One month later.
Exhaustion pulled at Padme's entire body. Even her legs dragged as she made her way through the palace. Thule's council session ran two hours longer than scheduled and the resulting work it had left her with was enough to fill her days for at least another week! She'd forgotten how difficult it was to work with a smaller group than an expansive galactic collection like the Senate. The disagreements ran deeper and grudges held firmer.
She only had one more task for the day before going home to her husband and child and forgetting this awful day ever happened. All she had to do was hand a contract uploaded into a datapad to Vader, or at least leave it in his office for inspection. Sabe had promised hours ago to have informed him of its importance while they discussed upcoming plans for the wedding.
The royal wedding.
Padme could still hardly believe it was happening. Soon to be announced to the public all over the galaxy tonight, Vader was marrying Arievel of Hysternia in just six months. It was all happening so fast! When Anakin came home from a royal council meeting, white-faced and still reeling from the surprise, he'd told her everything about the new couple's arrangement and sworn her to secrecy.
Life had kept her busy ever since. She hadn't run into Vader since his engagement and if she was honest… Padme wasn't sure she wanted to. How was she supposed to keep her thoughts to herself? What was he thinking entering an arrangement like this? A marriage without love, without even passion… It would be so empty. Wasn't he going to feel terribly lonely? She understood everything was different for a man carrying the weight of a galaxy on his shoulders, but her heart still ached for him regardless.
It didn't help that Vader and the Duchess of Mandalore made no secret of their relationship despite Sabe's frequent pleas. Whenever he was outside the palace Satine was usually by his side, keeping an appropriate distance between them even after the gossip holo-mags got their hands on images of the pair. What were people going to think about his sudden engagement to another woman?
It was chaos. Her heart hurt for Obi-Wan and the Kryze children back on Mandalore. They were difficult not to think about while the Duchess walked the halls of the Imperial palace as if she were Empress.
And now, another woman would be entering the fold. Arievel seemed to be clever and had been seen doing wonderful acts of good in public spaces, slowly capturing the attention of the public before she was named in Vader's announcement. Sabe had called the 'court of public opinion', but Padme couldn't summon the will to keep up anymore.
As she made her way through the palace, the Councillor felt the slight vibration of her private comm and lifted the small device out of the pocket of her sea-blue robes, smiling when she recognised Anakin's own channel. "Ani!" She brought it to her lips, "I just have to give Vader some documentation from Thule and then I'll be on my way home."
"I'd be surprised if he's there," her husband's husky voice fed into her ear as she walked, "He was supposed to tell Satine about the engagement tonight. They're probably locked away anonymously in some hotel so she can kill him in private."
"Don't say that!" Padme rolled her eyes though her smile didn't falter, "I'm sure it won't be all that bad." Satine was a good friend and she once enjoyed the other woman's company immensely. The Duchess had faced and overcome many hardships while commanding a peace that Padme wasn't sure she would be able to replicate in her position. She had every faith in the other woman's composure and control.
"How would you feel if I agreed to marry another woman while we were dating, Angel? Even just for show?" Anakin asked and the thought gave her pause. It would have broken her heart irreparably to see her lover by anyone else's side, even if the marriage was merely an arrangement. It would have been unbearable. "If you married another man, for show or not, I would have burned the galaxy down to stop it from happening."
"Don't be so dramatic, Anakin," Padme smiled, but something twisted in her stomach. She believed he would do exactly that if someone ever tried to come between them, nothing would stand in his way. Something hot and longing sparked inside her. She had married a passionate man, hadn't she?
"I'm only being honest," he chuckled, "Do what you need to and hurry home. We miss you, don't we, sweetheart?" In the background, Leia's answering laughter brightened Padme's smile. Gods, she couldn't wait to get home.
"I'll see you soon, Ani. I love you both."
Padme disconnected the transmission and re-pocketed her comm with a smile on her face. In just a week they would be back home on Naboo, far away from the politics and turmoil Coruscant brought into their lives for a while. There, she could forget Mon's uncomfortable questions and focus on her family as if none of this was happening. She knew Anakin was excited to get back too, even if he always felt a little guilty leaving Vader behind.
As she made her way closer to Vader's private wing of the palace, watched closely by the red-cloaked Imperial guards through their gleaming visors, Padme's smile died as the Emperor's new Head of Security, Vos Horne turned the corner and began to approach. Being of the Zaprak race, short, sharpened horns lined the crown of Vos's pale orange head. Light stripes of slightly darkened skin decorated his face and hands in ragged patterns and sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder if the man's entire body was the same?
The man was silent and slithering, always appearing seemingly from nowhere and Padme's skin crawled with dislike whenever they were forced to be in the same room. Vader trusted him, which had to count for something, but something inside her whispered danger whenever Vos was around. His pale, grey eyes were cold as a deep winter frost as he looked at her and fell into a deep, almost mockingly low bow. "Your Majesty," orange lips turned upwards into a smirk as he rose once again.
She was never going to get used to the bowing which came with her rank, it made Padme mindlessly uncomfortable, something Anakin found particular humour with, often sending courtiers and Senators toward her just to watch her cringe. Now, she forced a polite smile and a gentle nod, not stopping to converse even for a moment. They had nothing to say to each other and it would be pointless to force it. Vos likely felt the same relief she did.
The two guards stationed outside the entrance to Vader's private wing were silent as she let herself in and walked through the darkened parlour room. Overlooking the vastness of Coruscant, the view was spectacular and a marvellous reminder of the people the Emperor was here to serve, even in his free time. Often entertaining his more private political guests here, Padme knew how Vader spent little of his personal time in this room so she moved forward through the next door instead. He wouldn't mind if she stopped by his office to leave the datapad, she thought, it would be easier for him to find it later.
Just as Anakin predicted, no one was inside the Emperor's vast office, so Padme carefully placed the datapad on his wide desk – carefully rearranging his awaiting work so that her offering lay on top of everything else – and turned to leave. Her shoulders sagged in quiet relief as the Councillor made her way out of the expansive office and –
A woman's shrill scream ripped through the air, ear-splitting and furious, pausing her in her tracks. Just as she began to wonder what was happening, the familiar woman's voice cut through the silence again, growing disturbingly closer with each passing moment. Padme panicked and threw herself behind one of the large rows of pillars which filled the hallway, flanking each doorway of Vader's rooms just as the doors at the very end of the hall peeled open to reveal the Emperor and Duchess Satine storming inside.
Vader's face was thunderous. He looked angrier than Padme had ever seen him before as he glared at Satine while she balled up her fists and began to hurtle petty insults toward her lover. "You… You're a user! You're pathetic!" The Duchess screeched, "I left my family for this?! To be humiliated and put aside before all the galaxy?!"
Distracted by Satine's upset, the Emperor didn't seem to sense Padme's presence and she had never been more grateful for anything. Maybe they would continue into the bedroom to finish their argument and she could slip out undetected? Goddesses, she hoped so… To be found here, hiding like this and listening into a deeply personal argument would be mortifying, she would never be able to face Vader or Satine ever again!
"You aren't being put aside, Satine!" Vader hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "This is – Arievel is – "
"Do not say her name to me!" She glowered, "I don't want to hear it!" For emphasis, the Duchess grasped the curved rim of a likely priceless vase and threw it at her lover with every morsel of strength she possessed. A normal man would have taken the hit, perhaps even been wounded from such a hard swing and the shattering of the piece, but Vader simply raised a hand and caught the decoration in mid-air, stilling it before it could make impact and tactfully lowered it to the carpet once more.
