling, tracing the span of paintings, "Did she see them?" His voice was void, numb.
"Yes."
Vader's shoulders dropped, his eyes falling closed as he raked a hand through his hair. Fuck. "What were they wearing?"
"Their normal attire."
A pained smile tugged at Vader's lips, no doubt they were donned in skimpy robes - it would be an impossible task to explain. If she'd seen the collars, for fucks sake - the barcodes. "Fuck."
Shaking his head, first things first he needed to get her out of that room. Trekking through the halls, he reached for her signature - his own anxiety elevated as he felt the state of her thoughts. She was panicking. Hastening his pace, he quickly reached her chambers, not hesitating to unlock the door. Once it slid open, his eyes widened noticing the Senator pacing back and forth - a pair of heavy sleep pants and sweater donned, covering every inch of her delicate skin up to just below her chin.
Her eyes shot to him in an instant, tears immediately welling. Vader glanced to the guard behind him before quickly slamming the door shut leaving them alone.
"I-"
"Save your excuses," she cut him off fiercely.
"I will have you transferred to my main chambers with door controls-"
"I've been in here for hours, just thinking,"
Vader froze, "O-okay."
"Mind explaining to me why there are five women in a supposed restricted wing of the palace that look identical to me!" Nothing had ever made the hairs on the back of his neck stand before, but they did as she asked him point-blank. As he remained frozen, the enduring silence only compounded his guilt. "I'm an idiot," her pessimism made his skin crawl with apprehension, "All those late-night meetings? I should have known- I- "
Vader's eyes darted wide, his jaw slightly dropping at her insinuation. "No, I haven't been here in months- since we met, I haven't been here!"
"Even on the off chance that you're actually telling me the truth - That still doesn't even begin to explain why they have collars, barcodes! You were a slave! How could you even-"
"They aren't treated that way-"
The woman's eyes shot open, "Are you listening to yourself," she gaped. "You deliberately chose those girls because you were what?" Vader stood there, not a single rational reply forming in his thoughts because in the end everything she was saying was in a sense true.
"Sith's hell," she cursed, "You're more twisted than I figured- And believe me I thought you were pretty kriffed up before!"
"You're right," he agreed, the woman froze, "I did pick them. I bought them because they looked like you." Visually he could see her becoming sick, he tried to ignore her reaction for the moment if only to explain. "But I never hurt them."
"'Never hurt them…' You can't know that!"
"If you recall I can read people's thoughts. I didn't do anything to them that they didn't want."
"So you're saying they wanted this!?" The incredulous pitch in her voice made his jaw tighten. His mind came to a horrifying conclusion as he unintentionally heard the Senators thoughts. She couldn't imagine someone being with him out of free will - because she wasn't. Her thoughts were guiding her down a path that perhaps she was even more his slave than they were, would be even more-so once they were married.
Vader stared at her for a moment, he'd never hurt any of them the way he had done so to Padmé. He'd been rough but not to the point where their entire body was plastered in bruises. Analyzing their relationship deeper, he'd been more open but that gave way for other feelings to emerge. His jealously, his paranoia, his obsessive tendencies - he began doubting everything he'd done. In a matter of moments, he felt anger twisting, his self-doubt spurring the only resort of evasion. He didn't need to explain what happened in the past. All that mattered was the present and future.
Vader shook his head, "All of this is in the past, none of them matter. I will free them- give them good lives beyond this place. All that matters is that I have you now. They are meaningless, they've always been as such."
The woman's jaw dropped slightly, "you're talking about people. You can't just speak of them as if they are nothing!"
"They are nothing!" He growled, his anger finally breaking through his composure as he took a step forward. The Senator inched away from him, the bend of her knees tapping against the bed. Caution seeped from the woman's signature as she remained silent, hesitant about arguing with him further. "I have divulged aspects about myself I have never shared to anyone before. You don't understand," your significance to me… He resisted the urge to finish his thought aloud.
Padmé adverted her eyes, "I would like you to free them, today." She whispered, "I don't need to know going into our wedding that you own people."
"Done," he agreed. Her eyes never returned his gaze as she took a seat on the bed, her hand reaching up to press the fabric of her turtleneck close.
He could sense how she didn't want to be touched or even gazed upon. Deciding it was in their best interest, he peaked at her direct thoughts. The first thing he heard was the word dirty. That she felt dirty. The list in her mind of the only things that could even begin the cleansing process was a shower and sleep. His teeth crunched together, she felt dirty? She felt that way only because she didn't believe him - all those meeting and hours of deliberation at the military headquarters she still believed he was at the palace. Leaving her only to be with those women.
"Padmé," he found his own voice strained, for the first time in this life he was desperate for her to believe him out of her own accord. She needed to understand that he never spent a single second with any of them since that day she was brought before him. Finally, she glanced to him, her eyes somber before they fell to numbness. He hardly even had time to contemplate what he was doing before he was down on his knees in front of her, "Padmé, I promise it has only been you since we met." His hands attempted to grasp her own and she tightened - every muscle flinching when he touched her.
"How can I believe you?" She whimpered, her nose scrunching ever so slightly as she forced back tears.
"I can show you if you wish," he offered, he could open his thoughts to her - make her see. She searched his golden eyes for a time, trying to determine if what he was saying was genuine. "Padmé please," he pleaded resting back on his heels, "I would never hurt you like that."
"I-I just can't trust you. You've already hurt me in more ways than one…" She cringed pulling her hands away, he could only watch as she stood, barely able to register that his own jaw was quivering. "I need time to myself. Please leave," she sighed turning away from him. When she left for the balcony, he remained a statue, unmoving knowing she was waiting for him to leave before returning. Rising to his feet, Vader twisted violently towards the door – his fist slamming into the wall, tearing a hole through the paint and mortar as he left her chambers.
The thoughts in his mind were twisting viciously. His body not even processing as he stormed through the halls towards the security wing. How she had accessed the wing was an anomaly, it was procedure for those doors to remain sealed, locked. The air around him was a vortex of ice, the fearful gaze of every intelligence officer locking on him as he charged towards Captain Defilk's office. His thoughts were rampant. Wrenching open the door, Vader thundered into the man's office. Immediately, the Captain stood at attention.
