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Anakin frowned deeply at his master’s less than subtle suggestion. Staring at the elder Sith Lord in agitation, he furrowed his brow as he folded his arms. ‘Why do I have to take them all out?’
The elderly man just raised a brow as a hint of amusement crossed his features. ‘I should think the answer is quite obvious, Anakin. They are a threat to your empire and to the security and safety of your people, nevermind you and your wife.’
Anakin scowled. ‘I’m well aware of that, but I also know that not all of them will interfere with our work or my empire. With that in mind, I don’t see the purpose of killing all of them.’
Palpatine just shook his head as he walked around Anakin with a thoughtful look that could almost be mistaken to be fatherly. ‘Listen to me, son. I know Kenobi means a lot to you and the thought of killing him is troubling, but you need to understand that you are no longer on the same side. The Jedi always have and always will be the enemy of the Sith. Just because he isn’t a threat now doesn’t mean he will remain that way forever. When the time is right, there can be no faltering or second guesses. Whether you like it or not, Anakin, all of the Jedi, especially the council must be destroyed.’
‘I won’t do it. I know Obi-Wan far better than you ever will and I know he will not pose a threat. It’s not in his nature; he is a man of peace and a stickler of the rules. You leave him alone and he will leave you alone. It’s as simple as that,’ Anakin snapped in reply as he glared to the Sith Lord who just chuckled in reply.
‘You really think that Kenobi will stand by and let you kill off all of his compatriots? Did you stand by and let the Tuskan Raiders kill your mother-’
‘We both know I’m nothing like Obi-Wan,’ the young emperor cut in to which Palpatine gave a soft sigh that didn’t entirely belie his thoughts.
‘That you are not,’ he simply stated. ‘But it doesn’t change the fact that your brother’s loyalties lie with the Order and he will not hesitate to do whatever he can to protect them.’
Vader fell silent for a moment as he forced himself to ignore the snide undertone of his Master’s statement and the jealousy it encouraged. He knew that if Palpatine had his choice he would not be the one who learning to wield the darkness, it would be his brother. However, Anakin knew Obi-Wan was far too pure-hearted for such teachings and thus such petty jealousies never lingered. The secret and silent longing to be the Jedi his older sibling was however another story entirely. But this was a thought Anakin no longer permitted himself to dwell upon as in his mind the dark side was by far the stronger side of the Force and so it was Obi-Wan’s loss that he didn’t wish to partake of its vast powers.
Yet despite his longing to unleash vengeance on the Order, to end the war and fulfil his destiny as a Sith Lord Anakin did not intend to harm his brother. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but be a Jedi, much as Anakin couldn’t help but be a Sith and with this in mind he refused. There was still a part of him that secretly hoped, one day, things would return to as they were before, that somehow their different views pertaining to the Force would no longer matter. Of course, it was nothing more than a flight of fancy, but it was one the young emperor could never fully let go of. Doing so meant facing the fact he would most likely never see his brother again and such thoughts were just too painful to consider. ‘If he wishes to fight then so be it. Though I doubt highly it will ever come to that. It’s not in his nature. But don’t ask me to do this because I’m telling you right now I won’t,’ Anakin repeated in fervency. The Sith Lord gave a soft sniff of disgust as he returned to the table that decorated the Spartan war room.
‘So it is all right to slaughter a bunch of harmless Tuskan younglings, but taking an equal–such as your brother to battle is not? What is this really about Lord Vader? Is this your attempt to ease your conscience and prove to yourself that you have morals, or is this more about hiding the fact you are a coward?’
Without thinking, Anakin immediately lost himself to his temper and swiftly drew his lightsaber –now crimson and rebuilt to commemorate his transition from Jedi to Sith- and rushed to attack. It was a fruitless attempt one that Anakin was aware of almost from the moment he drew his weapon. But his master had touched upon a rather delicate topic one that the young Sith Lord had been struggling since that fateful day.
While Obi-Wan was a tolerant Master, Palpatine was not. Almost immediately, Anakin felt his feet being lifted up from the floor as electricity coursed through his body causing him to scream in agony. The elder Sith Lord frowned in disgust to his apprentices wails of pain but didn’t release him for a few moments longer. Once satisfied with the young sith lord’s sufferings the attack drew to an end and Anakin landed on the floor with an unceremonious crash. Cursing profusely in both Huttese and Uriashian, Vader struggled to his feet only to freeze in place as he found himself staring at the end of Sidious’s lightsaber.
‘You try my patience, Lord Vader. All this time we’ve been planning the demise of the Order and during that time you’ve done nothing but whine and complain, demanding that we execute Order 66 as soon as possible, despite the fact that we had much work to do and were far from ready. Yet now the time has come upon us and you’re backing down. This is no game, Lord Vader. There are no rules, no loopholes, no fence to sit on. Either you are in this or you’re not. You may be a failure as a Sith Lord, but you were even more so as a Jedi. Now you both pull yourself together and embrace what you know to be your true destiny or I will find myself another to call my apprentice,’ Palpatine snapped in obvious disgust.
Shaking both from the pain of the burns inflicted on him from the Force lightning attack and rage over his humiliation Anakin clenched his jaw and glared up at Sidious, his eyes filled with hatred. ‘Might I remind you, Supreme Chancellor, that while you are my Master in the ways of the Force, in all other arrangements, I am yours. Or have you so soon forgotten that I am your emperor?’ Vader growled through clenched teeth.