"Enough of this, Satine!" He glared, "I've told you again and again this marriage is for show! It's to stabilise my rule!"
"And to give you children, no?" She shrieked, jabbing a pale finger into Vader's broad chest. "Are you telling me you aren't going to sleep with her? That you didn't choose her to carry your oh-so-important royal heirs?! Do you think I'm a fool?"
"A fool? No," he rolled his eyes, "Unstable? Increasingly so."
Padme closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the cold pillar. Oh, Vader, she thought, that was a mistake. If Anakin ever said something like that to her? A small pang of rage coiled in her stomach at the mere thought.
Maybe if she was careful, she could slip back inside the office and just throw herself out of the window? She could comm Anakin to come pick her up as she fell through the air… That would be better than this. Nothing could be worse.
"Oh, go fuck yourself!" Satine roared, "The only one unstable between us is you!"
"Arievel and I have an arrangement, nothing more!" Vader caught his lover's slim wrist in his hand as she made to shove him, "Neither of us are looking for romantic love from each other. She wants her family's reputation restored and the security of my position and in return, she'll give me the heirs I need, Satine, that's all! She isn't replacing you." Satine shook her head and began to weep, her shoulders shaking from the immense effort of the sobs tearing through her body.
There would be no good moment to reveal herself, no perfect, non-humiliating time to step out from behind the pillar and admit her presence, so maybe now, since the worst of the fighting seemed to be over, this might be the opportune –
"Wait a moment," Satine wretched her wrist free of Vader's grasp with widening eyes, "If she is to be your Empress, that means… She'll share these rooms with you, won't she? I'm going to be moved to some hidden squalor where no one can see me, aren't I?"
Vader's eyes fell shut so heavily, that Padme wondered if he felt strong enough to stand much less continue this fight. "As Empress, it will be her right to – "
More screaming. More crying. Satine pounded her fists against the Emperor's chest and he withstood each blow without retaliation, eventually catching her wrists and shoving the Duchess away by a step or two. She shook her head and wiped at her wet cheeks, "Do not come to our bed tonight! I will not be held responsible for my actions if you do!"
Satine turned and stormed away with a bitter cry, her emerald skirts rustling with every step she marched down the hallway toward Vader's bedroom. Padme waited in the silence that followed and prayed Vader would follow her, even just for a few minutes so that she could slip out without notice. Anakin was going to be wondering what was keeping her by now. Gods, what if he commed her? What if Vader heard the vibrations and –
"How long have you been there?" Vader's low, incensed voice shattered through the silence and sent panic surging through the Councillor's entire body. How did he know she was here? Now the fighting was done, perhaps his mind had cleared enough to sense her presence? Padme's cheeks flushed scarlet as she took slow, reluctant steps out from behind the pillar.
"I – I am so sorry…" She began but her usually sharp mind emptied, "I – I didn't mean to… I was only here to drop off something from Thule and… Vader, I'm so sorry… Are you alright?"
Pale shock and absolute fury painted the Emperor's face as Padme finally forced herself to look up and meet his raging golden eyes. "How long were you there?" He gritted out. She watched his jaw tense and lock as he bit back whatever wrathful words his anger wished him to say and she glanced to the ceiling.
"I…" There was nothing she could do to make this any better. The truth was only going to further humiliate and enrage him and she suspected Vader would see through any lie she managed to string together. The last time they had been alone together, he had crashed through her every boundary and control and now this? Honestly, she wasn't sure which was worse. "Vader…"
"Get out," he sighed, rubbing his forehead exhaustedly, "I mean it, Padme. Get out of my rooms and this palace before I say something I'll regret."
He didn't mean that. He was just upset, she told herself as she nodded and began to step around the Emperor to make her way through the door, watching her feet drift across the carpet as she did. As the door hissed open to release her, Padme's steps faltered, pausing her body halfway between staying and leaving. "Vader, I just want to say – "
"How many times must I repeat myself?!" He whipped around so quickly that Padme flinched. "I told you to get out! I mean it! Get the fuck OUT!" Vader's echoing roar sent her running as fast as her legs could carry her beneath the heavy layers of her skirt.
It wasn't until Padme made it to her private ship where Captain Typho was waiting with a smile to fly her home that her heart began to slow its frantic pace and the panic soaring through her chest allowed a full breath into her quaking lungs. Vader had never talked to her like that before! She had never seen him so angry with anyone! By the time her ship hovered by the veranda of her apartment, Padme's hands were still shaking and her breath was not quite as even as she would like. She only just remembered to thank her friend and Captain before dismissing him for the night and heading inside.
"Padme?" Her husband called when she stepped inside the living room and leaned heavily on the arched doorway. Lifting her eyes, Padme saw him on the pale yellow sofa holding Leia securely in his arms. The little hover-cradle sat nearby waiting for Leia to be placed inside once she was asleep, which wasn't far away judging by the way her eyes drooped heavily as she suckled on her pacifier. "Angel? What's the matter?"
Concern filled Anakin's bright blue eyes as he carefully stood and placed Leia down in her cradle, freeing his arms to reach for her, encouraging Padme to come further into the room. If it wasn't obvious already in her face and actions, she would have guessed he sensed her trepidation with his powers. Shaking her head, she leaned into her beloved's strong arms and pressed her cheek into his broad chest. Anakin held her at once, cupping her nape and snaking an arm around her waist and she began to feel a little better.
"I'm fine," Padme murmured into his chest, wanting to lose herself in his warmth and strength. "Really, I'm alright, Ani." And she was, the encounter with Vader had just been a little shocking, that was all. After a moment, she pulled back enough to meet his worried gaze. "It's… Well, I told you I had to give Vader some things from King Thule," when he nodded, she continued, "I went to his rooms in the palace and no one was there, so I headed straight for his office and on my way out again, he came in with Satine. He told her about the engagement."
"Ouch," Anakin winced, lifting his hands to stroke her upper arms softly, "That must have been uncomfortable."
"They stood right in the doorway so they couldn't see me, but I couldn't help but overhear everything. It was terrible. Satine was out of her mind about it… I've never seen someone so upset before. They said things… things nobody else should have heard and when Vader realised I was there… He was so angry. He was angrier than I've ever seen him, Ani." The words rushed out of Padme's mouth in a breathless tumble she couldn't control. Just talking about it was mortifying, even with Anakin, and she wanted to forget it ever happened and never see Vader or Satine ever again.
When she was finished, Anakin's hands tightened their grasp around her upper arms and his eyes flashed dangerously. "What did he say? Hm? Did he do something?" He was always so protective over her, to find and punish anyone who ever threatened Padme or their family, even his brother. She made herself smile and leaned upwards on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek softly.
"Nothing," Padme shook her head, "Vader didn't do anything, just yelled and cursed a little, but I'm fine, Anakin. Just a little shaken is all." It had been a very long time since someone had raised their voice at her to such an extent, but she was a grown woman and she could take it. Especially when she was in the wrong. "I should have shown myself right away, I just panicked… Ani, I'm so embarrassed."
He sighed heavily and pulled her back into the warmth of his body and she was all too happy to wrap her arms around him, relishing in his comfort. "I'm sorry that happened," Anakin said after a few moments, "I can't imagine this is easy for either of them."
"Mmm," Padme hummed in agreement, "You should go see him. The argument was terrible. Vader probably needs his brother more than I need my husband tonight."