"My L-lord-" He began quickly, Vader's didn't hesitate to reach out with an invisible hold ripping the man from his seat to chuck him against the nearby wall. Accessing the palace server, the dark lord scanned through every holoprojection of the security footage from earlier that day. "If there is something I can help you find," the man began, tugging himself off the floor.
"Explain why the west wing was left unguarded," Vader seethed, watching the reel of events unfold. Rage tore through his body, hands gripping the edge of the desk throwing it violently, glass crashing around him. The Captain's eyes were terrified as he pressed himself further against the far wall. "Tell me Captain," he snarled stalking closer.
"The Emperor instructed me to have the doors to remain open," the jumble of words left him all at once. "Please my Lord! It was not my decision!"
Vader hands twisted into fists, vertebrae snapping as his head twisted towards the door. That's his plan - to make her hate me? The Sith seethed as he stepped over the broken glass, exiting the room. An emotionless haze crossed his visage, he wouldn't allow something so trivial to damage them. Dragging the commlink from his robes, Vader ordered for what he promised – the woman to be removed and sent back to their families.
The only positive aspect of the palace was that she could venture alone, no guards were following her every step as she strolled through the gardens. Darkness had fallen over the cities center several hours ago – she couldn't even recall how many laps she had made in the past few hours. The Imperial gardens were vast, but they weren't that vast. If she could walk out into a field and never return that would solve every issue plaguing her mind. Yet, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Every second since leaving that damn room all she could do was relive every mistake she'd made. Making her way towards the edge of the gardens, she stared out over the vast horizon. Force, Padmé wished she could be elsewhere. Her parents, sister, her entire family would be arriving early in the morning, and she wasn't prepared to see any of them.
Resting against the balustrade, she clutched her head resting it against the cool stone – it felt noxiously hot, her mind was a menacing vortex of torment. She had lied to everyone who was important to her, in return flawlessly pretending everything was okay. Last time she'd spoke to her parents, they were excited that she seemed happy. However, she was farthest from that. Could she even remember what happiness felt like? Trudging up memories, she found herself staring at the starless sky wondering where Obi-wan might be – if he was safe. She wondered if he ever thought of her. With the media in a frenzy, the current news had no doubt twisted his perspective of her. Shaking her head, she knew he'd never truly believe any of it, even if some of it was true.
The people who she always thought would stand with her – would betray her eventually with her current path. She wouldn't blame them. For all intents and purposes, she was facilitating everything. Even if there had been no attempts on her life, she was almost certain the Rebellion thought of her as a traitor. Not even Obi-wan could save her from the reputation she had earned over the past few months. Mon's death, Bail's disappearance, while she remained perfectly protected. A sanguine smile tugged at her lips, protected, what an absolute lie that was. Whether the Rebellion, Vader, the Emperor, herself, her time in the galaxy was waning.
Leaning over the ledge, her eyes lingered downwards, the sharp plunge to the city below seemingly a less painful alternative to the future. Hoisting herself up on the rail, the night's cold breeze touched her cheeks. Eyes fluttering closed, she listened to the silence. It was hard to find quiet in such a place.
Suddenly, a hand collapse around her arm, a yelp leaving her lips as someone pulled her from the rail. "What the hell are you doing!" Eryx's voice shot through her ears; a pair of arms coiled around her tightly before lugging her away from the balustrade. Padmé hadn't even realized she'd been sitting on the very edge, one slipup and she would have fell. "Fucking hell, Padmé," he fretted twisting her in his arms.
"I-I liked the air," she tried to reason, yet even to her – the excuse was thin.
"What?!" He shouted, hands gripping her too tightly, "What the fuck were you thinking! You could have fell!" Padmé's chin seeped downwards, too stunned by the fear in his declaration. She'd never heard him so panicked before. "Are you listening to me!" He demanded, his hands cupping either side of her jaw. "Well!" He shook her – hard. Snapping her from the trance, she jolted away from him.
"I was only listening to the quiet! Calm down!" She chided, shoving his arms away.
"That doesn't make any kriffing sense, bloody hell," he bit, manhandling her before trying to haul them back towards the palace.
"Please! I don't want to go back yet- just please let me stay," she begged dragging her heels.
His eyes searched hers for a moment, a small frown tugging at his lips as his thumb brushed away a stray tear that had fallen. "You cannot stay out here alone, if Lord Vader knew-"
The woman's eyes shot open, "Please don't tell him! I honestly didn't know I was… so close."
Witnessing his jaw tighten, he glanced towards the distant lights of the palace before his gaze returned. "I can't leave you here alone," he reiterated, his tone final.
"Then stay with me, I just can't go back yet." She pleaded, her doe eyes searching his for a moment. His grip around her arm loosened, before gently turning her towards him.
The alarm still hadn't left his darkened emerald eyes, "Why don't you want to return?" The question made her gaze drop, attention on the stone beneath her feet. Although Eryx guided her chin back to look at him. His expression perplexed and worried. She half expected him to find what was bothering her for himself but then she recalled that he couldn't.
"I don't want to be here," she whispered, "I-I- don't want this."
Eryx glanced to the palace once again, his adam's apple bobbing, "I can't help you." He sounded remorseful, for the first time she heard empathy in his tone.
"I know, but you asked," she sighed pulling out of his arms.
"It doesn't have to be this difficult."
Padmé rolled her eyes, "I'm no more than one of those girls he keeps locked away." Hearing his boots scuff, she turned to see his expression – his eyes had hit the ground.
"That's what this is about," he mused at the revelation, raking a hand through his hair. "I would call him having those girls a complement," he lightly chuckled striding past her towards a nearby bench. Watching him light a deathstick, she trailed after him slowly.
