Reconnect - Part 2
WARNING (Yes its one of these chapters) : Violence, bodily harm and torture.
With a gasp, he sat forward, she was still there, but no longer at his lap, but at his side, on her knees and looking up at him, worried. His eyes widened slightly.
"Zaiya…" he breathed, reaching out to cup her cheek. He knew this face- not just as his apprentice but… "I remember." He managed, his hearts racing. He remembered his mother… the Sisters, his brothers and- and the girl that had been by his side from the beginning. His best friend. Despite the cruelty of the Nightsisters. Despite being torn apart. She came to him then… as she did now. The two versions of her melded in his mind, the Sith teachings undermined by these memories. She had shown him kindness, affection, trust and…
Her face lit up as she looked at him, reaching out with the soft hands that had tended his wounds, the ones that had picked him up after training… The girl she was once and the woman she had become merged and he grasped her hands, pulling her closer, still in shock from the invasion of his memories. She wrapped him in her arms and held him so tightly he could barely breathe. But he didn't care. He held her just as tight.
After a few long moments he returned to his seat, his head still spinning. When he finally looked back at her, she looked like she was about to cry.
"What's this? The mighty Nightsister would weep over a Nightbrother?" He asked with a weak chuckle, it had been so long since he had laughed. Or felt anything other than fury.
Her laugh was one of utter elation. "You do remember…" A tear rolled down her cheek, the relief in her was palpable. She dropped to her knees again, looking exhausted.
"I do… but it… it's strange… my master taught me that I was abandoned… that I was forgotten-"
"Never!" She jerked forward, a hand on his shoulder, the look in her eyes desperate. She was telling the truth the whole time… she had looked for him, she had searched for him for years, he could sense it somehow. Her loyalty indeed went deep, and he knew he would never doubt her again. There was one person in this galaxy that was his alone.
"I know it now… but I cannot ignore my master, he is the most powerful being in the Galaxy, I must learn all I can from him." From Sidious, he would learn that great power. As he promised to himself long ago. He promised. He could not give up on that, could he? He had to gain this power to protect her, to protect his brothers.
"You don't have to do this… you remember now, you don't need to follow him anymore!" She was almost begging him. By the Sith how had he forgotten this face? He let out a groan, his head was pounding. So many memories flooded his mind, and they fought against what he knew of the Sith. He needed to fuel his hate, remain strong in the way of the Dark Side… He was in turmoil… Yet there was still a seed of joy in him to see his friend again.
"I cannot run, even if I wanted to, he would find me..." He hissed, looking down. She reached up to touch his face once more, he leaned in to her touch instinctively, no longer feeling the need to put a barrier between them… at least for the moment. Though the Sith side of him demanded he push her back and remember her place, he forced himself to ignore it for now, even if it was difficult.
"Then let me help you, please, master, I would do anything to get you away from that monster…" She looked around, like she was searching for some answer written in the air.
"What would you do? Take my place? Kill him?" He scoffed.
"Yes!" She looked at him with a desperate expression that froze him to the core. She meant it… stupid sweet Nightsister. He embraced her, not knowing what else to do, he couldn't look at her face in pain like that.
"No. I will not allow it. We will continue as we have, I will hide my thoughts from my master, I will not let him find out about this excursion, the Jedi or you." He gripped her shoulders firmly, moving back to arms length. She nodded, seeming to accept what he had said. Yet she looked dejected. Why did that make him smile? No one else had such emotions about his safety, nor cared about him. No one in the galaxy would feel anything on his behalf. Except this strange little witch.
This is a weakness! Cried the dark voice in his mind. He grit his teeth. The voice was right but… he couldn't bring himself to do it. He had not felt this conflict before. His path had always made sense… but now? Now he was between the affection he had been shown… this… light that resided in him… and the overwhelming darkness that had been taught to him by his master. Though… with his memories restored, some of the things he was taught didn't ring true. He didn't know how he had managed to forget her, she was the one bright spot in his life… was it just beaten out of him in his training on Mustafar? No… it had to be more than that. His thoughts were clouded, it wasn't clear to him yet. At the very least, most of the memories had returned.