Darth Sidious just raised a brow in amusement as he de-activated his lightsaber marking the fact he no longer saw Anakin as a threat. Which in turn only added to the young emperor’s foul mood, as he knew that ultimately the battle was quite over. ‘Maybe so, but in the end we both know whom it is who truly rules. You could of course attempt to remove me Lord Vader though I would be most curious to know just how you plan to do that. After all, I am more trained than you, despite the fact that you have a higher midichlorian count than me. You could try, of course, although I wouldn’t advice it if I were you,’ Palpatine continued in smooth tones as Anakin scrambled to his feet and attempted to stare down the older man with little success.
‘It’s not wise to underestimate your opponents,’ Vader quipped back with a hint of dark smile.
Sidious smiled in reply. ‘It is pleasing to know that you have been paying heed to my tutelage. But we both know you are far from fully trained in the dark arts,’ he smoothly replied to which Anakin just cursed in reply.
‘I respect the fact you are my Master when it comes to my training, but as I said before, I am the emperor, not you and when I give an order, I expect it to be followed. I am not trying to challenge your tactics for Order 66, I’m only saying that I will not kill Obi-Wan,’ Anakin tried again. Though his voice was calm, it was obvious he was struggling to contain his rage and humiliation brought on by the sting of his master’s words and the truth behind them.
‘Very well, your grace. If you will not do it, then I will. Try to stop me, if you like, or better yet, attempt to convince the Jedi Order to stop me. I’m sure they’d love to side with the very man who betrayed them to the Sith. Either way, I assure you, no matter what you decide it will only result in failure.’
Anakin struggled to wrap his mind around the statement just made. Staring at the elderly Sith Lord in disbelief he tried to speak but found the words wouldn’t come. It was as though the Supreme Chancellor hadn’t heard a single word he said or more exactly didn’t care enough to bother. ‘You wouldn’t dare!’ Vader hissed in reply but it was too late as Lord Sidious felt their conversation was quite over and was now preparing to depart the war room. Glancing over his shoulder to the infuriated but broken Sith Lord Palpatine just shook his head and gave the young man an almost compassionate look.
‘Tend to your wounds and get some rest, Lord Vader. The hour is late and you are hardly in any state to continue this discussion. Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day and the last thing I need is my second-in-command to be too out of sorts to perform his duties.’ Without another word, Palpatine turned his back to the furious Anakin and silently departed from the room.
Enraged but too wounded now to truly vent his frustration Vader proceeded to kick over the large table that decorated the war room causing all the data pads, holo-maps and other related pieces of equipment to go flying everywhere before making his way out of the war room as fast as his wounded and weakened body would permit him.
By the time the young Sith Lord returned to his personal quarters, it was well into the night. Though his body was now in far better condition than before –after spending some time recovering in a bacta tank- Anakin was still quite sore and more than a little exhausted. This did little to stop his mind from replaying his conversation with the Supreme Chancellor or more exactly the results of it. While he deeply respected the elderly man, Vader couldn’t deny the fact Sidious had become more of a threat than anything else.
He had yet to figure out a way to properly go through with killing the elderly Sith master. His bond with Sidious meant that the Supreme Chancellor would be able to read his thoughts and sense his motives even more so than usual. Given the way things had ended between them today, Anakin also knew that Palpatine would be expecting him to try to kill him. It was after all not only was it a common way for a Sith apprentice to truly become a master but it was almost tradition. Vader’s reasons for removing his current mentor were far more personal as while he longed for the day he would truly become a master there was a part of him that feared it as well. When it came to matters of his brother, Anakin knew that he would have to bury some fears to ensure that greater fears would be faced without hesitation. He silently entered his private chambers and went to find his wife, hoping that she would still be awake despite the late hour. If anyone was capable of seeing this situation in a practical light it was Dormé, he also knew that if anyone could keep him grounded throughout the coming days it would be her as well.
It was much later than usual when Dormé heard Anakin finally stumbling into their chambers. She too had had a long day as well, but when hers was ending, her husband’s was only beginning. It was for this reason that she had taken it upon herself to put in a few hours of training the dojo as well, but she had long since showered and gone to bed when Anakin returned. Falling asleep without Anakin there was becoming somewhat of a regular occurrence once more and it was something she disliked. However, this wouldn’t be the case tonight and, rising from the bed, Dormé went to greet him. It was then she took in how he walked and could tell something wasn’t right.
Anakin tried to give Dormé a smile at the sight of her but his thoughts were weighed heavy with the discussion he had from before leaving Anakin to be more pensive than anything else. Silently he drew her into an embrace as he allowed himself to forget everything for a moment.
When she embraced him, he smelt of bacta. ‘What’s happened? Are you all right? The servants didn’t tell me anything about you visiting the med labs—’
Shaking his head the Sith Lord gave a soft sigh as he offered a weak smile. ‘I’m fine, just finished my meeting with my Master,’ he said dry tones while attempting to lighten the mood and ease Dormé’s concerns. He furrowed his brow to the memory of Palpatine’s statement. ‘In all seriousness, I am in need of your advice,’ Anakin began before proceeding to explain to her the events of the meeting. He expressed the fact he felt the elder Sith Lord had become in his opinion a valid threat. ‘He has no respect for our rule or my wish to leave my brother out of everything. I think it will only be a matter of time before he tries to take our positions right from under our noses,’ Anakin concluded in concern tones.