"What?" she scoffed, from her reaction - a small smirk tugged at his cheeks as he threw himself down onto the bench. His arm flinging across the back as he splayed his legs. A grimace appeared on her features, clearly not amused by his reaction. He didn't understand the severity, of course he wouldn't understand. Only a small percentage of her anger was due to the fact Vader had been possibly sleeping with other women, the majority was the fact that those women were branded – owned, couldn't leave.
"You really don't get it do you," he sighed, his head falling back to look at the sky.
"No, I completely understand the concept of slavery," she sniped, her teeth gritting. His head slowly fell forward connecting with her gaze, bicep muscles flexing as he pressed the deathstick to his lips. For the first time that night she realized that he was only wearing slacks, a tight black t-shirt, and boots. His evenly tanned skin on display in low city lightly from afar. "You think most of my anger is from knowing he's been sleeping with other women-"
"Wait- He wouldn't even contemplate touching one of them now that he has you. You realize that right?"
With a roll of her eyes, she sat beside him, "Quite honestly, perhaps not but, that isn't even the point-"
"Then what is?"
Padmé glared at him, "I suppose you wouldn't understand the revolting feeling that comes with being betrothed to someone who owns sex slaves."
The man bit his lip, "So you're more upset that he owns them in general," he nodded. Padmé rolled her eyes once again as she finally made her way through his thick skull.
"Took you long enough," she muttered pulling her knees up to her chest wrapping her arms around them tightly.
A light smile crossed his features as he shook his head, "From my recollection of the matter, Lord Vader never wanted them. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even be within a thousand lightyears of this planet, usually we'd be on the Executor, in the far reaches of the galaxy hunting your friends."
Pressing her cheek against her knee, a sigh escaped her lips, "I don't really care how he came to have them – bottom line is that he condones and participates in it, you do as well I take it."
Eryx inched back in his seat, "I wouldn't call them slaves Padmé. They have free communication privileges, can leave when they wish, travel, see their families, but they do go under strict guard and must return to the palace."
"Seems like they have more freedoms than even me," she said quietly, pulling at the tips of her fingernails. She never imagined them having those privileges, still they were property – it made her sick just thinking about it. While deep in thought, the inquisitor's expression morphed, a small frown forming as he took a drag.
Eryx remained quiet for a time, his eyes adverting themselves until he nodded, "You're not wrong. But your situation is entirely different. You must realize that now the Rebellion knows-"
"I'm a target, I get that," she finished for him. A despondent smile crossed her features, "You have no idea how much I contributed to that cause. I managed to acquire most of the initial funding for the rebel fleet." Eryx stared at her, eyes wide. "What? Vader never shared with you that I want all of this to fail?"
"Not to the extent you are revealing to me now," he said quietly.
"Well, I guess he doesn't know the magnitude, or he has never brought it up anyway. We don't really talk about my past to that degree."
"I would imagine he believes it's in both of your best interests for him not to know."
Eryx had a point, if Vader had truly dug deep into her memories about the Rebellion, they would also be his… Sidious would no doubt eventually learn the extent of her treasonous activities. "I bet he never even told you that I had an affair with a Jedi," she laughed twisting the stray curl that had fallen in front of her nose. The inquisitor tensed beside her, the ash remaining on his deathstick growing as it remained untouched. "Force, I thought I loved him," she drawled resting back against the stone bench, "Maybe I did- I just can't even imagine that emotion anymore."
"Why didn't you leave with him when the republic fell?" His tenor remained hushed as he asked, almost hesitant.
"Because I knew my place was here. What better way to compromise a system than from the inside? Might as well take some pointers from my mentor," she paused a moment, her mind drawn towards Palpatine – even though they had remained discrete, he still learned of their transgressions. He probably always knew. "But, here I am. With less than what I started with."
Eryx finally flicked the ash from his smoke, "You don't realize the true power you hold." His tone was quiet; eyebrows kitting together, Padmé couldn't understand what he meant. His eyes never even glanced in her direction as he continued, "When things change, you will be one of the most powerful people in the galaxy. Perhaps even more so than Lord Vader." She'd heard that once before, in her dreams… When he spoke to her about not understanding her own power. "Just by breathing you hold more power than the entire Imperial and Rebel fleets."
"You sound so certain."
"Because I am," he asserted, finally his emerald gaze connecting with her own. He was serious, no humorous mannerisms remaining from earlier. "I know Lord Vader is not allowed to harbor emotions for any person, but that is void when it comes to you. He would glass planets, annihilate entire star systems for you without question. Now that- That is true power."
Padmé inched away slightly, through her sweater the cold had reached her skin – goosebumps forming. "That's not the power I want."
"But it is the power you have," he whispered, the smoke dropping from his fingers, his boot twisting it into the stone. "However, you also need to remember that is shared power."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning if one day you decide to run again, he will use that power to find you -No matter the cost."
A swallow pushed down her throat as silence grew between them. Before she was forced into this marriage, Padmé had always imagined leaving Coruscant eventually. Perhaps out of free will or out of fear of losing her life, but now things were more complex. A harsh realization hit her, even if somehow the Rebellion found out the truth and understood why she'd made the decisions she did. Running away was no longer an option. If what Eryx shared was true, Vader wouldn't rest until she was back in his possession. That thought made the hairs on the back of her neck stand.
"That's a daunting thought," she finally whispered, wishing she had a glass of wine.
"And I will be there with him," Eryx revealed, the threat in his voice sending shivers down her spine.
"Why?" She breathed, "Why would you follow him so blindly?"
He shrugged, "That's how it has always been. My place is not to question him…usually."
"So, destroying entire planets in search of me is okay in your mind?" She gaped, standing from her seat.
His head rolled back to look up at her, "The destruction of those worlds wouldn't be on my conscience nor Lord Vader's. It would be on the one who believed they were in the right to take you."
"What makes you think someone would come for me?" She shot back, "What if I left on my own?"
He lightly chuckled, "If you could truly leave, you would have done it already."
Her nerves stewed at his double meaning. She couldn't leave because of Vader's guard and the hold he had over her mind. "The Jedi you were so fond of, is he still alive?"
"I assume so," she admitted, Eryx's eyes narrowed no doubt the list of remaining Jedi racing through his mind.