"You think so?" Anakin pulled back from her once more, "It was that bad?"
"Worse." She shook her head, "Go see him, even just for an hour or two."
Instinctively, Anakin knew exactly where to find his brother. He had known the very moment he stepped foot into the palace he'd once called home and that feeling had carried him through the empty hallways until he stepped leisurely through the doorway to Vader's office. It was where his twin always came to hide himself away from life and the galaxy when it became too much. Vader was similar to Padme in that aspect, they liked to bury themselves in their work until things got better.
Surprisingly, Vader wasn't at his desk where Anakin expected to find him, but instead lounged carelessly on one of the deep red sofas in the corner of the room, nursing a half-empty bottle of Corellian brandy in his slack palm. Force help him… this was worse than he'd thought. "Anakin…" His twin slurred when his golden eyes noticed his approach. "I suppose you're here because I yelled at Padme…" Vader sunk lower in his seat, "Shouldn't have done that. Tell 'er I'm sorry."
"No, you shouldn't have," Anakin carefully fell into the seat opposite his twin, "And if you were anyone else, I'd kick your ass for raising your voice and cursing at my wife regardless of how much you've had." It wouldn't exactly be the first time he'd raised a hand to his brother for Padme, would it? Shaking his head, he silenced such thoughts immediately. The past was gone and dealt with. "I'm sorry you fought with Satine. I'd hoped it would go better."
"I don't know what I expected," Vader sighed, "but I really thought I could make her see things the way I do! Nothing has to change that much – only publicly. Arievel knows who and what I am and it's what she wants. She doesn't expect me to love her."
"And…" Anakin wet his lips, considering his next words carefully before he spoke. The last thing he needed was to make Vader feel worse, after all. "Couldn't it be possible for Satine to divorce Obi-Wan and marry you? Wouldn't that fix everything?"
No arranged marriage, no heartbroken Satine, it would solve Vader's every problem. Obi-Wan might be an issue for a little while, Anakin couldn't begin to imagine what the other man had to be feeling, but he would come around eventually, he was sure of it. After a moment, Vader closed his eyes and brought the brandy back to his lips for a long gulp.
"I can't marry Satine," he muttered, "Manda… Mandalore is determined to keep its independence from the Empire. Can't have its ruling Duchess be Empress of an Empire they want nothing to do with."
"Right," he nodded sadly. That made sense, as infuriating as it was. Anakin knew all too well how the ridiculous rules of bureaucracy could destroy a happy relationship, his father's rules had almost torn him and Padme apart. "I'm sorry, Vader." The brothers sat in comfortable quiet for several long minutes before Anakin shook his head, leaning over to pluck the bottle from Vader's loose grip. He made a noise of protest but was too slack and inebriated to put up any real fight to gain it back. "I'm making you some caff. You need to sober up."
He went to the machine not far away and fiddled with the pristine silver buttons, carefully selecting how much of exactly what went into the beverage. Vader needed to sober up and sleep not be awake all night agonising over the fight. The device buzzed and whirled as it began to pour steaming liquid into the stylish mug Anakin picked from the offered selection.
How long had it been since Anakin himself had been in here hardly able to speak through his slurring, drunk out of his mind with fear and anger after finding out Padme was pregnant for the first time? Vader had taken care of him and knocked some sense into him, now it was his time to return the favour.
Handing the steaming caff to Vader, Anakin dropped back down into his seat. "You need to sober up if you're going to make things right with Satine."
The Emperor took a careful sip, cupping the warm mug as if it were something precious in his hands. "It's good… I'm surprised."
"Padme needs around two of these every morning to function," Anakin gave a soft laugh. His wife without her caff was an adorable but terrifying creature who couldn't bear to face the galaxy. "She makes it better, but I've gotten my fair share of practice in perfecting it."
"Of course," Vader sighed heavily. "How easy you make marriage sound…"
Whether the comment was designed as a jab or a show of slight envy, Anakin ignored it. "Vader, listen to me, are you sure it has to be this way? That you don't have any other option?" He wanted his brother to be happy, to find someone he loved and enjoy his life. For as long as he could remember, all Vader ever wanted was the throne. It had been his purpose, his destiny, and now it was his but the longing he sensed his brother feel hadn't dissipated. There had to be more.
"You don't understand…" Vader shook his head, pinching harshly at the bridge of his nose. "There are things… Force, Anakin you don't even know half of what I am facing right now…"
"Then tell me!" He reached for his twin's shoulder but was shoved away. Anakin's hand lingered awkwardly in the space between them, unwanted, unsure, before falling back to his lap. "I'm here for you, Vader, I always have been. Let me in. Let me help you."
The Emperor shook his head and there was a firm finality in the act. "Not tonight… not… I can't discuss it tonight…" He looked exhausted and pale and so utterly ragged for a moment that Anakin scarcely recognised his own twin. Vader was always bright and full of life, but recently, something had changed within him – even in the depths of his force signature – but he couldn't place his finger on what exactly. "I need strong heirs to follow after me, Anakin. My heirs. Or else…"
"What is it? Or else what?"
Shaking his head, Vader slumped further onto the sofa and the sight was mildly distressing. He was not a man who bent or slumped or was ever sloppy in any capacity. The Emperor held constant control over every single aspect of his life, but tonight he was not the brother Anakin had known his whole life. He looked ordinary. Tired. Overworked. So far from the supreme being who reigned over the galaxy with ease.
The silence rang loudly in Anakin's ears and he shifted uncomfortably, leaning his elbows on his knees. Fine, if Vader didn't want to talk about these things, there were plenty of other subjects they could discuss before he kicked his sorry ass into bed. "Padme wanted me to tell you she's sorry, by the way, about what happened. She didn't mean to intrude."
"It's fine," Vader waved a dismissive hand and drank another long sip of his caff. "It was an accident."
"She thought that I should come here and talk to you."
At that, the Emperor rolled his eyes and glowered into the darkness of the room as if Anakin had said something offensive. "I don't need to hear about your perfect marriage, brother. Not everybody can be so damned lucky."
"Perfect?" Anakin scoffed, sitting straight to meet Vader's bright golden gaze. "Padme and I aren't perfect, not even close." A small chuckle fell from his lips and he shook his head. There was no such thing as a perfect relationship and even if it were possible, his marriage was not it. They almost lost each other in the very beginning to half-truths and stubbornness. He almost pushed her away by his own naive refusal to grow up and be the man Padme needed by her side. And now? They were happy. This was the happiest time of his entire life, but they had their flaws. Vader only gave him a withering look. "What? You think we don't fight? You think I don't want to tear my hair out sometimes because she frustrates me so much? Well, we do. We're normal."
"The hell do you two have to fight about?" Vader muttered bitterly, "Who loves the other most?"
Rolling his eyes, Anakin said, "Well, just last week we had a big one, actually… Padme says I'm messy. That I leave things laying all over the house and apartment. She tripped over an engine manual I left on the floor and, force, I haven't seen her that mad in a long time."
Vader gave a small chuckle and shook his head. "Hardly a serious disagreement, is it? If some mess is the largest trouble you're having then – "
"I didn't say it was the biggest," Anakin shook his head, "Not even close."
"Then what?"
