The tension in the dimly lit bedroom was palpable, the air thick with an unspoken conflict that had been simmering for too long. Arievel glowered at Vader, her gaze unwavering, a mixture of disbelief and frustration in her eyes as she tried to wrap her mind around the cold reality of their marriage. She'd hoped his affair would end once they got used to each other. She wanted Satine to be a passing distraction, something Vader would lose interest in when he got to know her better. But the Duchess was still here – more than that, she was taking Arievel's place! Everywhere she should be, the Duchess went instead! Even Vader's niece's birthday party! Satine attended on Vader's arm, not her – how was she supposed to feel? The Empress took a deep breath, her voice tinged with restrained anger as she spoke.
"You never told me that this was part of the deal when we were engaged!" She said, her voice steady but strained. "It isn't fair, Vader!"
His expression remained impassive, his tone cool and detached. Didn't he care how she was feeling at all? "I never promised you fidelity, Arievel. I'm giving you power, a crown and wealth, but our lives will be largely separate outside of our public commitments."
Arievel's mouth tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. "I – this isn't what I wanted! I want a marriage, Vader! A real marriage – not this sham you're deadset on forcing on us." They were married! They were trying for a child together, didn't that mean anything to him? How could that woman possibly mean more to him than that? Arievel wanted to be with him, to stand by his side and rule together. She wanted them to be happy together… and they could be, if he'd only let her in, she truly believed they would make it work.
He was so kind to her when they started out. So warm and sweet, lavishing her with gifts and affection before proposing. That was the man she wanted, not this cold, aloof stranger he'd become.
Vader tilted his head slightly, a hint of surprise flickering across his face. "I thought you didn't desire love… That's what you told me."
"That's not…" Her voice died in her throat for a moment. Was that what he thought? That she didn't want to be loved? What kind of unfeeling monster did he take her for? Arievel believed a person chose who they loved and that it could be grown with some effort. "I thought that there could be some fondness between us," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Some affection."
He let out a sigh, his gaze unyielding and she felt herself shrink beneath him. "We can be friends and we can be partners, but that is all we will ever be. My heart… My desires lay elsewhere and they always will."
Arievel felt her heart sink, a hollow ache settling in her chest as the truth of his words washed over her. She swallowed, fighting to keep her composure but a spark of defiance lit in her eyes, in her very soul. "So, what – you're going to have affairs? It's a fact." How could he be so blatantly disrespectful? Their vows obviously meant nothing to him after all. "What if I do the same? Hm? How would you feel then?"
She was young, beautiful and thanks to him, wealthy beyond imagination. Arievel saw how some Senators and Moffs looked at her, she could have anyone she wanted in her bed if she desired… but she wanted her husband. Maybe she should take a lover, maybe then he'd realise how painful it was to sit back and endure what she did for him!
But Vader's expression remained indifferent, his voice calm and measured. "So long as you are discreet and any children you carry are mine, you're free to do what you want."
She stared at him, stunned and a bitter laugh escaped her lips. "I… Wow. How very romantic. This is what every woman wishes to hear from her husband."
He met her gaze, unflinching, his face unreadable. But for a moment, a flicker of something – perhaps regret or perhaps merely understanding – passed through his eyes before it vanished, replaced by his usual, unyielding resolve. "You want romance?" He stepped forward, invading her space, "Flowers? Then I'll fuck you in the garden next time – maybe we'll have a girl."
"Threepio, Artoo," Padme sighed at the two droids bickering on the opposite end of the kitchen about the finer points of dinner etiquette. She had no idea who was winning, but Threepio's points were certainly valid. "Will you watch Leia for me, please?" Thankfully, their argument ended immediately as her protocol droid whirled around, excited for a task. Strangely enough, her growing headache eased up too.
She smiled at Leia who sat contently in her hover-chair by the end of the table, patiently waiting for dinner.