His lips parted, "Kenobi. Now everything makes sense…" He whispered eyeing her tentatively.
"What do you mean?"
"I was wondering why he'd sent two men to gather intel on Vandor. Now I know… he needed to know your status. He even bought information off Aphra to know how strict of guard you'd been placed under. None of it made sense. That mission must have been under his own discretion considering much of the Rebellion believes you've been corrupted."
Padmé's chest rose and fell more swiftly, he still thinks of me? Her mind bent around the idea - he still cares… Precipitously,Eryx's stature tensed, head snapping to the right, she followed his gaze, noticing a shadowed figure approaching them.
"Why are you out here?" Vader's deep voice sent shivers down her spine as the air around them turned to ice.
"I needed air," Padmé stated perhaps too quickly.
Without a word, Eryx stood from his seat, abruptly leaving them. Her eyes couldn't help as she watched him walk away. He'd given her something to hold onto – perhaps he'd still come for her.
"If you believe that there is a chance Kenobi will take you from me – you are foolish to believe such things." Vader intoned, his deep voice causing her skin to crawl.
"Will you get out of my mind?" She sniped, "I wanted to be alone but," she abruptly cut herself off, trying to refrain herself from thinking of how Eryx even found her.
"But what?" He pressed, taking a step closer.
"I almost fell, Eryx- he caught me before I did," she explained her eyes adverting themselves. There was no point in keeping the truth from him – Eryx had kept her alive, again. Vader reached for the hood of his cloak, gently lifting it by the shoulders allowing it to fall. Able to see his warm honey eyes, she was fascinated as they seemed to fluoresce in the low lighting. When his gaze connected with her own, she could feel her pulse accelerate. The anticipation of his reply eating its way through her nerves.
Feeling his presence gently pressing into her mind, she shifted uncomfortably. "You would rather be dead then be here." Padmé inched away from him, a swallow pushing down her throat.
"No," she assured meekly, "I just feel trapped." Padmé could only elucidate what he'd found in her mind. It was as if she were screaming in a crowded room, no one even glancing as if she were invisible. Vader's stare wondered towards the palace, his jaw tightening. "I mean… can you blame me for feeling such a way?"
His attention snapped back to her, "I would give you more freedoms, but your safety-"
"I'm suffocated by everything around me and at the same time I've never felt more alone." Padmé couldn't understand why she was being so open with him. Tossing her heart in front of him, hoping that maybe he'd show a modicum of empathy. "I know you don't care," she wistfully smiled, "but… I can't keep compartmentalizing every second of my existence – there just isn't enough room left. At least if I'd fell, my mind would finally be quiet."
Vader turned away, his eyes shimmering as their luminescence faded, ocean azure washing out the gold. "What would make things easier for you?"
Padmé's lips parted slightly, "Give me the freedom to at least make some choices of my own - let me be a person for once. I don't know."
"I cannot allow you to travel on your own accord," From his expression, she could tell he was bothered. "Even with the protection of my men, I am concerned of your wellbeing. It is not only the Rebellion that causes my trepidation. Once we are married, I am uncertain of Sidious' next move. You need to understand that my only desire is to keep you safe."
"What happens when you can't protect me from myself?"
Slowly, Vader's gaze locked with hers once again, "Padmé," he pled, hands collapsing around her upper arms. "Please just give me time," his broken nature caused her heart to lurch. He sounded genuine, compassionate, his azure eyes imploring. Biting her lip, Padmé's head fell to shield her tears. She wanted to forget everything; it would be easier - rid herself of the heartache.
"As I said earlier… I need time." She said quietly.
Reluctantly, Vader released her to step away to a conservative distance. "You enjoy speaking with him." His statement made her eyebrows furrow, completely unprepared for that response.
"What?" She whispered, blindsided. Watching his jaw clench, his eyes were seeping to gold. Gnawing on the inside of her cheek, Padmé couldn't understand what he was taking about or where his assertion had come from.
"Eryx."
"I would say it's easier to speak with him," she clarified, inching back. Noticing the absence of emotion in his gaze, something in his mind had shifted his attention away from empathy. Understanding that fact, Padmé remained silent until she shook her head beginning to walk towards the palace. There was no point, she felt as though they were going in circles. Confusion sprung her thoughts, noticing Eryx saunterong back towards them – indifferent as usual. Padmé's slippers scuffed to a halt before a set of hands grasped her upper arms. "Vader-"
"Let me ask you something Senator," the Sith lowly drawled, her heart skipped a beat hearing the wickedness in his tone. "Do you believe he is more honorable?" Eryx stopped short a few yards from them, not signaling a single indication if he knew what Vader had planned. Within a matter of moments, she struggled to understand his question. Her mind whirled as heat gushed into her body from his hands. Crumbling backwards, he caught her softly – his nose nestling the curls against her cheek. "Well?"
Padmé fought to recall when she'd felt similarly, her knees wobbly as she collapsed against him. "I- I don't know," she flustered, her voice slurred. Finally, she saw confusion in Eryx's gaze – his eyes plastered on the Sith lord. A shiver crawled down the woman's spine feeling the dark lord deeply inhale against the skin below her ear. "Can we please go?" With every neuron firing to make the request, she felt a low chuckle reverberate against her flesh.
"Why would we do that? You were so eager to be out here before?" It took her a moment to process his questions, her head swaying back against his chest. When she couldn't formulate a response, he sighed planting an aggressive kiss against the sensitive skin. Inadvertently, she quivered nestling closer to him finding herself content in his arms. When Vader moved cautiously away from her ear, she hardly noticed. His attention had turned to the inquisitor whose presence was no doubt requested.
"In this state, she will do whatever I request of her." Padmé could hear words but not their meaning as she tugged at his robes – wanting nothing more for him to hold her tighter. Eryx pushed down a swallow, his eyes darkening as they stole a glance at the Senator who was completely complacent in the Sith's grasp. "I know how much you want her." Emerald eyes remained fixated as Padmé slipped her hand under Vader's cloak to fiddle with his tunic. She wasn't even paying attention as the inquisitor inched closer. Both spoke for a time, the woman only catching Vader's concluding words. "If you touch her without permission, I won't hesitate to slice your hand off."