Dormé knew it was his Master that did this to him. Though she knew little of the Force, she hardly thought it was right or fair for her husband to go through these trials. It was not the first time, nor would it most likely be the last. Though it pained her to see him suffering for this Force religion, she knew it wasn’t her place to object to it, at least not until now. ‘How DARE he?!’ Dormé raged, pacing in front of him. She was far more awake now than she had been a few minutes ago. Shaking her fist, she hissed, ‘I’d like to give him a piece of my mind—We are the rulers here, not Palpatine! This is OUR Empire! We will deal with the insurrection in whatever means WE feel is necessary. And we most certainly aren’t going to kill your brother! There are more insidious people we need to deal with anyway!’
While Anakin was pleased to have Dormé’s support—and was most grateful to know she agreed with him when it came to Obi-Wan—he was worried for her as well. His Master had no qualms about taking out Obi-Wan, which left Anakin wondering how much longer it would be before Palpatine would be setting his sights on the empress herself. The thought made his blood run cold and though he nodded in agreement with Dormé, it was obvious he was still guarded about the entire situation. ‘I am in total agreement with you. At the same time, I don’t want to do anything without careful and proper planning. Darth Sidious will be expecting me to react, to do something to stop him and will have most likely prepared for it. ‘What’s worse is the fact he is capable of touching both of our minds. So the element of surprise is completely lost,’ Anakin admitted grudgingly.
‘He’s treating you like a youngling!’ Dormé maintained, hardly hearing Anakin’s words of caution.
Anakin couldn’t deny Dormé’s words as there was more truth to it then he’d care to admit. At the same time, her rage was too much to ignore and knowing first hand of the Sith Lord’s capabilities left him fearful for her safety. As if on cue, Dormé collected her blade causing Anakin’s heart to jump to his throat. He couldn’t blame her for her rage as he was infuriated by the situation too but at the same time he had no intention of rushing into this without thinking it through either. ‘Dormé what are you doing?’ he asked unable to hide the concern from his voice.
‘You’re the haramu emperor—I don’t care—’ Venting, she stormed over to where she kept her blade. Cursing up a storm, she hissed, ‘—Touch my mind all he wants...all he’ll see is me killing him—haramu saabarra—’
‘This is serious you’re about to go head on with an extremely dangerous man! One who’s had more years of training than the both of us combined!’ Vader chided as he grabbed her wrist to catch her attention anything to make her think this through.
Dormé was hardly in the mood to be stopped or cautioned, but despite her best efforts, Anakin’s words and grasp on her wrist finally snapped her out of her rage. She wrenched her hand away and hurled her sword across the room. It landed smack in the centre of a mural on the far side of the room. ‘FINE!’
‘If he wasn’t a Force sensitive I’d know you’d be able to defeat him without even trying, but he is and he is a very powerful one at that. Listen to me Dormé if we’re going to do this we’ll have to do it together and do it properly!’
Having now vented her anger, Dormé folded her arms, facing him with a huff. They needed to think of what to do and they needed to figure it out quickly. ‘How long do we have?’
Anakin frowned at Dormé’s snap reaction though he couldn’t blame her for being furious. The destroyed table in the war room was testament to his own fury and thus he couldn’t chastise her for it when he was no different. Nevertheless as the blade slammed into the far side of the room Vader couldn’t resist a hint of a smile. Upon having her undivided attention, the Sith Lord folded his arms as well and readily met her frustrated gaze. ‘Not long. The preparations for Order 66 are about complete. If we’re going to do this we’ll have a couple of days at best. I’d try to stall him but Palpatine will see right through it especially considering how eager I was to begin attack in the first place,’ Anakin admitted with a tired sigh.
Great, Dormé thought, knowing there wasn’t much time. ‘No,’ she agreed, ‘stalling will just make it worse...’ Calming down, but only slightly, she drew nearer to Anakin. ‘What if I approach him as empress to chancellor? He wouldn’t refuse me. He knows better than that. I could divert him and you could attack—’
Anakin took a deep breath as once more he began to go through their situation and all the possible scenarios they could try. At her words, Anakin’s eyes widened in horror at her idea and quickly he shook his head. ‘Force no! You can’t just approach him like that Dormé he’ll only hurt you or worse!’ Anakin exclaimed in terror. ‘Besides he’ll sense my attack even before you go to talk to him,’ the Sith Lord admitted in concern as in his mind he could already imagine the outcome of Dormé’s idea.
Frankly, Dormé didn’t think the chancellor would hurt her, but Anakin did have a point. ‘I keep forgetting about his ability to read minds through the Force,’ she replied, frowning. Uttering a mixture of Uriashian and debaucherized Huttese, Dormé tried to think of another option. ‘What about finding evidence against him he publicly cannot deny? Putting him on trial for something? I don’t know...’