That of course led him to another dilemma, he remembered her as a child, yet now she was a woman and his apprentice. Could he treat her the same as he had been? At arms length and… he still had those feelings. Now he knew exactly what mating entailed… and… He tilted his head, looking down at her, would she make that face again?
"You once told me that if the selection ceremony happened… you would choose me…" He spoke softly, but he watched the blush creep up her cheeks and he smirked. This expression was one of his favourites.
"I… well - well yes of course I didn't know what it meant at the time. I have… learned since then. Though, you don't need that now-"
"Don't I?" He smirked a little wider, and her blush deepened.
"You…?" She searched his eyes, a little confused. "Master I…" He leaned forward, his lips brushing her ear.
"I don't break promises…" He hissed. He could feel her shiver, he knew he should push her away, or put distance between them- but this reaction from her was too enjoyable. Seeing Zaiya flustered was… delicious. Part of him wanted to continue where he left off, watching her squirm for him. "As I told you, apprentice, you are mine." She blushed even deeper, but did not make a move toward him, so he backed off for now. He would not force her. If they were to indulge in their mutual desires, he wanted her to want it as much as he did, begging for it. Until then he would have to practice some of that infamous patience his master had been trying to teach him.
"Always, master," She breathed, sitting back on her heels. "I am always loyal to you… I just… I have a bad feeling about this." She sighed, and he couldn't help but lay a hand on her head, her hair was so soft. Though he was frustrated by her doubt and after a moment, pulled away with a soft grunt.
"Perhaps your faith in me is lacking?" He growled, the Sith part of him starting to regain it's control.
"No! Never, master!" She gasped, her insistence was adorable. The Zabrak pushed himself up from his chair, beginning to pace the cabin.
"Tell me…" He glanced out the viewport, his voice low. "How are my brothers?" He heard her scramble to stand up, and could just feel the smile on her lips.
"They are well, I saw them in person not long ago." She chuckled, "Savage is nearly as tall as us now, he might even be taller once he is grown. They are both so excited to see you again…!"
"They… remember me?" He asked with a frown, turning back to face her, she nodded with conviction.
"I would never let them forget!" She nodded again, "I told them our stories, how you were always the fiercest one in training and always beat me when we sparred, they know you are the strongest of all the Nightbrothers!" She seemed so pleased. Foolish.
"I… see…" He murmured, she had indeed been looking out for him this whole time. "And do they know I forgot them? That I am trained to kill Jedi? That I have become the finest weapon in my master's arsenal? That I desire to destroy everything in my master's way so that I might stand by his side as a ruler of the Galaxy?" She was still then. She stared at him with a blank expression. This was one he hated, he wanted to see her face change, the way her lips curled in a smile or her eyes sparked when she was angry. Even the soulful gaze when she seemed saddened by something. But this gave him nothing and made him regret his words immediately.
"Is that what you truly want?" She asked. "To serve at the heel of a tyrant that will gladly kill you on a whim? Loyalty is not the Sith way, is it?"
"No. It is not, my sweet and foolish apprentice."
"So you will bow your head until he casts you aside and forgets all about you?" Her eyes narrowed, and he watched as her fists clenched in anger. There it was. She was beautiful when she was angry.
"I will take what I want, I will destroy the Jedi and I will become more powerful than you could ever have dreamed…!" He hissed. She looked uncertain, clearly she wanted to respond, to tell him to turn away from his master. He would not fail, so his master would have no need to abandon him.
"Then… I will stand by your side to do it." She admitted, but looked down. He frowned, his master was the most powerful being in the galaxy, he had much to gain by learning everything he could from the man… then he would be able to surpass him. And destroy him. For that was the way of the Sith, the student surpassing the master and killing him. When he was the true Master however… he knew his apprentice would not turn on him. This was how it was and how it had to be. He could not allow more of this conflict to uproot him. He stepped forward and cupped her chin, tilting her head up to look at him. Why did she look so sad? Did she not know he hated Sidious as much as she did? Though, of the two, she seemed the more foolish, as she didn't fear him.