"Padme is…" Anakin sighed heavily, carefully searching for the right words, "She's the most driven, passionate woman I've ever known, and I love that about her. I always have, but she can get too caught up in her work and lose sight of her real life from time to time." Just recalling the fight they endured weeks ago was enough to tempt him to finish Vader's brandy for himself. It had been brutal, all raised voices and boiling rage at each other. They rarely fought like that in their whole relationship and the regrets in the silence afterwards had been agony. "You remember how we struggled to make time for each other after Leia was born," he said, "Well, it got better after finding a nanny to help out and we promised to always make the effort with each other. We were supposed to go out and get dinner, we'd hardly seen each other all week, but she agreed to a last-minute meeting for some 'emergency' or another and it ran so late that we not only missed the reservation but the restaurant's opening hours entirely."
Vader's eyebrows lifted in surprise and he gave a soft wince. "That's… I can see why that would be frustrating… You were angry with her when she got home?"
"Furious," the bottle was growing more tempting by the moment, so Anakin pushed himself off the armchair and toward the caff machine instead. Better this than going home reeking of alcohol. "I was so angry with her and she got defensive citing 'duties' and 'no choice', of course." The machine whirled and buzzed, humming and vibrating as his fingers pressed the small screens and selected what he wanted. "It wasn't a fun night for either of us."
Vader was quiet for several moments, nodding shallowly as he processed Anakin's words. In the silence, the caff machine poured the hot beverage into his waiting mug and small curling wafts of steam danced through the air. Eventually, his twin began to frown. "How do you do it? How can you learn to forgive all the resentment and just be happy?"
Lifting his drink, Anakin made his way back to the crimson armchair and eased himself down once again. "I don't think anyone in the galaxy has ever mastered that, Vader. Nobody is absolutely happy all of the time… but for me, Padme and I love each other, we've built a life together and we choose that life over everything else… We're always going to get mad at each other now and again but that's normal, I think? I know I wouldn't change us for anything."
"But – "
"I love my wife more than I care about some dinner," he shrugged, "That's how I look at it anyway. We had a long talk and we moved on afterwards. She even surprised me with a meal she cooked all by herself as an apology… That's all there is to it. If you love Satine, Vader, then talk to her. Tell her how you feel, and reassure her that this marriage is only for show. Do whatever it is you need to do that she believes you."
"I don't..." Vader began, sighing, then said, "I've been trying," he rubbed his hand over his eyes with a small groan, "Satine sees this marriage not for what it means to my reign, but for us. She sees that once I declare Arievel as my wife-to-be then she is no longer my lover, my partner, but my mistress. She says I'm tainting our relationship."
Heaving a great sigh, Anakin wet his lips and grasped his mug just a little tighter. Maybe if he spoke his mind and revealed his true thoughts, Vader might feel a little better? "Look," he braced himself for the truth, "Satine made her own choices when she left Obi-Wan and her kids and didn't return to Mandalore when she was supposed to. She knew that she didn't plan to surrender Mandalore into the Empire and what the consequences of that were. She isn't just with you, she's with the Emperor. You aren't a normal man and it was never going to be a normal relationship." Anakin imagined how he might feel if Padme suddenly decided to leave their marriage and pursue a relationship with another man. How Leia would feel if her mother simply disappeared one day. It shook him. "You aren't abandoning her, Vader. You're doing what you feel you must as Emperor, so she has two choices. Accept it or leave."
It was that simple. Satine could go back and rule her homeworld from within Mandalore and repair her marriage or she could stay and she could deal with the new reality of her relationship with Vader. Perhaps it was more complicated than she had originally thought, but if she truly felt for him, wouldn't the answer be obvious?
"I don't want her to leave," Vader muttered. He stared deeply into the cooling mug of caff in his hands as if contemplating beginning without the icy Duchess all over again. "I'm fond of her, Anakin." A silent but approaching 'but' hung heavily in the air, stifling any response he may have, so he waited. And waited. And then, "But, force help me, she makes everything so damned difficult sometimes. Not just about my engagement, I fear I deserved every part of her response to that, but... It's exhausting. And sometimes… sometimes I think of all those years ago, when it was just you and me, drinking and planning for when I came to the throne at last. Things were easier then. Romance complicates things."
"We were different people then," Anakin brought his mug to his mouth and inhaled the soothing scent of caff as he drank, remembering the young, naive men they once were.
"Do you ever feel tired of it, brother? This life we've built for ourselves? Do ever wish we could go back to those simpler days and re-live them?"
Anakin drank as he thought about it. When their father was still alive but barely so, trapped by the binding laws he designed to rule their lives even in a state of total unconsciousness, things had been simpler. He remembered spending his days running the military and attending Senate sessions, spending every moment staring at the Naboo delegation's pod to catch even a mere glimpse of Padme. He had been so sure then that his love was doomed as an impossible fantasy, absolutely forbidden and unreciprocated. It had felt then that his life was completely set out, he would be the second Prince, the Supreme Commander and help Vader in whatever he needed to rule and nothing else. And then that night, that celebration in the Hedsard estate had changed everything. Would he like to go back? To shed his every personal responsibility and commitment and be free to roam and pine once more?
"No," Anakin shook his head, his decision absolute. There was nothing in the galaxy which would ever convince him to walk away from Padme and Leia even for a moment. Sure, there were moments when Leia's screams kept them awake all night when he might long for past nights of quiet or when he and Padme were irritating each other where he wanted to hide in his office, but he would change nothing about this life they shared. "I don't want life before Padme. She's my soulmate and I'm happier with her than I ever was without. Those days were more misery than joy for me."
A small, wounded smile crept upwards on the corners of Vader's lips. "I think those days were some of the best of my life."
"Damn, Vader, I'm sorry," he reached for his brother but the Emperor held up a hand to stop him, freezing Anakin's hand mid-movement.
"It's fine, I don't blame you," he said. "I just miss how thrilling it was, to not know what it would be like to rule fully. How exciting it felt to plan everything I wished to shape the galaxy into. I don't miss our father or the rules he had in place but… I miss that fierce drive I used to have. I miss being young."
Rolling his eyes, Anakin scoffed. "We're still young, Vader."
"Doesn't feel like it sometimes." The brothers shared a soft laugh and Anakin relaxed a little more tilting his neck from side to side to ease the slight tension which ached in the muscles there. "Tell me," Vader said, "Fatherhood… is it worthwhile? Does it truly bring you the joy people say it does?"
Anakin didn't have to think about his answer. "Yes. Absolutely yes," he said with a nod. "You know how reluctant I was about it – it was the last thing in the galaxy I wanted for myself after what father put us through. But Leia is…" A breathless, tumbling laugh fell from his lips as he thought about his little girl, "Force, Vader, she's amazing. I love her so much. I can't even imagine what a life without her would be like anymore."
"It's funny," Vader smiled fondly to see Anakin's happiness, "I truly believed that you would never have a family of your own, you were so against it. You just always seemed the less likely of the two of us to settle down and build something for yourself." His words were not bitter now, but pleased, proud even. "Padme has changed you for the better I think."
"Oh, I know she has," he agreed at once, "She, Leia and Ahsoka have made me a better person than I ever thought possible." Mentioning his apprentice was still a dangerous subject with Vader, even now, and Anakin saw his brother's smile falter at the girl's name. Another time, he would try and force him to accept Ahsoka and get to know her more, he was sure Vader would grow fond of her if he did, he was sure of it, but tonight, he was here to comfort not to confront. "And I'm sure Satine will do the same for you. If she makes you happy, then that's all that matters."