She didn't see Eryx nod nor comprehend as they began walking back to the palace. Tipping her head, she inspected her slippers – fascinated that they were moving with her toes nestled inside. A giggle escaped her lips as she wriggled the appendages, innocently distracted. She could only gasp when Vader swiftly wrapped his arm around her stomach, hoisting her up to regaining her attention.
"What has you amused?" He hummed against her ear, not even noticing Eryx wave open a door guiding them inside a dimly lit room.
"My toes," she smiled, a soft chuckle left his lips.
"Really?" He ruminated, gently seating her on a bed. As he kneeled in front of her, Padmé stared into his mischievous golden gaze until she heard a door swiftly shut. Eryx remained distant; his emerald eyes almost onyx as he rested back against the frame. When Vader began removing each slipper, her head immediately swung watching him closely as he glided them off each foot. Wiggling her perfectly manicured toes, the Sith gently caught one of them, delicately kneading the skin.
Shamelessly, Padmé trembled from the sensation of his leather gloves, her body melting as he pressed the top of her foot against his lips. "Relax," the Sith whispered against her flesh, heat flooding into her body as she rested back. Biting her lip, Padmé writhed feeling his hands slide up and under her loose sweats, his mouth planting rough kisses along the way. She was hardly aware when his fingers caught the brim of her waistband, tugging them off her body. Once the fabric was gone, Vader didn't hesitate to work his way back up her legs, his lips molding against the skin of her inner thighs. Fervor bloomed her desires as he hovered over her core, only thin lacy fabric between them.
Aloof, she didn't register or even care that Eryx had settled on the cabriole sofa to the right of the bed. His eyes now pitch-black saucers. All Padmé cared about were Vader's ministrations sending throbbing heat to her core as his lips trailed up her abdominal muscles, leather-clad fingertips raising her sweater. Tugging the fabric over her head, Vader left her almost bare, only don in white lacy lingerie.
Force, her body ached for him when his hands captured her wrists pinning them level with her eyes. With his lips slowly melting against her own, Vader's fingers effortlessly pinched around her wrists. Leisurely skimming down her forearms leaving invisible bonds in their wake. When his mouth floated across her collarbone and towards her chest, she moaned, writhing as rough leather captured her breasts. Seizing the newly exposed flesh, his lips collapsed around the sensitive pebble of her nipple. Hands molded around her waist, gliding up her body only to tear her brassiere, shredding the fabric. A high pitch gasp escaped her lips, cold air fluxing against her chest.
"Vader please," Padmé whined, wriggling against the unbreakable bond of the Force. A devious smirk tugged at his lips before he trailed down her stomach snapping her thong effortlessly. She couldn't even gather her bearings as he kneeled, hauling to her to the edge of the bed. Her mouth popped open feeling his breath tease her core. When she squirmed, Vader's hands ensnared her legs, keeping them open as he shifted them over his shoulders.
With complete access, his tongue plunged into her warmth – spurring a cry. Her head whipped, eyes rolling open to be met by Eryx's dark lascivious orbs as she moaned. A zap of pleasure pulsed between her legs witnessing his hand leisurely pump his large cock. A deep rouge flushed her cheeks, rivetted as his bicep flexed. The image of his veins and tense of muscle branded her mind. When his yearning eyes held her gaze, his chiseled jaw slacked, pearly white teeth gnawing at his bottom lip as he slumped forward.
A sharp tug snapped her from the sight, Vader's dangerous lustful black eyes recapturing her own. "Eyes on me angel… Wouldn't want our guest to have to leave now, would we?" A cry caught in her throat as his thumb pressed against her erogenous numb. "I need an answer."
"No," she panted. Vader teased her a moment, allowing her on last glance. The inquisitor's body was rigid, adam's apple bobbing as he waited. Without a second thought, her attention returned to the man buried between her legs. The room seemed sultrier than before as the Sith effortlessly lifted her lower half, his mouth and tongue lapping at her core once again. Unable to move her arms, her fingers twisted around the comforter – body writhing, indulging her need as Vader continued his ministrations. Padmé could feel herself crumbling, heart hammering as her pleasure abruptly crested. An erotic wail tumbled from her lips, eyes rolling as her back arched – every muscle seizing. Vader practically dragged her off the bed as she came, his arms tightly winding around her legs as he released her from the Force.
Once the glow of her climax began to fade, the Sith's grip loosened only to toss her back on the bed. With a thud she hit the mattress, Vader heaving away his heavy cloak; above her in an instant. His mouth crushed against her own, tongue conquered hers in a matter of moments as his hands clutched just below her breasts. Padmé was fervent, so devoted that when he sharply drew back, lips ghosting atop her own, she whined in disappointment.
"Do you want him to stay?" The sonorous nature of his tone made her twist with desire. Her doe eyes meeting an onyx pair, ones that'd been completely consumed by his pupils. Innately, her gaze flashed to Eryx, however Vader snagged her jaw. "It is your choice, angel," he pressed, "there is no need to look at him." Padmé hesitated replying, unsure of Vader's ulterior motive- "There is no other motive. I want to know if you are comfortable with him staying."
A blush tinted her cheeks, "Yes," her voice declared in a whispered.
"You know how much he wants to touch you angel?" Vader drawled against her lips. The woman shook her head gently, with a smirk his hand reached between her legs. A gasp escaping her lips as his thumb placated her hypersensitive nub. Padmé's mind threatened to think about how slick his leather gloves had become. "Fuck, you are always so wet," he moaned, two of his fingers gyrating against her clit before they were knuckle deep inside her core. Lurching, her lips longed for Vader's. Hearing her silent wishes, his mouth conquered hers. Vader's body dominating every inch of her skin as his fingers enchanting and stimulating every nerve cell. Toes twisting against the comforter, Padmé's fingers never hesitated to twist in his blond locks, her head slipping between the pillows.