"Very good, my apprentice." He hissed with a smirk. "We shall grow strong with the dark side… and destroy Sidious… when we do, you will be my true apprentice." He shifted closer, leaning in… when the console beeped loudly, indicating they needed to double check the coordinates. With a hesitant movement, Zaiya pulled away and tended to it. Soon they would be back on his ship, and Coruscant, where he could inform his master of his success in the mission, and finish what he started with his apprentice.
Zaiya was left rattled, saying little for the rest of the voyage, even when they changed ships, very aware of the eyes on her the entire time. She had thought if his memories returned then he might be more willing to leave that foul being and return to Dathomir, or perhaps travel as they had intended. But he still planned to learn from his master. She did not know how to convince him. The heart wrenching pain that was growing in her, the visions of destruction… she could sense something terrible would happen… that he needed to leave, she couldn't save him before, but she didn't want to fail twice.
What could she do? Knock him unconscious and drag him away? How was that different from what Sidious did? It was when they were nearing Coruscant, and he had finally redressed himself properly; and she could occasionally look at him without feeling like her face was catching fire, when she felt she had to say something. She didn't know what exactly was coming, but there was something.
When they had touched earlier, she had felt something, and seen a flash in her mind, a brief glance. It was of him, face twisted in pain and shock and… falling. Falling back into a deep abyss of darkness.
"Master…" She began softly, facing the console of the Scimitar. She felt him look toward her. "I would like… if you could promise me something." There was a pause, then a chuckle.
"Oh? Is there some favour my apprentice wants?" He had a sliver of amusement in his voice. "You have but to ask."
"Yes… in a way. If something happens to me, then I need you to promise me to keep going." She turned to face him and there was no amusement left in his expression.
"You think I would fall apart without you?" He scoffed.
"Of course not," she replied without hesitation, "But if I am unable to reach you… If I am unable to protect you, then please… I want you to keep going, to survive. I will always come for you, no matter what I encounter." She took a deep breath, "But… if I am struck down, and I die-"
"Enough!" He snarled in rage, "Doubt will only lead to failure! You will stop this talk!" She wondered if the reason he was so angry was the same reason she was feeling fear. She looked at him for a while in silence. Then nodded. If he would not listen, she could not change his mind.
The Scimitar landed in the hangar in the industrial district, Sixy had been powered down for the majority of the flight, her master had not wanted the droid's voice to irritate him. They left the ship, heading out to the open area of the hangar and the balcony that overlooked the industrial area, Zaiya intending to head to the clinic to keep her cover, when his gloved hand ensnared her wrist.
"Do not stray too far…" He warned, his voice in that low purr that made her weak. It seemed he had realised just how flustered he could make her when he did this, and was playing on it. How like a Sith. He pulled her back as they reached the base of the ramp, whirling her around so that his free hand could ensnare her waist. "When I have fulfilled my master's wishes, I will return for you… I think you might like it if I finish what I started…" He purred, his hand holding her against him.
Tunkasila… did he mean it? Her wide blue eyes stared at him. It seemed the sexy smirking bastard was awaiting an answer and so she tried to force herself to speak. "Do you mean to say…?" She managed.
"I mean…" He leant in to whisper in her ear, "That I will claim my mate who has returned to me…" The growl that escaped him nearly weakened her knees completely. "Is that what you wish?" His breathy laugh tickled her ear. She was weak to him, and she couldn't believe he was asking this. She hadn't realised what she had said back then when talking about taking him as a mate. But now… He pulled back slightly and his eyes met hers, a wicked grin on his lips. She had no chance.
"Yes master… please, itaca hi iyokipi ha." She almost begged, her mother tongue slipping into her speech. She could have sworn she saw his eyes roll into his head just before his lips crashed into hers once more. His kisses were fire, and she could barely think, unable to do anything but cling to him like he was water and she lost in the desert. His hands held her tightly against him, roaming across her back and along her hip, sliding backwards to- suddenly the cold air rushed in, his hands shoved her away and she was sent flying back, hitting the cold floor below. She looked up, confused, until she saw the flash of utter fear across his features.