"Ah, of course! The Princess will be most safe in our hands, Mistress Padme," Threepio turned at once to Artoo as various chirps and beeps came from the astromech and threw up his golden arms with such exasperation, her curiosity into their unintelligible arguments was piqued for once. "Oh for goodness sake, R2D2! We know you do not possess hands – it is merely a figure of…"
Padme rolled her eyes and slipped free of the kitchen and out through the living room where two doors lay open allowing the evening's warm summer air to fill the house. Sheets of gauzy chiffon danced in the slight breeze, beckoning the Councillor outside to where the spacious, lush gardens awaited. Stepping outside onto the stone balcony, she sighed contently. She loved it here. Naboo was home. It was beautiful and peaceful and she always felt so much lighter here than anywhere else.
Her planted blossoms were at their peak and the beautiful flowers were blooming in gorgeous shades of reds, pinks and lilacs across their home. She gently touched a delicate petal, tracing its softness over her finger. In the distance, Padme could hear the gentle splash of lake water waves. She longed for long-gone days of little responsibility where she could drop everything and swim whenever she desired.
When she and Sola were younger, just girls, and Padme wasn't in her classes, they spent endless hours by the lakes, enjoying the sand and boundless games around the meadows near their house. They were so happy. She wanted Leia to have the same experiences. A childhood on Naboo was far better than a restricted, security-driven upbringing in Coruscant. She only wished their family and career obligations didn't require them to spend so much time there.
Padme didn't want Leia to look back on her girlhood and remember skytraffic, great, towering buildings and playtime in parks surrounded by imposing Imperial guards. She understood Anakin longed to be by Vader's side, she did too, especially while he was suffering from virothrax, but she wished they could fully live their life here as they had planned to.
Speaking of her husband… Down the wide, tiled staircase, Anakin was training with his apprentice in the middle of the gardens, dangerously close to swiping her beloved trees and blossom bushes with their training blades. Padme laid her forearms on the cool, ivory-stained balcony and watched the pair battle in the summer heat. Anakin's red tunic lay forgotten on the grass as their blades struck again and again.
Her bottom lip found itself tugged between her lips.
It wasn't often Padme got to see this side of him, so powerful and athletic and desirably male. The soldier within him was left behind on the battlefield or in military bases when he came home to them every night. She had seen footage of him in far-off worlds on missions, commanding his men with authoritative orders, lightsaber in hand as he – sometimes a little too closely – avoided a steady stream of blaster bolts flying overheard.
For once, she let herself be a little mischievous and watched along as Anakin and Ahsoka trained.
They moved like shadows, their practised combat so swift and smooth, every movement carried effortless grace as they struck, defended and dodged one another. As far as Padme could see, Anakin was working with Ahsoka to perfect her battle form. He'd explained the lightsaber forms which could be achieved, but not all suited everyone who attempted to use them. He and Vader used different forms, he'd said, despite all of their other similarities. Every force-wielder was different.
"Come on, Snips," She heard her husband pant from below as Ahsoka spun and missed him, "Faster on your swing… That's it, good. Now tighter on your stance…" They strained against one another hard as their blades clashed and held, "Look for the opening I'm giving you…"
Padme's breath caught in her throat as she watched him, focused, intense, every fibre of him radiating strength and purpose. There was something about the way he moved, the sheer confidence and power he exuded, that stirred something deep inside her. She bit her lip again, her gaze following the curve of his shoulders, the way his muscled chest rose and fell with each breath. Suddenly, the warmth spreading through her wasn't only from the sun. He looked… raw, unguarded, powerful and wholly himself in a way she rarely got to see. Every movement, every strike, seemed to pulse with energy and she couldn't look away.
Ahsoka circled him, training blade raised, and he parried her strike with ease, his grin flashing in the sunlight as he taunted her playfully. For a brief moment, he glanced up toward the veranda, his eyes catching hers. A small smile touched his lips as he met her gaze, his blue eyes filled with a mixture of intensity and warmth that made her heart race. It was as if he could sense exactly the effect he was having on her.
Padme felt her cheeks flush, but she didn't break eye contact. She was captivated by him, by the strength in his every movement. Suddenly, an aching, demanding part of her roared its enthusiasm about trying for another baby. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to shove those thoughts away even as they whined to start trying this very instant.