When his fingers slipped out of her core towards the tight button of her rear, Padmé's shoulders tensed. "Do you want him to join us?" Vader hummed, his fingers testing her – gently pressing into the tight place.
Heat flushed against her damp skin, the temperature dismantling any reservations she would have had in the past. Unable to announce the truth aloud, she only nodded. Vader's head turned towards Eryx, "One wrong move and I will kill you where you stand." His voice was deadly, menacing as his fingers slipped away.
"Understood, Lord Vader," he cautiously agreed. The only indictors that he was feeling aroused at all was from the bulge in his trousers and his hazed over emerald eyes, clouded with lust.
"Let me know if you want us to stop," Vader whispered gently in her ear, leaving a kiss below the skin of her lobe. The Sith slowly pulled away, hoisting himself off the bed to toss his boots to the side. When he began shifting his tunic, a dip in the mattress caught her attention. Eryx's dark eyes scaled her ravenously as his fingertips ghosted her smooth shin. Heart skipping a beat, the Inquisitor's expertly toned pecks and abdominal muscles on full display – scars scattering over the taught skin. She almost compared the scars his with Vader's, yet even Eryx did not share the quantity that the Sith lord had acquired.
Vader's eyes analyzed them intently as he poured a glass of scotch, his shoulder resting against the wall as he took a swig. Padmé could tell Eryx was tentative. Even she wasn't exactly sure where they were supposed to go from that point. She knew that Eryx and Vader had an understanding– however she didn't know the limits to her own actions.
"That is for you to decide," Vader informed her, no doubt hearing her thoughts. Her head spun towards him; he had removed his gloves – the glass was clutched in his durasteel hand. She was surprised to see he'd also removed his undershirt and tunic leaving his chiseled upper torso bare. Only a pair of trousers hanging provocatively and unfastened at his hips remained. Padmé had never seen his eyes so dark, hair in such disarray with an expression entirely absorbed by virile nature. What caught attention his belt, his lightsaber dangling idly.
The woman nodded, her eyes seeping back to Eryx whose hand had drifted to above her knee. She forced a down swallow noting Eryx's continued wariness, his eyes screaming for relief yet his actions contradictory. Suddenly it became uncomfortable feeling like a statue. Finally, mustering the courage to move, Padmé shifted– her fingertips brushing across his scarred knuckles. Eryx's skin felt different than Vader's, unfamiliar.
"You seem hesitant Eryx. I've never seen you show this much restraint," Vader mused from his place by the wall, muscles flexing as he finished his drink.
The inquisitor's eyes flashed to the Lord's, "You can't blame me and she's just as hesitant as I am."
With a pompous smirk, Vader set the glass on a nearby table, "Come here angel," he sighed, Padmé's heart pounded in her chest as metallic fingers sashayed up her arm. His lips hungerly molding against the hinge of her jaw, the aroma of expensive liquor on his breath. Goosebumps rose across her body from the sensation as her head fell back against his shoulder. Padmé felt her mind succumb to her body's desires once again. "He's worried he'll cross the line with you," he whispered against her skin.
"What line is that?" She submissively wondered.
In a blur, Vader had tightly tangled his arms around her body – metal hand capturing her chin. "These are mine," he whispered, his thumb gliding across her lips, "so is this," sultrily muttering, his flesh hand pruriently cupped the space between her legs. His mouth didn't hesitate to assault her neck as his erection dug into her lower spine. Ankles digging into the mattress, she couldn't help but gasp as Eryx's hands slipped up her leg, his lips inching towards tarnishing the delicate skin with harsh lovebites. Suddenly, Vader yanked her back – hand shooting out collapsing around Eryx's neck violently. "Mark her and the same terms apply," Vader snarled through clenched teeth.
"Understood," the inquisitor choked out as the Dark Lord shoved him away.
Padmé was bunched-up in Vader's grasp, his taught grip remaining. When she felt his nose brush against the top of her curls, he snaked himself around her tightly. Something inside her wondered if Vader even wanted this, wondered if he wanted to share? "I'd never allow another man access to your womb angel," he glowered, his fingers sifting through her curls. Heart thundering off-beat, Padmé felt a new rush of heat flood her body from his words.
Flashing her eyes upwards, she found Eryx's gaze. His eyes were ravenous as if he were ready to pounce once she was released. Leisurely, Vader released his grasp allowing her float back down against the mattress. Struggling to unwarp her mind, Padmé pressed her dainty hands against Eryx's chest – her pale fingers glided across his deeply tan pectorals. Biting her bottom lip, she wasn't prepared for him to remain frozen, only his chest swiftly rising and falling for air. Other than that, he was a statue. Tracing her fingers over a deep scar that spanned from his heart diagonally towards his shoulder, she found herself wondering what could have happened. The chasm was deep for how old it seemed.
She hadn't noticed Eryx eyebrows furrow, nor notice his heart skip a beat as she innocently analyzed him. None of the other women even took note of his scars, too busy trying to rip his belt off. His eyes flashed to Lord Vader, the Sith's cavernous gaze a warning. He'd been with many women, but none as cautious as the woman sitting bare before him now. She almost seemed more interested in understanding the stories behind his scars, the one she was so fixated upon given to him by the Sith himself.
Padmé heart skittered when Eryx's hand rested over her own, their fingers intertwining. Craning his neck, his hesitation vanished, his hands slipping from hers – immediately spanning her toned stomach. His lips crushed against the space below her ear, yet not harsh enough to leave a mark. Fingers slipping to his triceps, Padmé could immediately tell the difference between the two men. His kisses didn't hold the same sensation, they lacked the spark that Vader had. However, that didn't mean they didn't feel good. He knew what he was doing, his ministrations tugging on her pleasure sensors perfectly as he splayed her on the bed – feeling every curve of her body. As his trail of kisses moved down her sternum, she wanted to know what they felt like against her own.
"No," Vader's deep voice echoed through her skull, the deep tenor of his voice sending shivers across her body – hands clutching the tendrils of Eryx's blond locks.
"Why?" She wondered back, "You've already let him go this far."