Sidious was here.
Zaiya acted at once, and darted aside, finding a small crevice to hide as her master turned to face the cloaked figure that had just appeared. She had to pray that he hadn't seen her in that brief moment. That he could not sense her. That she had managed to calm herself and hide her Force signature enough.
"Welcome home, Darth Maul…" his aged and creaky voice called, Zaiya could only just see them through the slats in the vent she hid in. She needed to escape, but dared not move, or make a sound. She had to try to force herself to relax… had he seen her? Had he sensed her? She held her breath. The two hooded figures walked along the platform slowly, and the breeze carried their voices. "Tell me, my apprentice. Do you feel satisfied? Now that you have slain a padawan, has your bloodlust been sated?" Both Zabraks froze. She could see her master turn to face Sidious.
"You… you knew?" the warrior gasped. What else did he know?! Zaiya felt the bile rise in her throat.
"Of course." Sidious cackled, "Was it not I who set you on this path? Did you believe you would uncover a secret to which I was not already privy?"
"A trial." The zabrak response, "You were testing me… testing my loyalty. And I have failed."
"Have you?" Sidious' voice was suddenly low. "The Sith were born in defiance. You have but embraced the very nature of our order." There was a pause. "Though I had not expected you to go so far!" Suddenly Zaiya was pulled from the vent, the covering clattering to the ground in a loud clang, the Force dragging her across the ground to their feet, the wind knocked out of her, still, she scrambled to get up. "Did you think I would not learn of this, apprentice?!" The old man hissed. "To take your own student in order to destroy me?" Zaiya was nearly standing when she was wracked with pain, the zapping of electricity in her ears as Sidious shot bolts of lightning from his fingertips. She let out a scream, the pain flooding her senses and she knew nothing but the burning agony.
She tried to reach for the saber she had, the one from the padawan, to stop this monster! Her muscles locked and bunched under her skin, the volts forcing her body to contort and writhe. Her fingertips managed to touch the hilt, when the saber was yanked away, held aloft by the Sith Lord's power, and skidded away with the wave of his hand. He cackled, laughing at her pain and agony, she could hear him speaking to his apprentice and the Zabrak was speaking back but she couldn't make it out. She managed to open her eyes, the white hot sensation causing her vision to blur. She had to protect him!
"He's… not…" She managed, "It was… me…" The pain eased for a moment, leaving her gasping.
"What was that?" The Sith asked, amused.
"He didn't do anything… I was the one… that followed-" She cut off in a scream, as the lightning took her again. It filled her body and she was unable to move. She couldn't see her master, he wasn't there, he didn't speak that she could hear.
"Foolish girl!" She heard him say, "Do you think I am blind?" There was a brief reprieve, and she had to move, snatching up the fallen saber, and rushing at the old man in a desperate attempt to finish this.
He was too strong.
With a cruel laugh, he held out a hand and sent her flying backwards, tumbling across the platform. She slammed into something hard, her head suddenly pounding, something warm trickled from her head and down the side of her face. She realised she was backed up against a railing, her arm hooked the top rail to force herself up once more.
"I'm not…" She hissed through grit teeth, her eyes flashing in anger. "I am not… afraid… of you…" She growled, Sidious just laughed wickedly, the lightning engulfing her body again. She swung wildly, the saber in her hand, trying to throw him off balance, she was not strong enough-the blade being ripped from her hand. With a cackle, Sidious took up the blade and slashed at her face. Pain ripped through her, a hand flew to her face instinctively. She couldn't see! She couldn't see anything! Her screams filled the air as Sidious flung her back with the force, the metal railing she hit gave way. Suddenly she was weightless, falling back through the air and into the abyss below.
Notes:
Ohhhh I have been waiting for this chapter... both excited and scared for it. Things are gonna be... a bit dark for the next few chapters, it gets a little real but I have tried to make it not specific enough to be triggering.
Tomorrow's chapter is titled: Enslaved Part 1. So yeah. There's that.
As always I love your comments, feedback and critiques. As always, I love you all and thank you so very much for reading!