A quiet cough caught both brothers' attention and their heads snapped toward the doorway where the Mandalorian Duchess stood in a vibrant sapphire robe tied over a nightgown. Ready for bed, Satine was barefoot and for once her head was free of her elaborate headdresses and hairstyles. It was the most domestic Anakin had ever seen her, perhaps too much so for his eyes. "Vader…" her eyes filled with tears, "Oh my love, I came here to tell you I'm sorry. I – I was just upset and well – "
This was Anakin's cue. He carefully placed his half-drank caff mug on the small glass table and rose from the couch, patting Vader's shoulder with his free hand as he did so. His work here was done, those two could make up in private now. The Duchess gave Anakin a small smile as he passed and rushed toward Vader.
As the doors slid shut behind him, Anakin smiled.
Time to get back to his own family.
Six Months Later
The gardens within the confines of the palace were quiet, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. The lush greenery shimmered in the cool night air and the faint sound of a fountain trickling in the distance gave the night an almost dreamlike quality. Padme strolled aimlessly, her thoughts swirling with the events of the past few weeks – of Vader's upcoming wedding and her own complicated feelings. She had done her best to avoid him for months now, hoping distance would settle her mind, but it had done little to ease the confusion in her heart.
Thankfully, both Anakin and Leia were soundly asleep when she slipped out. Her mind was too awake to settle down, too busy and conflicted and a mess of a hundred other emotions she was too tired to properly deal with. The fresh air was helping, the night's cool breeze chasing away the roaring echo of her thoughts.
As she rounded a corner, the Padme's steps faltered when she spotted an all too familiar figure leaning casually against a stone archway. Vader. His dark cloak seemed to melt into the night, but the moonlight highlighted his features, sharper in its pale glow. His back was to her and his face was tipped to the moonlight, as if lost in thought, but something about his stillness made her feel like he knew she was there.
"Is his Imperial Majesty out here hiding?" Padme said with a small smile, breaking the silence. How long had it been since they were alone together? Since the night she overheard his argument with Satine? Her heart gave a small tug… Had it really been that long?
Vader turned slightly, his golden eyes gleaming as he looked at her. A small laugh escaped his throat as he shrugged. "Is it that obvious?"
She trailed a few steps closer, fighting to keep her tone light despite the tension that hummed in the air between them. "Why aren't you out celebrating? You're getting married tomorrow. Most men would be surrounded by their friends having fun."
Vader pushed off the archway and moved to stand beside her, his tall frame casting a long shadow over the cobblestone path. "The Vice Chair has been trying to corner me into a late-night meeting with the Trade Federation," he sighed, his voice laced with mock annoyance. "So, naturally, I'm hiding from him."
Padme couldn't help but laugh. "Isn't that the whole job of the Emperor? Long, boring meetings with the Trade Federation and other such groups?"
Vader shot her a playful look and put a finger to his lips. "Shh, you'll give me away." They chuckled together and Padme felt a great weight lifting from her shoulders, a tension she wasn't even aware she was carrying letting her breathe at last. His expression softened. "So, are you done avoiding me now?"
Guilt tugged at her heart… There was a time they saw each other, with and without Anakin, nearly every day. That felt like a lifetime ago now. Hiding from him all this time, spending longer and longer periods on Naboo, just felt safer. Her feelings were a tangled mess Padme didn't know how to begin to unknot and make sense of. She wanted… too much. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with Anakin, to grow old by his side. She wanted to raise her daughter on Naboo. She wanted… Vader. Even if she didn't dare admit it out loud, in the confines of her own mind, she was ready to accept her desire.
Did that make her a monster? How was she supposed to live with herself while being pulled in two directions at once? They would both hate her if they knew how fickle she truly was. Padme bit her lip, glancing down at her hands for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I just... I needed time to sort out my feelings," she lied smoothly. She was no closer to understanding any of this than she was when it all began.
Vader nodded, his expression unreadable for a moment before softening into something warmer. "Take all the time you need," he said gently and her traitorous heart fluttered at the affection in his voice. "I'll be here, waiting... when you're ready."
There was something in the way he said it that made Padme's breath catch. She felt a familiar pull, that magnetic draw toward him that she had been trying so hard to ignore. The way he looked at her, the quiet intensity behind his words – it stirred something deep inside her, something she couldn't fully explain.
She took a breath, trying to steady herself. "Is this really what you want?" she asked softly, her gaze drifting over her shoulder to the palace looming behind them, where the last-minute preparations for tomorrow's wedding were undoubtedly underway. "Marrying Arievel… is that really what you want?"
Vader was quiet for a moment, his expression contemplative as his eyes lifted to the stars as if searching them for his answer. "This marriage is a means to an end," he said finally, his voice calm but purposeful. "It will help solidify my position as Emperor and give me the freedom I need to have what I truly want."
Padme frowned slightly, turning to face him fully. "And what is it you truly want?" How was a marriage his heart wasn't supposed to do any of that for him? She never did understand how that mind of his worked, always ten steps ahead of everyone, always plotting and laying down plans. Grasping at a future he'd worked so hard to achieve.
He looked at her then, his golden eyes piercing through the night and the weight of his gaze almost too much to bear. "What I truly want…" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "You already know the answer to that, Padme."
Her heart clenched at his words. The unspoken truth between them, the tension, the attraction – it was all laid bare in that single moment. And yet, she was bound to Anakin. She loved him and had built a life with him. But this undeniable connection with Vader – it unsettled her, thrilled her, left her confused and aching. Padme swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words, the depth of his desire and her own tumultuous emotions swirling inside her. She didn't know what to say, didn't know how to respond to the storm that raged between them. She was married – and he was about to be married!
Vader smiled fondly, as if sensing her turmoil. "Don't worry, Padme," he said softly. "I'm not asking for anything you're not ready to give me."
His words were reassuring but they didn't ease the tension in her chest. She was drawn to him, to his strength, to the intensity of his presence but she couldn't betray Anakin. She couldn't. And yet…
Before she could respond, Vader stepped closer, his gaze still locked on hers but he made no move to touch her. Instead, he simply watched her, his expression unreadable but somehow tender. "I'll see you tomorrow, Padme. Save me a dance," he said, his voice low, almost a promise.
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the garden, leaving Padme standing alone, her heart racing, her mind spinning with a thousand conflicting emotions.
Tomorrow he was going to marry another woman… and yet, somehow, she felt like this was far from the end.
"I still can't believe you didn't let us throw you a bachelor party like we did for Anakin – both times!" Sabe whined, clicking off her datapad and handing it to the silver protocol droid lingering nearby. "It's your wedding day, Vader! There should have been celebrations not just for the public, but for you. Arievel had one with her friends and sisters!"
In the flurry of planning, public appearances and celebrations, Vader's wedding had come upon them all far quicker than Anakin thought possible. The galaxy was jubilant with such a spectacle to look forward to, after all, his own, public, wedding paled in comparison to the sheer luxury and extravagance of Vader's. More than ever, he was grateful for his small, private ceremony on Naboo.
Padme had been in a surging panic for three days after Leia had taken a surprise growth spurt and grown out of the custom dress one of her favoured designers had crafted by several inches in both height and weight at once. It hadn't been easy to hide his quiet laughter from his frantic wife as she seemed to stress over options whilst entirely forgetting the existence of droids and tailors who could alter the dress, but Anakin managed.
His Angel could be terrifying when she was mad.