"Remember Padmé, you are mine," His tone was sharp when she sought his eyes. They were narrowed, his fists clenched before he poured another drink. Writhing under Eryx's touch, she struggled to remain focused – suddenly feeling soiled being pleasured by another man.
Hearing her thoughts Vader, finished the rest of his drink, joining them on the bed. She didn't know whether it was okay if she wanted them both. If Vader was willing to allow it – she wanted them, she needed them both. Eryx froze pulling away from her breast, his dark eyes staring into her own. When he glanced towards Vader, she knew that they were conversing. The inquisitor's fingers slowly glided towards her core only to go further towards the tautness of her bottom. Inching back, discomfort trickled down her spine.
"If you want both of us angel, there isn't another way," Vader droned. With the slightest movement of his hand, she felt something stimulate her erogenous numb. Crumbling back onto the bed, she nodded, only to notice Eryx leave the bed only to each in the nightstand and grab a small bottle. Her teeth clutched her bottom lip as Vader took over, his hands kneading her breasts, mouth attacking her own. Suddenly, he pulled away his cold metal fingers reaching out as Eryx handed him the bottle. Padmé could feel Vader sifting through her mind, his expression darkening as he lubricated his flesh fingers. In that moment, she realized what he'd been searching for – if she'd participated in such activities. Knowing she had, a deep rouse flushed her cheeks as his glossy fingers slipped between the lobes of her rear. A shiver etched down her spine, body trembling with anticipation.
Eryx gawked as Vader lathered her, his own hand coasting over his cock, slicking it modestly. His chest rose and fell, for the first time – in a long time- he was eager, the turn of events in his favor for once. Initially, he had believed he'd be leaving the chambers with a hard on - but now he could see relief in his future. Even if it was for one night, it was enough to sate him for a lifetime.
When Vader dragged himself off the bed, ridding himself of his trousers and underclothes, Padmé's heart thundered. Within a matter of moments, he leaned forward caging her in his grasp with his lips melting against her own. She became so lost with him, the spark, the fire annulling everything else. That was until she felt the bed dip, a set of lips molding against the nape of her neck sensually. A pair of hands gripped her waist, a slick, large, hot cock slipping between her cheeks. A tremble dribbled down her spine, suddenly feeling Vader's throbbing member tease her core before thrusting fervently inside her.
A horrifyingly loud moan escaped her as Vader's mouth dominated her own, his tongue taking advantage and slipping deeper. The amount of stimulation through the Force, the power of his cock and the viciousness of his mouth she forgot everything else around her. When she came, the pleasure was all encompassing, with a sudden wail, she'd felt a swift thrust from behind. Eryx buried himself inside her without hesitation, a loud groan thrashing through her ears as a set of teeth gently clenched the skin between her shoulder blades. His arm wrapped around her leg, dragging her towards him as Vader kept thrusting – the Sith's ministrations drowning out the pain that speared from the sudden intrusion.
"Holy fuck," Eryx moaned, "you're so tight."
Padmé's head fell back against his chest as he began thrusting, her entire world whirling as virile groans bounced off the walls. Every sound coming from her lips was muffled against Vader's chest, her entire body quivering. They were proficient, moving like a pendulum to hit every pleasure nerve in her body. Padmé's senses were at their breaking point, the immense heat fluctuating between them as their breaths overlapped. She felt lightheaded, could feel her organs shifting to make room as the two men created space.
"Cum for us again angel," Vader moaned in her ear, her entire body quaked – discombobulated as everything but pleasure vanished. Padmé screamed, her mouth wide as she bit down on the Sith's collarbone trying to contain herself as she came on his command. Eryx cursed with ragged pants against her shoulder, his trusts faltering, stiffening as he released himself. A few moments later Vader erotically groaned, his trusts seizing every bit of her attention as he slammed himself to the hilt, filling her with every inch of him.
Before her pleasure faded, she felt Eryx pull out slowly, shifting over onto his back. Padmé cringed from the pain whining as she latched onto Vader, his sloppy thrusts keeping her sated through the high. His mouth captured hers immediately, the passionate kiss captivating as she collapsed limp into his arms. Completely debauched, Padmé hid her face in the crook of his neck– not prepared to face what they'd done yet. She needed a moment, her body too hyper-stimulated to attempt moving. Panting, her nails dug against skin – her toes curling against a pair of legs. High off oxytocin, she felt herself crash, unequivocally gorged and ravished.
She felt slick, not only from the lubricant but from bodily fluids seeping from both of her orifices, the entire bed sopping beneath her body. Padmé hesitated to even contemplate what they looked like. Groaning as Vader left the bed, she didn't even realize he'd left to the fresher, switching on a bath. When he came back, donned in his boxers, he gathered her from the sheets. "What are you doing?" Padmé slurred, displeased, nestling in his chest.
"You can't go to sleep like this," he whispered against the top of her head, placing her in a warm water that cloaked her like the sun's radiant waves. A distinct odor reached her nostrils, the smell of bacta floating with the steam. Head resting against the cool marble wall, her eyes shut. She was exhausted, ready for days of sleep if it was allowed. "Don't fall asleep yet angel," Vader hummed as water waved onto her shoulders and over her disheveled curls. With her eyes gently shut, the blood in the water was of no concern. Padmé didn't know how long she rested in that bath, Vader washing her hair and body before lifting her out. Setting her on the plush seat beside a vanity, he dried her - at that time, her mind had returned.
"I can take care of myself ya know," she muttered feeling him meticulously dry her hair.
"I know." His voice was soft, gentle – Padmé had rarely heard it so kind. When she glanced at him in the mirror, his golden eyes were tender. She half expected them to be fading azure with his current nature.
"Vader, why did you allow that?" Padmé wondered, if only for a split second she felt him freeze before continuing his mission.
"I wanted you to be happy," he reasoned quietly, "I know you find him attractive."
Padmé rolled her eyes, "Perhaps I do, but… I never thought of-"
"I know," he cut her off gently, "before we are married, I figured it was best to alleviate some of the stress of everything."