Anakin grew pensive as Dormé tossed out ideas. He rather liked the idea of finding evidence against him but soon realized that his Master had allies from all ranks and walks of life serving him. While Anakin was aware of many of them, he was also certain that his Master ensured there would be many more that he wasn’t. Needless to say it left the young emperor a bit guarded about the idea. ‘I don’t know. In theory, it sounds perfect, but I don’t trust Palpatine not to have something up his sleeve. He has allies in the courts and though who oppose him he could just as easily use a mindtrick to convince them otherwise. ‘Killing him outright just seems to be the best and only logical course of action,’ Vader admitted with a hint of concern. ‘As foolish as I know this sounds, I almost wish I could call upon the Order to aid me in this. Of course I won’t but...he is far more trained than I am it, I’d just feel more comfortable knowing I had a decent back-up plan for all of this.’
Dormé knew Anakin wouldn’t sleep well tonight even if they came up with the perfect plan for Palpatine’s demise. However, she also knew they wouldn’t do much better trying to come up with ideas tonight. Anakin had been through so much with his master and she was concerned for him. ‘Why don’t we try to get some sleep and think more on this in the morning?’ she suggested, rubbing his arm.
Despite his wish to figure out things or at least come up with some semblance of a plan Anakin was quite exhausted. At Dormé’s suggestion, he gave a weak smile knowing that ultimately, she had a point, neither were in much condition to think clearly nevermind work out a decent plan against someone who had the upper hand. Nodding weakly in reply and slipping his hand over Dormé’s, the Sith Lord kissed her cheek. ‘I guess your right, there’s no point in trying to figure things out when neither of us can keep our eyes open nevermind think,’ he said with a wry smile.
‘Exactly,’ Dormé agreed, giving his hand squeeze. ‘Go wash up and I’ll try not to fall asleep before you join me,’ she said, tossing him a wink and a smile. Dormé already had an idea forming in her head, but was not about to let Anakin in on her plan. Whomever was strongest in the Force or more trained didn’t register with her. Wit was something the Force couldn’t teach someone and Dormé had plenty of that.
Anakin reached out to touch Dormé’s cheek as his expression remained troubled. Despite knowing what awaited them in the morning the Sith Lord knew that rest was necessary and the thought of being able to fall asleep in his wife’s arms once more was too much to resist. Soon he was washing up and preparing to join her, unaware that Dormé had already formed a plan of her own, one that he would definitely not agree with.
Once he washed up, a rather sleepy but still troubled Anakin promptly clambered into bed next to his beloved and proceeded to get cosy. Despite all the troubles that weighed on his mind, with Dormé in his arms nothing ever seemed quite that bad.
Dormé slipped back into bed, exhausted from the day and wanting nothing more than to fall asleep with her husband, but once he was in her arms, her thoughts brewed with plans for the next day. She barely slept that night, though she stroked Anakin’s hair and watched him as he slept.
‘Good morning, Your Majesty,’ Palpatine greeted her with a feigned respectful, already expecting her.
‘Good morning, Chancellor,’ she replied, though with a hint of feigned sadness in her voice. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you so early,’ she said, stepping forward with the tea and setting it on the desk in front of him. ‘It’s just that I’m worried about Anakin. He told me everything about the Order 66, but he won’t go ahead with it despite all the planning that’s been done. I don’t know what further means of persuasion would get him to go ahead with it.’
Knowing the boy would find out straightaway that he had probed his wife’s again and the consequences of such an action, Palpatine forewent such a thing, underestimating the little handmaiden. ‘Surely he will seek your wisdom, Empress. After all, this is not the first time he has struggled with something. You were the one he went to about the Jedi in the first place, were you not?’
‘I suppose so...’ Dormé said reluctantly. She watched eagerly as the chancellor downed the tea without being sick. Seeing that this measure did not work, her hand slipped to a small, concealed knife.
Racing down the halls, he hoped against hope that Dormé was all right that Palpatine refrained from doing anything to her. Though he knew all too well that if he didn’t it was certain Dormé soon would. Bursting through the entrance that would lead to the Supreme Chancellor’s office he swiftly slaughtered the guards who attempted to warn him that Palpatine was in a meeting. Then using the Force he caused the doors to part and swiftly made his entrance without pausing to register the situation or the fact he had interceded just in time.
Without warning, Dormé hurled the blade at the chancellor’s throat.
Palpatine swiftly blocked the attack, sending the blade and the empress flying in opposite directions across the room.
Dormé toppled over a small table, crying out in protest. She missed her husband’s grand entrance but heard the blazing of a lightsaber and thought the chancellor was going to kill her.
Anakin’s eyes widened as they fell to Dormé’s form. Instincts warred with him as he just wanted to rush to her side to help her but with Palpatine as an obvious threat, such luxuries weren’t permitted. As such Anakin soon tapped into darkness permitting it to course through his veins as he attack his now former mentor. ‘You’d dare to attack my wife! The empress of the Coruscanti Empire!’ Vader growled as he moved swiftly with the intent of beheading the Supreme Chancellor.
Distracted by the empress, Palpatine hardly had a chance to ignite his lightsaber to defend himself.
Dormé lifted her head to see Anakin with his ligthsaber blazing, meeting the chancellor’s own.
The battle ensued with a viciousness Anakin didn’t and couldn’t have ever imagined possible. In the past, all of his battles had been with foes who had little if any idea of his skills. This was personal, leaving the young emperor to be forced onto the defence far swifter than he would have liked. While his former Master was more trained, in the end, Anakin’s need and determination to protect Dormé made him the mightier foe. It also helped that Dormé’s poison, though not deadly to the Sith Lord, had dulled his senses and sensitivity to the Force, leaving the young emperor to gain the upper hand.