"I don't want one," Vader said, shaking his head and chuckling as Sabe let out another frustrated sigh. "I'm serious – really, I don't. For Arievel this is a new beginning, and I understand why she wanted to celebrate, but for me…" His voice faded into a weary sigh. "It's just a means to an end."
Anakin squeezed Vader's shoulder, nodding. If he were in his position, marrying a woman he didn't love for duty and necessity whilst condemning his love for Padme to the shadows, he wouldn't feel like celebrating either. "How is Satine?" He asked quietly. It couldn't be easy to watch someone you liked bind themselves to another, even if it was just for the public. He would never have the strength to endure it.
Dressed in their ceremonial military uniforms, the two sons of Skywalker looked nearly identical, with only a single difference: the deep red sash draped across Vader's chest, a bold symbol of his Imperial authority. Anakin's sash, however, was a rich blue, reminiscent of the waters of Naboo – elegant and calming, regal without carrying the weight of ruling the Empire, which suited him perfectly. After a pause, the Emperor shook his head and let out a sigh. "She's… better… only slightly, but any progress I can salvage makes my life easier."
"Just give her a little time," Sabe began to tenderly adjust Vader's jacket and gave a small smile, "I'm sure Satine loves you enough to understand your vision. You're going to make the Empire great, we all know it."
Vader caught their friend's hand in his own and brought the blonde's dainty knuckles to his lips, "What would I do without you?"
"Gods only know!" Sabe laughed, playfully flicking Vader's nose. "Now, I'm off to take my seat before some Senator snags a better view. Good luck out there." She gave each of the twins a warm squeeze on the arm before slipping out of the room, leaving the two Princes alone for the final moments before the ceremony. Anakin searched his mind, hoping to find something meaningful to say, something memorable or proud, but came up empty. They hadn't shared a moment like this before his wedding and he had no experience to draw from for inspiration.
"I can sense your feelings," Vader's chuckle pulled him from his thoughts, "You're more nervous than I am, I think."
"Probably," Anakin replied with a sheepish smile. "Listen, Vader, no matter what happens out there or after... I'm here for you, brother, and I always will be." He reached out, gently bringing his twin's forehead to his own as they embraced, offering support and brotherly love in this quiet moment. "Whatever you need from me, I won't let you down."
"You never could, Anakin," the Emperor smiled softly, "At the end of it all, it's you and I against the galaxy, isn't it?"
They parted, sharing a small laugh. It had always felt that way, Anakin and Vader together against seemingly endless threats and obstacles. They were family. They were one and force help whatever tried to divide them.
"Always, brother."
Padme smiled as Ursula, their wonderful nanny, gently took Leia from her arms, carrying the child outside for some fresh air before settling her in the throne room for the lengthy ceremony. With the wedding being broadcast on nearly every channel across the galaxy, she wanted to avoid any fussiness from Leia that might disrupt the day with bored cries. Nearly all the guests had already been ushered inside to their assigned seats. Sabe's vision for the day had been meticulous, and she had made it clear that no detail was to be altered – an instruction that had been drilled into everyone for weeks.
The throne room looked much the same as it had on the day of her false wedding, though it seemed even grander now. A long red carpet stretched down the aisle, leading the bride and groom toward the altar and the newly installed second throne – slightly smaller, but equally elegant, placed beside the Emperor's for Arievel, to be used after her crowning. Luxurious ribbons of deep wine-coloured satin bordered the aisle, guiding guests to their seats, with each ribbon crest adorned by vibrant flowers from the new Empress's homeworld. The excited atmosphere was perfectly fitting for such a momentous occasion.
Her thoughts were interrupted by raised voices as a small crowd began to gather at the end of the hallway. Two Imperial guards quickly abandoned their posts, hurrying toward the commotion with their staffs poised to enforce order. Frowning, she followed, gathering the skirt of her shimmering azure gown – the same shade as the royal sash Anakin wore. She always loved when they matched, even in subtle ways like this, reminding the galaxy of their bond and where their loyalties lay.
As she came closer, Padme gasped to see the guards grasping the Duke of Mandalore by the arms tightly, even as he struggled against their combined strength uselessly. Obi-Wan was red-faced and furious as he seethed at the cloaked guards who held him. "Release me! I have a right to be here! I must speak with my wife!" He hissed angrily, though the guards paid no heed as they made to tug the Duke away.
It had been a long time since she had seen the man properly. Of course, they had exchanged polite smiles of greeting across the few parties he and Satine had attended across the years, but Padme hadn't talked to Obi-Wan since the day she lost Luis. He was so kind to her, taking care of her at the lowest and most vulnerable point of her life.
Her heart panged at the… condition of the Duke. Chaotic and dishevelled, his appearance was so unlike the calm and sleek man she had always known him to be. She winced at the dark circles beneath his eyes. Padme couldn't imagine how he must be feeling, all alone in Mandalore raising his children and ruling while his wife was with another man. How could a heart ever recover from such torture?
"Release him!" Padme's voice rang out sharply, cutting through the hushed conversations of the guests observing the scene, leaving them in stunned silence. When the guards hesitated, she drew in a deep breath, fixing each of them with a stern glare. "I said, release the Duke of Mandalore this instant! Defy me, and my husband, your Prince and Supreme Commander, will hear of it."
It made her cringe to wield Anakin's titles to assert her own authority, especially before such an audience on a day as important as this. But the effect was immediate – the guards released their grasp on Obi-Wan's arms without further delay. The Duke stumbled forward, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension, and shot a fierce glare at those still gathered around, clearly irritated by their gawking.
Padme followed his gaze, making note of each familiar face among the onlookers. Did these people have nothing better to do? Some of them were Moffs and Senators! They should know to behave better than this. Turning her attention to the group, she spoke with a firm but diplomatic tone. "I think it's long past time we all made our way inside the throne room. The ceremony will begin shortly."
As the crowd finally dissipated, sulking away like reprimanded children, Padme reached for Obi-Wan's arm, laying her hand over the sleeve of his brown cloak. "Are you alright?" She asked. Perhaps it was a silly question to ask someone in the Duke's position, but he looked like he needed a friend right now.
Obi-Wan startled at her small touch but did not tear himself away. "How am I?" A quiet, bitter laugh tumbled from his downturned lips as he rubbed a hand over his beard. "Well, I think that goes without saying."
"I understand," Padme winced, glancing over her shoulder toward the throne room doors. The last of the guests were hurrying inside to claim their seats. It wouldn't be long before Vader and Arievel arrived for the ceremony, until the cams began to record and broadcast everything to the galaxy. If people spied Obi-Wan here after Satine's public affair, they might believe he'd had come on a maddened crusade against the Emperor. Their whispers were only going to make a wounded, heartbroken man appear worse in the eye of the public – especially on Mandalore. "Satine isn't here, Obi-Wan," she said, "Vader thought it would be best for her to be somewhere else for the weekend."
"Oh…" What little light remained in the Duke's blue eyes faded into a heartbreaking dullness. "I had hoped we could discuss everything… I – I'd thought that perhaps I would make her see sense and leave this mess behind…" His shoulders slumped as he glanced over Padme's shoulder to the throne room. "Our children need their mother. They ask me every day where she is and I… I haven't mustered the strength to tell them the truth."
