Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter! I know I've been focused on other projects, lol. I'm trying. I think I need to rewatch the prequels before I write any more of this one, so it might be a bit. I'll try to have more on May 4th.
Anakin
"Ariana Skywalker? You're sure?" I said, frowning.
How could that be?
"I can check the records. What's it matter to you? You said your name was Skywalker. You related to this one or something?" The bulky man growled gruffly.
"No," Ariana interrupted, "my name is Ariana Starla."
"Starla?" They all repeated, staring at her.
"Easily confused with Skywalker," she explained.
I felt the Force pulse through my fingers—liar.
"You're lying," I pointed out.
"She can't be," the man huffed, "the collar shocks her for it. Visibly."
"Ani?" Padme asked, turning to him, "what—"
"You're lying," I repeated, walking towards the girl.
She was calm, however.
"My name is Ariana Starla," she said again, glaring at me.
"For the right price, I'll check the reco—" the man began.
"Why bother?" Ariana said smoothly, "it's pointless. I can't lie, can I?"
"She is lying!" I said exasperatedly.
"She can't fool the collar," the man countered, clearly bored with the situation.
"Ani," Padme interrupted gently, "don't worry about it. If she is a Skywalker…she'll tell us."
"That's ridiculous!" I huffed.
"Why do I waste my time with these things?" The man grumbled to himself, grabbing Ariana sharply by the wrist. "Come on, girl. You're in for it. You two, get out already. If you want something, I probably don't have it."
Padme stuck out a hand so fast, I could barely see it. "Don't," she warned, "let go of her."
"Why should I? She's mine. You don't have any—"
And then he was dead.
"What?! He was getting on my nerves," Padme muttered, putting Anakin's gun back on his belt.
"How did you—" I began, but Padme held up a hand.
"Good reflexes, Ani, good reflexes. Besides, slave or not, no man should grab a girl by the wrist and pull her along like an animal. Ridiculous."
I cracked a mystified smile at her, then glanced at Ariana.
She stood frozen, glancing between them rapidly. "Why did you…" she trailed off, sighing like the question was pointless. "Why do I even wonder these things?" She muttered to herself.
"So…now what?" Padme asked after a beat of silence.
"Now we head back and get something to eat," I said, offering a hand to each of them. Padme took it in an almost natural, instinctual way, while Ariana hesitated, then gently rested her smaller palm in his.
That was something.
Hope you liked it! If you did, please leave some feedback in the reviews!