Palpatine would have preferred to taunt and talk the boy down, but there was no time for that. It wasn’t until the end when he started to panic, for his apprentice had no interest in hearing what he had to say.
Mesmerized by Anakin’s attack, she could only watch from her position on the floor as the battle swiftly ended. ‘Anakin—’ gasped Dormé, finally getting to her feet in order to go over to him.
After what felt like an eternity, but was in reality mere minutes, Anakin’s lightsaber found its prey. Slamming it fiercely into Palpatine’s throat, Vader gave a vicious grin and promptly drew it upwards causing it to divide his face into two. Only when Sidious fell to the floor lifeless did he permit himself to do what he wanted to do right from the beginning. Rushing to Dormé’s side, as best as his wounded body would allow, Anakin promptly went to see if she was all right. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked in fear as he examined Dormé intently before pulling her into a tight embrace once he realized she was fine.
Dormé held him tightly, so relieved that he was all right, and barely registering the yellowish tinge of his eyes. Anakin then took the words right out of her mouth. Palpatine wouldn’t force him to do things he didn’t want to and no one would stand in their way...
‘It’s over, Dormé. It’s really over!’ he whispered desperately before pulling her into a passionate kiss.
Dormé kissed him back with all of her being, needing to feel him, to possess him, as much as any living being could possess another...just as much as she wanted to succumb to him in turn. Clothing was quickly, forcefully shed, in order to remove the physical between them.
Their kisses soon consumed Anakin who eagerly lost himself in his wife’s embrace. Time melted away as both the darkness and Dormé’s passion engulfed his conscious thoughts, leaving his entire universe to consist only of them.
Despite Vader’s never-ending hunger and need to bask in Dormé’s presence, his wounds eventually caught up with him, leaving Anakin to fall prey to exhaustion. As his kisses and touch grew lazier, he also became vaguely aware of his surroundings.
Unlike Anakin, Dormé was not aware of this otherworldly urge that came over them, nor the motivation behind it. She had no idea how the darkness that flowed through him was affecting her as well. This was the second time something like this happened and as Anakin’s exhaustion overtook him, Dormé, unaware of her surroundings, let alone the unseen Force affecting them, found herself frustrated. ‘Anakin—’ she almost demanded when he was hardly responsive to her.
As much as Anakin wanted to remain here and bask in the presence of his wife, his body was quite wounded from the elder Sith Lord’s attacks. Much of his healing wounds from the night before were torn as well, though to the naked eye this wasn’t entirely visible. As such, the young Sith Lord found himself needing a break far sooner than he would have liked. Anakin sleepily suggested they return to their quarters. ‘Order 66 can wait ’til the morning,’ he murmured softly before stealing another kiss.
The response was hardly one she had in mind. The darkness still lingered in her and she was less conscious of the current situation, still high on the raw urges driven by the dark side. She returned his kiss, but he seemed to have moving out of this room on his mind, which she inevitably agreed to, only with the promise of many stops along the way back.
He had yet to register that much of his exhaustion too was due in part to the incredible amounts of the dark side that had been channelling through his body. Nevertheless, they eventually made their way back to their quarters. It was a struggle to remain conscious nevermind to partake of primal pleasures. Much to his shame, between his wounds and the trying events of the past few hours, the Sith Lord was practically falling asleep on his feet.
Dormé practically dragged his naked form to the couch, for that was as far as she could reach. She was also still saturated with the dark side’s influence on her, causing her to be extraordinarily selfish. Still concerned with her own, yet not completely satisfied needs, she attempted one last time before giving up and collapsing on their bed.
When she awoke the next morning, Dormé felt woozy and confused. She wondered why Anakin wasn’t in bed with her and why she couldn’t remember what happened. This was the second time she had felt like she had lost a space of time. Concerned, she rose from the bed, drawing on a robe and going to look for her husband.
At the sight of her, the Sith Lord rose to his feet but staggered to the pain as he uttered a soft curse.
Upon seeing Anakin and his wounded body, Dormé immediately raced over to help him. ‘Great gods, what happened?’ she gasped, but noticed some of the wounds were of her own making and she blushed crimson for it, though she was now only vaguely able to remember the events of the night before.
‘Palpatine’s dead,’ Anakin whispered in confused disbelief as he struggled to remind himself that this was no dream.
‘Palpatine? Oh!’ Dormé said as she put an arm around his torso to help steady him.
‘I killed him...But I don’t know how I could have, he was so much more skilled than I?’ he continued as he ran a hand through his hair before exhaling. ‘And just how did I end up here on the couch of all places?’ he muttered in confusion as it seemed odd he’d be here instead of either in bed or more exactly in a medlab given the marks that covered his body.
‘It’s all so blurry...’ she replied, shaking her head. ‘Let’s clean up and dress and then we’ll have you looked at in the med lab, all right?’ she suggested as she helped him to the fresher.
Anakin blushed crimson as well when Dormé went to help him. His body protested loudly from the wounds and he muttered a few curses as he struggled to walk. But soon Dormé was steadying him despite his assurances that it wasn’t that bad. At her admittance to the events being blurry, Vader nodded slightly in reply. ‘If it wasn’t for the fact I feel like my body is going to fall apart on me I’d almost say I imagined the entire thing up,’ he said with a weak chuckle before uttering another curse as even this hurt.