Her heart broke for those children. She tried to imagine herself in Obi-Wan's position, abandoned by Anakin and left alone with Leia while he enjoyed his time publicly with another woman. She could see Leia's wide eyes searching for her father around every corner, desperate for a man who wasn't coming home. "I don't know how you're bearing it," she whispered, "I – if I ever – "
"Everyone always says the same until it happens to them," the Duke sighed heavily, "I must bear it. If I crumble then everything falls with me. Someone has to rule Mandalore or else everything we built will be ash beneath Death Watch's boots. My children will never know a day of peace or safety as long as they live if Bo and the others come to power… Unfortunately, the discourse in my marriage carries far more weight than my heart."
"I'm so sorry," Padme wished she knew what else to say. "Satine has always been a good friend to me but I can't make myself agree with her decisions… not when such damage has been left in her wake."
Obi-Wan fell silent, closing his eyes in a way that spoke of such deep, exhausted defeat that Padme feared he might collapse under the weight of it right before her eyes. Instead, he pressed his back against the wall and slowly slid down to the soft carpet, drawing his knees up to his broad chest. Padme watched him, her heart aching with sadness at the sight of someone who had been so kind to her becoming so broken.
She glanced back down the hallway, considering the murmurs and raised eyebrows that would inevitably come from her absence. Questions were going to be asked, whispers would spread and Sabe would rage, but she found she couldn't bring herself to care. The galaxy's eyes were fixed on this spectacle of this wedding – one less witness wouldn't change anything. With a determined breath, she turned back to Obi-Wan, her decision made.
It wasn't as if she was particularly excited about watching Vader marry a woman he didn't love anyway.
Sinking to the floor by the Duke's side, she was a lake amidst the lava carpet, her dress pooling around her body as she made herself comfortable. "Tell me something," the Duke asked quietly, "Is she happy?" Such heartbreak glistened within those blue eyes, as if he was longing for and dreading her answer both at once.
Padme had never seen Vader and Satine together since she found out about their affair, only glimpsing at the holo-mags and holo-net news coverage of their relationship whenever it was impossible to avoid. They always seemed to be smiling, holding hands or kissing whenever they were caught out and about. Did that mean they were happy though? Her stomach tightened and twisted as she considered Vader's desires, he'd all but admitted his heart was elsewhere last night… and he hadn't said anything about Satine.
As her silence stretched on, Obi-Wan gave a slow nod. "Does it make me a terrible person that I had hoped you might tell me they were miserable together? That they regret their choices?"
"I think that makes you human," Padme laid a hand on his shoulder, "Most people would feel the same in your position, there's no shame in it."
They sat together in a comfortable silence until the air filled with the sound of feminine giggles and hushed whispers echoing down the halls. Peeking out from behind the pillar where they had taken refuge, Padme spotted Arievel. She was a vision, draped in an opulent white wedding gown with golden trimmings, adorned with countless pearls that shimmered with each movement. She was the perfect image of a bride, one that women across the galaxy would undoubtedly be enchanted by. The holo-mags would be buzzing with details of the gown and veil for months to come, dissecting every intricate design and embellishment.
More than ever, Padme understood why Vader had chosen Arievel to be his Empress. The people were going to fall in love with her.
Around Arievel, her attendants fussed over the final details, smoothing the dress and perfecting the veil, all while sharing smiles and laughter. The bride, her hands trembling slightly, placed one hand into the crook of her father's arm, who beamed with pride. Padme watched as Rysi and his daughter exchanged words, their voices too quiet for her to catch even in the stillness of the hallway, but the effect was clear – Arievel's face brightened with excitement, casting a last, grateful glance at the women around her just as the grand doors began to swing open.
Turning back to Obi-Wan, Padme found the man staring dejectedly at his knees. "I always knew she still had feelings for him." The admission brought her eyebrows up in surprise. Anakin told her all about Vader and Satine's love affair and the wedding they almost had, but that was a carefully guarded secret! How did Obi-Wan know?
"You did?"
"They thought they were subtle but they never were, not even back when there was more to lose." The Duke stroked his fingers through his beard once more, "I saw how they looked at each other and it made sense. Perhaps it made even more sense than her decision to be with me. She was as beautiful as he was handsome. They were both born to rule, a great destiny few others can grasp." His voice began to tremble, "I – most men wouldn't have been able to accept second place in a woman's heart but I… Well, I only ever wanted Satine. I didn't care what happened to bring us together, only that we were one."
"You loved her," Padme rubbed his shoulder gently, "That mattered most."
"I knew when she accepted my proposal that Vader must have left her." Obi-Wan glanced upwards at the high ceiling. "I wasn't the fool they both believed me to be, I knew their of their plans… and I also knew they were making a mistake choosing each other. One would have to sacrifice their great destiny and eventually grow to resent it. They would clash. It wouldn't fit. I was relieved when Satine seemed to come to the very same conclusion." He looked so tired, so worn out and utterly distraught. Padme's heart wept for everything he had lost. "I – I thought that… Well, I believed we were happy. I don't know what it is I did to drive her away but… Gods, if I only knew, I would apologise for the rest of my life."
"It's not your fault," she shook her head, "You have done nothing to deserve this." Did Satine know the damage her choices had done? Did she even care how her husband was feeling while he struggled to hold everything together without her? Padme stroked the Duke's arm, aching at the agony bleeding out of him. She knew Satine was a good person, but the respect she felt for the Duchess began to burn out, leaving only ash behind.
She… understood the temptation of passion. Padme knew how it made someone's blood sing and muddled thoughts to confusion. Her mind wandered to Anakin and then to Vader, considering how both brothers inspired something burning inside of her. She knew if she ever gave into the temptation searing within her, Vader would keep their secret. He didn't want to hurt his brother any more than she did. And if she was being honest with herself, these past weeks… Padme had been considering indulging in what they both desired.
They couldn't be their best, rational selves if this tension went on between them. She couldn't go on making excuses to avoid Vader at all costs, hiding from him as if that was going to make things any better. There were times when they would have to be around each other, and acting like she felt nothing was getting more and more difficult. Didn't it make sense to simply… give in?
Just once. One night. Her traitorous stomach fluttered just imagining how it might be between them. All she needed was one night of mindless sex. Raw, unleashed passion as they worked whatever this was out of their systems once and for all. Once it was over, they could both finally move on with their lives and focus on their marriages. It was rational, really! It was the best course of action…
But what Padme hadn't considered was the devastation her selfishness could create. She never thought about what might happen if they were found out, the brutal consequences for everyone involved. Obi-Wan was a broken man and it was unbearable. What would a betrayal like this do to Anakin? To their marriage?
"I can't imagine how much this hurts." She hesitated for a moment before asking the question on the tip of her tongue, "Do you think you could ever forgive her? Could you take her back if she came to you?"
Could any marriage survive it? Padme wasn't sure it was possible… but if the love was strong enough between two people, then maybe there was hope? A surging dread in the pit of her stomach made her feel nauseous. Her eyes slammed shut as she remembered that terrible day, so long ago, after she let her grief and frustration lead her into Vader's arms. The cuts and bruises all over Anakin's face and hands had been awful and when Sabe told her what actually happened between the brothers…
Obi-Wan sighed, the weight of the question hanging in the air between them. "I ask myself that very same question every single day. Forgiveness… It's a complicated thing, Padme. My love for my wife runs deep, but so does her betrayal. How could I ever trust her again, knowing she chose him over us? Over her own children?"
The Duke rose to his feet, groaning softly with the effort, and dusted off his legs. "I actually have a meeting scheduled in the Senate with an old friend of mine brave enough not to attend the festivities." He extended a hand to Padme, and she accepted it gratefully, allowing him to help her stand. "Your kindness today has been…" Obi-Wan shook his head, struggling to find the right words. "Well, thank you, Padme. Truly, I have no words to express my appreciation."