If she kept watching him like this, she was going to forget why she'd come out here in the first place! She shook herself free of her haze of desire and began the small walk downstairs. Her pale, yellow dress bared her back to the summer air and its short train dragged against the stone steps behind her as she walked, careful not to trip as she descended the final few steps.
"Ahem," Padme delicately cleared her throat and tried not to smirk as the pair turned so quickly, it was a wonder neither hurt their necks, "Now, I know I have never been the most domesticated woman in the galaxy, but I'm here to tell you both that dinner is ready…" In fact, it had been ready for almost fifteen standard minutes, as per the time she had instructed Anakin and Ahsoka to return to the house, but their tardiness was no real surprise. Once they got started, it was nearly impossible to get them to put down the training blades.
"Ops," Ahsoka winced, smiling despite the apologetic expression on her flushed face. "Sorry, Padme, dinner completely slipped my mind," The girl cast an accusing glance at Anakin who narrowed his eyes in return. "Sky-guy here was supposed to keep an eye on the time."
"Traitor," Anakin hissed and rolled his eyes, "Go stretch and clean up for dinner, I'll take care of these," he reached for the blades and Ahsoka took off, running toward the stairs to follow her master's commands. Over her shoulder, the girl gave a panted promise of quickness which only made Padme chuckle as she turned back to her husband.
"She reminds me more and more of you every single day, you know," Padme let her eyes wander every sexy, sweaty inch of him available to her eyes. She tugged her lip between her teeth again as she admired all that belonged to her alone. Unable to resist, she lifted one dainty finger and traced the length of Anakin's broad chest, all the way downward until it met the band of his dark trousers where she slipped it through the small loop meant for a belt and curled the digit, tugging her husband closer. "Which is a good thing because I think I might be in love with you, Anakin Skywalker."
His deep pride and intense satisfaction in Ahsoka's training were clear in the bright smile he gave as Padme compared the girl to him. His strong arms snaked around her body, pulling her into a tight, warm embrace as her own wrapped around his neck. "Don't tell my wife," his lips began a sweet, fiery trail along the curve of her jaw, tempting her to forget all about dinner, "She might get jealous…"
Padme rolled her eyes even as his own blazed with a growing hunger which sparked low in her belly. Her hands cupped his face as she drew him down to her, kissing him hard despite his silliness. Living with two nosey droids, a baby and an all too public life, quiet moments of absolute privacy were rare these days and she wanted to enjoy this just a little longer. His tongue pushed for entrance which Padme granted as a slow, sensual dance of tongues carefully stoked the heat of arousal building inside her.
But as Anakin's hands made to wander lower, to caress her rear and give himself into the easy passion between them, Padme carefully pushed at his chest, gasping when their kiss broke. "Dinner is waiting… and so is our daughter. We shouldn't leave her alone with Artoo and Threepio much longer."
"You're right," he groaned. His obvious disappointment only made Padme smile despite the unsatisfied ache between her legs. Gone were the easy, carefree days of absolute freedom to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. She wouldn't change their life for anything, but she did miss that freedom now and again. "Threepio has probably blown a circuit by now…"
"Or maybe Artoo's loose wiring is playing up yet again…" It was so easy to stoke his intense protectiveness of the spirited little droid she gifted him so long ago, Anakin bit at her bait immediately.
"He's not…" He breathed heavily through his nose, trying not to snap at what he knew was a trap and failing miserably. "Artoo doesn't have any loose wires!"
Giggling lightly, the Councillor allowed herself to kiss away his petulant pout. "How you fall for this every time is astounding, my love," she laughed even as Anakin's scowl deepened. "I do hope you aren't as gullible on the battlefield, Supreme Commander."
"Know this," Anakin stepped forward, grasping two fistfuls of the sunshine yellow of Padme's dress and tugged her body against his once more, "The very moment Leia is settled for the night, I'm going to punish you for that smart mouth."
Just as her mouth made to open, to breathlessly craft together something of a response, Ahsoka's voice drifted downwards from the balcony above their heads. "Um… Master? You might want to come up here. Artoo has knocked Threepio over and he's pitching a fit."