As they dressed, she began to remember more details from the day before, though still a good chunk of time was missing to her. ‘I remember going to speak with the chancellor and then you rushed in—’
Glancing to Dormé in shock, he furrowed his brow at her words. ‘You went to? Oh Force that’s right...’ he gave a frustrated sigh at that memory. ‘Dormé, I still can’t believe you did that. And my brother says I have a knack of finding trouble,’ Anakin concluded as he shook his head.
‘…you defeated him...you were brilliant, Anakin...’
He couldn’t resist a hint of a cocky smile. ‘I still can’t believe I did it...I mean...He’s really gone. I’m finally free! No more Masters, no more orders, no more rules, stupid prophecies, fate, destiny and all that nonsense. Just you, me and the empire!’ he said in eager tones.
Dormé grew shy at his frustrated sigh and bit her lip as she brushed out her hair. At least it had all worked out properly, she figured, though she was still worried about his injuries. She finished putting up her hair and turned to him at his declaration, grinning.
Watching her brush her hair was soothing for the Sith Lord whose thoughts for a moment drifted to more pleasant things. But almost as soon as they did, they grew dark again as he recalled Order 66. ‘The Separatists. We’ll have to get rid of them. How soon do you want to execute Order 66?’ he asked after a moments pause. Furrowing his brow, he asked Dormé when she wanted to begin the mission that would end the war, knowing he would do whatever she asked as her opinion mattered most to him.
Drawing near, she gently rested a hand on his arm. ‘Should we wait until you’ve been looked at? It wouldn’t do to have you collapse in front of our enemies,’ she insisted.
Her hesitancy was not missed and, falling silent, he studied her intently. Her concern, though in his opinion unnecessary—as surely his wounds would be tended to by the end of the day—warmed his heart. Soon Anakin slipped his hands around her petite form as he pulled her near. ‘I hardly think my wounds are that bad. They just feel that way because I just woke up,’ he said in light tones before growing a more serious. ‘But I’ll be sure to have them tended too first before we begin, as you said we can’t have me falling all over the place in the middle of battle.
She tilted her head to the side as if judging or waiting to call his bluff. ‘So long as you’re looked at and the doctor thinks that you’re all right, then yes, I think we should go ahead with it as soon as possible.’
‘After all, we can’t leave you to have all the fun without me to enjoy a bit of it too,’ he said in impish tones marking he was only teasing.
She chuckled at his remark, poking him the chest. ‘Well we also have the Jedi to contend with and that’s your job,’ she said.
Grinning, his expression grew cocky to her words as he smirked. ‘But of course. How could I forget,’ he remarked mischievously as he pulled her close to steal a kiss.
Dormé returned Anakin’s kiss cheerfully. It would only be a matter of time, sooner than they could imagine, and their empire would no longer suffer in war. Soon they would be able to have the family they had always wanted.
While he was eager to begin, there was still a part of him that had some nagging doubts about the matter of his brother. The plan was to ensure the more powerful members of the Council were off world during the Order 66 and then to have them return afterwards for the final confrontation. Even so, the young Sith Lord was concerned that ultimately he wouldn’t be able to choose his battles. Or more exactly, that one of the Council members would order Obi-Wan to take him down. Anakin feared that if it were to come to that his brother, ever a stickler for the rules, would follow the chain of command. It wasn’t that he feared battle, but the thought of having to actually kill Obi-Wan was one he had intention of ever fulfilling. ‘I’ll have the med droids look at me right away and then we can begin,’ he said in eager tones already relishing the thought of finally bringing about peace to their empire.
She smiled at his words, gently touching his cheek. ‘I’ll await your return,’ she murmured. As much as Dormé wanted to go with him to the Jedi Temple and take out the traitors, she knew he would adamantly object to it.
Despite being weaker than him, the Jedi as a collective were powerful in their own right. But in the end even this did not matter, for their time had long since ran out and Anakin was now here to play the role of reaper. Moving through the halls, he gathered the dark side to him as he laid waste to his opponents with the greatest of ease. Though some proved more difficult than others, in the end, Knights, Padawans, and Jedi Masters fell to his lightsaber.
So caught up in the heady rush of the dark side that now coursed through his veins, the emperor soon forgot Dormé’s request. As such, when one of the younglings, too foolish to register the darkness that resonated from his Force signature, Anakin didn’t hesitate to remove the child’s head.
Then all hell broke loose.
The younglings panicked and though many remained too frightened to scream he could hear their cries through the Force and felt their fear pouring off them in waves. It only served to encourage his drunken state of mind for he was quite inebriated with the dark side and thus unable to resist his lust for blood. Most rushed to the door but soon found themselves trapped with the Sith Lord who used the Force to lock it, thus preventing their escape. But despite a few noble attempts to fight back, most were far too frightened to do much but attempt to open the door or hide. Fortunately, for most, the small voice of doubt finally surfaced in his thoughts and after having removed a few more of the younglings, Anakin recalled Dormé’s words. Coming to his senses, he finally de-activated his lightsaber while studying the pale and ashen faces of the younglings who cowered and tried to hide from him.