Her lips pursed, "You're different," she whispered, enchanted by the physical connection they shared. "The feeling of your skin on mine is…"
"Like touching electricity," he finished in a murmur, placing the towel over her lap.
Biting her lip, she watched him grab a onyx silk robe from a cabinet, standing her up to slip the fabric over her arms softly. "How long have you known?"
"Ever since I saw you, I knew you were special," he admitted, his cool durasteel hand cupping her chin. When his lips pressed against hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers raking through his locks. Passionately, he brought them together, his arms tightening around her comfortably. She wanted to love him, she wanted to believe that what they shared was incomparable to anything else. After a few moments, Vader pulled away, his forehead resting upon her own. "You don't understand how important you are to me…" he revealed, "I would have never allowed anyone else to touch you if I knew you..."
Padmé's heart lurched, "I never thought of sleeping with him Vader," she tried to explain again, the truth emanating from her tone.
"I already told you, I know you never did," he sighed, "But I can't give you what you want. Not yet anyway." A frown tugged at her lips; he'd allowed it to give her freedom?
"Nothing you could ever give me would be enough," she whispered, knowing that in the end she wanted a different galaxy – one not under the tyrannical rule of a dictatorship.
Vader's adam's apple bobbed, "we'll see."
When they left the fresher, the comforter and sheets had changed. Eryx had thrown on his boxers, everything else on complete display. She watched as he tossed a jumble of fabric into the laundry collector the sight of blood catching her eye as it disappeared. Her eyes wavered, staring down at herself. Whatever injuries she'd sustained were now healed to the extent where she could no longer feel the pain. The only soreness that throbbed was from her lower body, the tenderness only natural.
Vader disappeared from her side, pouring three glasses of scotch. One he handed to Eryx, the second he nestled in her hand. Her nose twisted at the smell; however, she still downed the entire thing in one swig. Slowly maneuvering towards the bed, she sat down, flinching at the discomfort. Padmé could only hope by the next day she was feeling better, the distressing thought of feeling such a way around her parents made her flop back onto the bed.
Eryx slipped a pack of deathsticks from his strewn robes on the couch, popping two out as he handed one to Vader. Padmé swallowed, the discomfort that ached her body too much to overlook anymore. "Can I have one?" She wondered, sitting up from the pillows. Both of their heads snapped towards her, Vader handing her his before reaching into his own robes for another. Eying the drug cautiously, she took a hit, the smoke hitting her throat. The alcohol had numbed some pain, but the spice hit her hard as she laid back. Her mind was immediately muddled, the pain she felt no longer on her mind. When Vader and Eryx headed onto the balcony her eyes blurred, quickly snuffing the smoke in a nearby ashtray – it only took her a moment to fall asleep.
"That will never happen again." Vader's tone was strident, golden gaze absolute.
"Understood," The inquisitor nodded hesitantly before taking a drag of his smoke. When Eryx settled against the balustrade, his eyes lingering over the city – Vader's attention returned to the bedchambers. Padmé had fallen asleep, head already buried in the pillows, duvet tucked under her chin. His muscles tightened recalling the images from Athiss, he wouldn't let them come true. It twisted in his mind, all he wanted was to leave this place with her. With his Master's presence so close, he found himself remaining on guard every second – not allowing a sliver of his uncertainty past his barriers. Vader's jaw clenched, after the wedding Sidious was sure to send him back to the Executor, resume his hunt for the Rebellion. What would become of Padmé? He couldn't take her with him, that ship was no place for her even if he longed for it to be that simple.
"We can use her to get Kenobi," Eryx spoke assuredly, shattering Vader's thoughts.
Crushing the deathstick in his fist, hearing the Jedi's name sent rage to the Sith's fingertips. "What do you mean?"
"You know of their past, we know he still cares for her. We could use that to our advantage."
"A Jedi would never fall for such a blatant ploy." Vader had already thought it through himself not long ago. There wasn't a situation he could fabricate that could allow for such a tactic.
"That woman at the gala…Lady Kryze, she seemed close with the Senator. We know of Mandalore's sympathy for the Rebellion. Perhaps it doesn't have to be so obvious," Eryx proposed, his eyes darting to Vader.
"There is no way a former duchess would even contemplate doing such a thing without direct communication with Senator Amidala. I will not involve her in this." Eryx's eyes narrowed, his gaze shifting towards the horizon.
"What about that commlink?" Eryx murmured, "From my understanding, you believe Bail gave it to her that night at the Imperial gala. It has similar encryption signatures to other rebel communication devices." Vader ignored him for a moment, his mind bending around Lady Kryze's interaction with the Senator at the gala on Naboo. The Sith knew she'd seen the bruises, her horrified reaction that followed. That discussion with the Senator wasn't to only see a friend. But to also understand her wellbeing. An epiphany entered the Sith's mind.
"Where is the duchess now?" The Sith asked immediately.
"Still in the neutral mid-rim territories, she has yet to return to Mandalore."
Vader's hands tightened around the balustrade, "Did she make any transmissions with infrequent parties the night after the gala on Naboo?"
He watched the contemplation in Eryx's gaze, eyes locking onto the deathstick in his grasp, "One, but she'd contacted that entity in the past – just not recently. That's why it was never investigated, the transmission was to a jewel merchant."
"Where was the frequency sent?"
"To the Doldur sector."
Vader's mind sifted through the list of planets within the territory, many of them remote and hazardous. The wildlife found in that sector were the most dangerous in the entire galaxy, many residents leaving to more habitable places. "What an interesting place to send a transmission."
"The jeweler is legit; he is well known for the gemstones he can acquire considering many don't even want to travel there."
"The recon-droids, they couldn't locate anything of significance in that region. Yet…" something told Vader things weren't that simple. The Rebellion would know of their intentions. If they'd hidden underground, the droids wouldn't be able to designate their location. A malicious smirk cloaked the Sith's features, "The Doldur sector, that is where we need to begin our search."
"Your wedding is in two days-"
"Decipher which planets have been abandoned. We will begin there."