She loved her life…
Readying themselves for bed, the Skywalkers relaxed on opposite sides of the room as their daughter slept peacefully just one wall over. Padme carefully combed through her bushy curls as she sat at the vanity, watching the reflection of herself as the brush made its way through her hair. Behind her, Anakin lounged comfortably in bed waiting for her to join him as the day came to its end.
Truthfully, she had been finished with her hair and nighttime routines several minutes ago and had been hesitating to walk to the bed as she tried to put together an argument for what she wanted to say. This had been in her mind for some time, but after such a perfect day here in their home, where they belonged, the conversation couldn't wait any longer.
"I've really enjoyed having Ahsoka staying with us these last few days," Padme began easily, placing the brush back onto the vanity and spinning in her seat to face her husband. His relaxed expression morphed into a happy smile as she spoke, always glad to know his dear apprentice had found a place in Padme's heart too. "Leia loves having her around. She's been so happy since we got back here, don't you think?"
"So has Ahsoka," he nodded his agreement, "It's been good for her to have time away from the bases to have some fun. I think she feels…" Something shadowed his face for a moment, "I think being in the bases with all the guys feels safe to her, out of the way to avoid Vader. I made sure she has rooms in the palace, but I think she's slept there one night in all the time I have known her. He still won't even speak to her. I love my brother but his stubbornness disappoints me."
Ahsoka's arrival in their lives had come with great conflict between them all. All of that felt like another lifetime, another person whose decisions she was allowed to view but not control. She tried hard not to think about Vader, about what happened between them that day. "I thought Vader would come around too, but some people have limits we just can't change, no matter how badly we may wish to, Ani." When he only huffed a response, she braced herself for the next part of their conversation. "Wouldn't it be nice if things could always be this way? Us in our home, Ahsoka nearby and able to visit often, privacy from those who would seek to know our every movement…" She sighed contently, "A private life out of the public eye could be a wonderful thing."
Her role as a Councillor for King Thule came with many duties but none were facing the public like her Senatorial office required, but Anakin's position meant several obligations involving the public. Appearances, charitable organizations, award ceremonies and several others, were the sort of duties Padme never enjoyed. She was long used to being discussed on gossip shows on the holo-net and appearing in holo-mags, but never quite as often as recently.
She never longed for fame. Her actions in the Senate brought infamy in certain circles, but now Padme longed for privacy here on her homeworld, in the house she loved with her husband and child. Vader didn't need them. He didn't need her. He had Satine and Arievel close by and she was sure he'd have his own child to celebrate before too long. Being around each other… it was just a bad idea.
When she finished speaking, Anakin was quiet for several moments until a heavy, exhausted sigh burst from his mouth. "I know how stressful it is sharing our lives with the galaxy, believe me, I have been forced to endure it my whole life." He sat up and swung his legs off the bed, leaning his elbows on his thighs, "Vader has always thrived on the attention we get, but I always preferred to step back and let him shine. Angel, I would love nothing more than to step away from public life and spend our days out here – I know I can deal with military matters from the Theed base sufficiently, but I – I just can't leave Vader right now. I won't let him face what he's going through alone."
That's what she was afraid of hearing. Padme felt her shoulders slump even if the disappointment was expected. She understood his reasoning, it would feel impossible to live hours away from Sola if she were in such a vulnerable position. Anakin was only being a good brother. His family was always the most important part of his life. "I understand," she nodded, "I guess I'm being selfish, wanting you all to myself…"
"This isn't forever, I promise you," he nodded, "As soon as Vader gets better, you, Leia and I will come here and enjoy our home the way we want to."
Rising from her chair, Padme made the few steps to where he sat on the edge of the bed and knelt before him, her lilac nightgown pooling around her. Maybe his answer wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but his promise soothed her. Maybe they couldn't step away right now, but one day they would. Right now, that was enough for her.
"Now then," she smirked, watching his intrigue through her lashes, "What was that about punishing my smart mouth?"