Shame began to flood his thoughts as he could only imagine Dormé’s reaction while another part of him knew, without question, he had crossed a line. Furrowing his brow, he opened his mouth to speak but no words came and so without another word he stormed out of the room. Upon seeing one of the elite stormtroopers, he ordered them to collect the remaining younglings and return them to the palace. Then without further thought, he departed for home as well, for there were none left, save the children and his troops in the Temple. Only a few Jedi Masters remained alive after the slaughter and they, for the moment, too spread out across the galaxy for the young Sith Lord to even bother hunting down. He would tend to them later.
As he returned to the palace, his thoughts were entirely on Dormé and on their mutual desire to end the war once and for all. Upon his return, he eagerly moved through the halls and rooms that would take him to his beloved. He couldn’t wait to embark on their last mission and was already looking forward to the peace they were on the verge of restoring together.
‘Anakin, the Separatists have gathered in the Mustafar system—’ she informed him before he left.
‘Wait for me and when I return, we will go there together and end this war.’
And so, Dormé waited. She waited and saw the smoke rising from the Temple where Anakin laid siege with the army of clone troopers. But pacing was getting her nowhere and she decided to sharpen her wakizashi’s blade.
She only had one request for Anakin in his attack on the Jedi Temple, it was that she didn’t want him to kill any of the younglings. Part of her still ached for losing their child and it was a personal request of hers for him not to kill children.
Thinking about this made her angry. Anakin was right, once these Separatists were dead, they would have peace and she would no longer be under so much stress. And they would be able to have a child.
Though she knew Anakin was the most powerful Force user in the galaxy, especially after removing the Sith Master, Darth Sidious, Dormé was still concerned for her husband. She didn’t worry about him getting killed, just injured, and they had important things to attend to like ending this war. She didn’t want them to be slowed down by any injuries.
Finished sharpening her blade, she examined it in the light, pleased with the results. A dark smile crossed her face before she slipped it into the folds of her cloak. Hastening down the hallways to where The Tempest would land, Dormé’s heels clicked on the marble floors.
She paid no mind to the servants whose eyes lingered on her form or the troopers standing guard, her thoughts solely on her beloved, hoping his return would be soon.
However, she was stopped by a commander trooper. ‘What is it?’ she demanded.
‘The youngling Jedi just arrived,’ the commander said.
She instructed the commander where to take the children and to have a servant bring them something to eat. She also dictated that they would be fitted with civilian garb, so that nothing of the Temple remained with them. ‘They are to remain under close guard.’
‘Yes, Your Highness.’
Anakin soon found himself rounding the corner only to catch sight of his beloved speaking to one of the Commander clone troops. For a moment, he paused as he studied her beauty with a look of loving adoration. But never a patient man, it wasn’t long before he was striding over to her with eager pride as he wanted to embrace and share with her the good news.
Just as the commander bowed to her wishes, Dormé was gleefully caught up in the arms of her beloved.
‘It’s over. Save for a few Jedi who remain still out on missions throughout the galaxy the threat has been entirely removed,’ he said proudly as he slip his arms around her petite form. ‘Now all that remains are the Separatists and soon, they too will be nothing but a memory,’ he purred already looking forward to spilling the blood of the Separatist traitors.
His words brought such joy to her ears. Soon the galaxy would be at peace and their Empire secure. Dormé wrapped her arms about his neck, drawing him in for a kiss. ‘I cannot wait,’ she murmured.
Anakin beamed feeling her joy through the Force. As her arms slipped around his neck, he gave a lopsided grin and was soon drawn in for a kiss that he returned eagerly. ‘I had the one of the Commanders collect the remaining younglings from the temple as you requested, I trust they’ve arrived safely,’ he continued as their kiss drew to a close.
‘Mhmm,’ she replied. ‘That’s what we were just discussing. I wanted to be sure they were fed and that anything having to do with the traitorous Jedi Order were removed.’
The young emperor raised a brow at her remarks and was about to give her a proud grin but it soon faded as he recalled his actions and the fact he almost forgot her request. Growing conscious of himself he glanced away briefly as he found himself struggling with his guilt. ‘...That’s good, I’m glad they arrived safely...’ he began hesitantly as he struggled now to meet her gaze. He really did not wish to discuss this matter with her at this time but Anakin also knew if he didn’t she was certain to find out by other means. Most likely from the younglings themselves who were certain to be mourning the loss of their colleagues.
Dormé was smiling up at him until he seemed to slightly distance himself as he avoided her gaze. Something had gone wrong, she could tell. However, stroking his hair at the back of his neck, she didn’t ask.
‘I...I think there is something you should know...’ he began quietly as the shame now became evident in his features.
Even when he mentioned that she ought to know something, she just studied him.
‘...Not all of them made it...’
Not all of them made it Not all of the younglings? Dormé was unsure what he meant. ‘Why not?’ she asked softly.
Her touch was so soothing that it was almost too easy to forget about the news he dreaded to share with her. But as much as he was loathed to speak of the younglings who fell to his lightsaber Anakin couldn’t keep it from her. For there was nothing he ever kept from Dormé. Her reaction was expected as was her confusion. Her faith in him was unwavering and the thought stung and hurt more than he wanted to admit. ‘...I failed you...’ he murmured softly as he lowered his gaze. ‘...I...It was my fault...I forgot myself...’ he murmured in barely audible tones knowing how much it was going ot hurt her to hear the truth.