"You're my friend, you don't have to thank me," she replied with a gentle smile. "I hope your meeting goes well."
"Oh, I'm confident it will," he said, but there was a strange flicker in his blue eyes – something unidentifiable and fleeting that gave her pause. "If you ever need anything from me, any favour at all, let me know."
"That's not necessary," she laughed lightly, waving her hand in dismissal. But Obi-Wan's expression turned serious, and Padme's smile faltered. This wasn't any casual, empty offer – it was sincere, deliberate, and heavy with unspoken meaning she couldn't quite piece together. "I…" she began, but Obi-Wan stepped forward and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"My offer is sincere. Anything you need, regardless of when or where, I will come to your aid." He held her gaze for a moment before releasing her shoulder. "Enjoy the celebrations this evening. I'm sure our paths will cross again someday."
There was something odd and unsettling in his tone and as Obi-Wan turned and walked away, making his way toward the public entrance of the palace, his words lingered in her mind. Deep inside, she felt a strange compulsion to remember this promise, to tuck it away and keep it safe in the quiet, secret parts of her mind.
She watched the Duke disappear around the corner, his shadow melting into the opulent halls, and a frown creased her brow as that same part of her whispered:
You're going to need that favour one day.
Soft, pleasant music drifted through the air of the celebration, wrapping around the clusters of guests who mingled freely now that the intrusive holocams had been tucked away for the night.
Sparkling, colourful drinks passed from hand to hand, each one raised in a toast to the new Empress, her name echoing through the room like a chant of approval. Arievel and Vader sat on their thrones atop the dais, a perfect picture of power and unity. Padme wondered if this was everything he imagined it would be.
A glittering crown rested on Arievel's golden hair, catching the light with every subtle movement, casting flashes of red and gold. Padme's stomach tightened as she recognized it instantly – the late Empress Shmi's crown. The very same one Vader had once offered to her. She tore her eyes away, unable to bear the storming rush of emotions roiling inside her. Disappointment, envy… and guilt tore at her insides until her hands began to tremble.
Arievel seemed euphoric, her face flushed as she sipped from a glass of champagne and leaned in to whisper something into Vader's ear. He responded with a low murmur, the two of them sharing private smiles, a picture of devotion. They appeared entirely consumed by one another, drunk on the novelty of their marriage. It really was a flawless performance for the eyes of the galaxy.
But Padme saw beyond the surface. This was all a precarious game of make-believe. A marriage that glittered like crystal but felt as fragile as glass, hinting at cracks that could deepen under the slightest pressure.
For all the celebrations, she wondered how people would feel if they knew their new royal couple was balancing on the edge of something that could shatter at any moment.
Padme plucked a drink from a passing serving-droid, swirling the liquid idly as the music played on, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Arievel's crown. To the past. To what might have been. And the selfish choices she'd come so close to making. Obi-Wan's arrival today was a wake-up call, one she hadn't realised how desperately she needed. She was still processing all of the changes in her life, missing her former career and the freedoms she enjoyed before her marriage.
And she let all of that frustration melt into desire, into temptation enough to risk her marriage – the relationship she'd fought so hard to have. Who was she? Padme wasn't entirely confident she liked the person she was on the path to becoming. She truly, deeply, loved Anakin and the thought of hurting him the way Satine hurt Obi-Wan was gutting, it hurt like a physical ache inside of her. So why had she come so close to doing it?
Because she was bored? Because being a wife and mother was more difficult than she imagined it might be?
She was acting like a spoiled brat, desiring the forbidden because she couldn't have every single thing she wanted in life. Giving up her career as Senator was an easy sacrifice if it meant being with Anakin, he meant so much more than any job or accomplishment. He changed for her. Reshaped his entire life to be the man Padme needed by her side – and he hadn't looked back once.
No more, she decided. She couldn't live this way any longer, it was making her miserable, constantly at war between her mind, heart and desire. She already had everything she ever wanted, a loving, kind, good husband and a beautiful, healthy, happy child. No confusing lust was ever going to be worth risking any of that.
"Padme!" Anakin's voice tore her free of her thoughts as her husband pushed through the crowded room towards her. "There you are! Force, I've been looking everywhere for you! Where the hell have you been?"
"I'm sorry," Padme murmured, throwing herself into Anakin's strong arms as soon as he was near, burying her face in his broad chest. The warmth and familiarity of his embrace enveloped her and she clung to him, feeling a rush of gratitude. She was so lucky to have him. Anakin loved her completely, embracing every part of her – the good and the bad. It felt like the most precious gift, to be seen so thoroughly and cherished despite it all.
Her silver tiara slipped askew as she nestled closer into his hold, savouring the safety his presence made her feel. Anakin's arms wrapped around her, surrounding her with a sense of security that she knew she could always count on, a barrier against the uncertainties of the galaxy. For just a few moments, nothing else mattered.
Eventually, Padme lifted her head, meeting the concern in his beautiful blue eyes. The intensity of his gaze, filled with unspoken questions and unwavering devotion made her breath catch. "Never leave me," she whispered, the words barely more than a breath but carrying all the depth of her fear and need.
Anakin's expression softened, and he brushed a gentle hand against her cheek, his thumb tracing the edge of her jaw before he readjusted her tiara to sit correctly once more. "I never will, Padme," he promised, his voice steady and certain. And casting every straying thought and temptation out of her mind, she allowed herself to believe him. "You're upset," his brows knit together. "What's going on? Where were you?"
"I'm sorry," she shook her head, "I didn't mean to worry you – or miss the wedding… Obi-Wan was here." Padme felt his body tighten with tension as he glanced toward the doorway as if the heartbroken Duke might burst into the party to declare war against Vader on his wedding day. "He was upset, obviously so, and he needed a friend so I stayed with him until he felt better enough to leave."
"You missed my brother's wedding to comfort Obi-Wan?" Anakin raised his brow and Padme held her breath, bracing herself for his annoyance until a small, proud smile tugged at the corners of his full lips. "Your empathy is… moving. You inspire me every single day," she felt her heart soar as he kissed her forehead. "He's lucky he made it this far into the palace without being tossed out."
"He was about to be. I intervened…" Something sly purred inside Padme and she smirked, leaning up on her tiptoes to whisper, "It turns out the palace guards are rather afraid of you, Supreme Commander… I only had to mention how… displeased you would be if they did not follow my commands."
His breath hitched as the tips of their noses nudged and Padme felt the squeeze of his hands over her waist. "I'll take the head of anyone who makes you unhappy."
Though he was only playing her game, she shuddered, believing that dark promise utterly. Maybe that should worry her, but as she slid her arms around his neck, she cast such thoughts away. What could ever come against them to invoke such a reaction? It was impossible.
"Mmm," she teased her lips against his, "My fierce, strong protector…" So easily captivated, Anakin made to kiss her properly, uncaring of the thousands of other guests surrounding them – for a Prince, he certainly lacked any decorum – but Padme pulled away with a small giggle, adoring the disappointment shadowing his face. "Now, where is my baby?"
Anakin rolled his eyes, "Damn tease," he muttered, but linked his fingers through hers and began to lead her through the crowd of guests to where the nanny had taken Leia for privacy while enjoying her uncle's special day.
So long as she had her family, Padme didn't need, or want, anything else.