A little green bird swooped and soared through the air above the vast mountainous world below. Lush greens and beautiful trickling lakes passed by as the convor flapped its short wings and flew. Every few moments, the little creature glanced backwards, as if to be sure Padme still followed its path through the cool wind which carried them forward.
She had never seen a convor like this! Whenever its bright green eyes found hers, something caught deep in her chest, stealing her breath away. Something about the bird struck her, somehow soothing and alarming her both at once. Wherever it was leading her, she was sure the bird knew exactly where they were going. After a few more moments of flight, the convor spun around and faced her, holding itself in place as the bright, cloudless sky began to darken and crackle with oncoming thunder and lightning.
All of her calmness melted away as three gigantic, black shadows stretched across the land below and Padme frantically turned her head to find their owners but she was alone in the sky even as the dark figures grew and grew, melting across the mountains. What was going on? Where was she? What were those beings? A thousand questions screeched in her mind as the dark figures stilled just as a blast of bright lighting crackled in the distance.
"You will come to us when Ginn is born…" Three voices spoke in unison. Padme blinked and frowned, shaking her head as their words settled into her mind. Who was Ginn? What the hell was any of this supposed to mean? "He will be the reason the two halves will be whole and the Chosen One returned…" The figures spoke again, their voices growing louder in pitch and volume with every word. "The path has already been set!"
Bolting upwards, Padme gasped for breath as she panted into the night air. It was still dark outside. She sat up more comfortably, heart racing as her strange dream replaced itself in her mind… It was just so bizarre! Green birds and talking shadows… Maybe she had too much wine with dinner?
Anakin slept on beside her, peacefully unaware of her fright and Padme was glad she hadn't woken him. She really didn't feel like talking about the dream right now, her mind was too unsettled. It wasn't like her to have odd, frightening dreams, she must have been a girl the last time it happened.
Sucking in a deep, steadying breath, she tried to calm her racing heart. It was just a dream. It was only a bad dream. She tried to relax, to forget all about it, but the images lingered uncomfortably clear in her mind even as Padme settled back down into her pillow, shifting closer to Anakin's warm back as she did. It was just a dream.
A strange, meaningless dream.
Crying out through clenched teeth, Vader hissed and cursed as two medical droids plunged eight long needles each into either side of his body where he hung suspended above a wide tank of bacta. Each small needle drew his blood out for further testing as more medical theories were quashed and his hope stamped on. The Emperor trembled as dark rage unfocused his power, pushing it out of his body in sweeping waves that saw three droids further into the room crumple and spark as their circuits exploded within, setting multiple fires throughout the lab.
The pain was endless. Every day brought some excruciating trial or another and nothing seemed to be working. His days were spent in agony, wearing bruises and bleeding beneath bacta-patches for nothing. What was he paying these doctors for if they could be of no use to him? Vader seethed and glared as several of them hurried to put out the fires before the millions of credits worth of equipment could be destroyed.
All they had accomplished so far was to weaken his symptoms and even those efforts were beginning to lose their success. How much more was he expected to take? What were they missing? They had endless credits at their disposal and anything else they required without question! What more did he have to give them to heal him?
After thirty minutes doused deep within the cool embrace of bacta, Vader did not linger to speak to any of them as he tugged on his shirt and stormed out of the medical wing, his mood growing more thunderous by the moment. Every time he stepped through those doors, only disappointment awaited him. News that the Empress was still not pregnant. Admissions of their latest theories about virothrax led to nothing. His life had become an endless series of failures, setbacks and defeats.
Vader wasn't going to stand for much more of it.
He stormed to his private wing of the palace and into the office where at least something positive awaited him. Just this morning, word had come in of the official completion of the Death Star's outer shell. The weaponry had reached sixty percent efficiency and would soon be fully operational for trials. Galen Ersyo, it seemed, was the only person in his life who could deliver on his promises.
When the trials were successful and his weapon was ready, there would never be another threat to Vader's reign. Soon, his plans would come to fruition and none would dare question him. All the false Kings and leaders in the galaxy would be forced to bend their knee and declare themselves loyal or face the full destructive power of the Death Star turned upon their people.
Then, finally, his legacy would be set.