Tears came to her eyes as he admitted he accidentally killed some of the younglings. ‘How many?’ she asked as he recalled their deaths. Though she didn’t want to know the details she was entitled to, part of her needed to know, or the question would plague her forever. She knew control wasn’t his forte and that, as with anything, it would come with practice. After all, how often in these past few years had he been able to experiment with his growing powers without people being suspicious or jealous of him?
Anakin’s eyes briefly flickered up to gaze into Dormé’s amber orbs but upon seeing her tears, he couldn’t hold their gaze as he bowed his head. This was the last thing he wanted to discuss on the eve of their victory but he couldn’t refuse her. Swallowing hard, he furrowed his brow as he struggled with his conscience and his fear of her reaction. Much to his shame he couldn’t entirely recall how many fell to his lightsaber and the thought troubled him more than he wanted to admit. ‘...three, possibly four...’ he concluded quietly as he struggled to clear his thoughts of the haze that was the darkness still coursing through his veins.
She could tell he was having a difficult time recalling it and her hands fell back to his shoulders. Possibly four, he said. He didn’t remember. ‘Tell me they provoked you,’ she said, grasping to the hope that there was good reason for the deaths of little ones.
Anakin closed his eyes as he struggled to clear his thoughts to recall the events in more detail, to possibly confirm her words, to erase her fears. None came. ‘I don’t know...I mean...It was all a bit of a blur...’ he admitted struggling with thoughts, his concerns and his fear over the fact he could barely recall what had happened.
Dormé’s heart fell to hear that he hadn’t been provoked, that innocent lives were claimed, little ones who hadn’t done anything but what they thought they were supposed to do... ‘Oh...I see,’ she replied sadly.
What was worst of all was Dormé’s reaction to his poor behaviour and handling of her simple request. ‘...I don’t think so...I’m sorry...’ he finally confessed knowing that despite his wish to ease her fear that ultimately he could never lie to her.
‘Well, they would have become our enemies,’ she said, trying to convince herself that the action was justified anyway, though she wouldn’t ever fully convince herself that it was the case. And speaking on enemies made her think on the Separatists they needed to remove, which, unbeknownst to her, was the true reason she was able to almost shrug off the deaths of three or four innocents.
He could feel Dormé’s sadness and it caused his heart to sink further leaving him struggling with his thoughts and the guilt it encouraged. Her reply didn’t help any despite her attempts to ease his shame and her own concerns. ‘...I suppose so...’ Anakin murmured his eyes still not meeting hers as part of him longed to tighten his embrace around Dormé, to hold her close as though somehow hoping in her arms he would find absolution from the guilt. However, just as he began, he hesitated, fearing her refusal and drawing back slightly he tried to focus his thoughts on the present situation. ‘We should depart soon to tend to the Separatists,’ he said quietly desperate to change the topic and move onto more pressing matters.
Dormé moved from him just as he did so, which was fortunate as her thoughts were distracted as well. She nodded in agreement, her hand already moving to her sword. ‘My thoughts exactly. What’s done is done.’ She exhaled almost as if out of relief, though it was truly the darkness breathing lies to her unwitting non-Force sensitive soul.
Anakin nodded at her words putting them to mind and using it to bury his doubts that would never quite fade away. ‘I agree...There is no point in visiting the past,’ he murmured as though reminding himself of the fact more than speaking to her.
‘And soon we shall have peace.’ Her eyes glinted with expectation of the kills that would soon adorn her newly sharpened sword.
As the topic changed, his thoughts shifted and soon the darkness was poisoning his mind once more. Offering her a dark smile Anakin reached out to touch her cheek briefly. Then motioning him to join her Anakin began to head back to the Tempest with the hopes of embarking on what he believed would become their last battle for peace.
As they boarded The Tempest, Dormé’s conscious continued to war with her, telling her what happened with the younglings was wrong, was a warning of some sort, but as Anakin plotted the course to Mustafar and she leant her head on his shoulder, making herself more comfortable, it slowly began to fade away to the back of her mind.
Anakin’s thoughts were no longer divided as he continued to focus on the destruction of the Separatists. This was only encouraged by Dormé’s presence and unspoken comfort. Feeling her head resting on his shoulder, the young Sith Lord didn’t hesitate to slip his arm around her shoulder as he began to play with a loose strand of her hair. With her near anything was possible and despite his previous doubts Anakin never felt more confident in their success as he did in those moments.
She spoke aloud of the politicians they would be encountering and recalled how many of them supported slavery and abused the resources of their planets. How the droids left many workers out of jobs and how much she wanted to see them suffer for the damage they caused so many lives.
Hearing her speak of the politicians and how they abused their powers and became corrupt because of it left him even more assured that their actions were justified. That together they would restore justice and make the empire a place where peace wasn’t just an ideal but a reality.
It was not long before they landed on Mustafar and Dormé had to tease her Sith lord husband about how hot it was, comparing it to Tatooine. ‘Minus the sand of course,’ she joked as the pair made their way to the location of the Separatist leaders.
Anakin chuckled at Dormé’s teasing, feeling as though everything was about to become right with the universe and was in light spirits as a result. As they entered the headquarters of the Separatists, the Sith Lord was surprised at the fact that they were expected. In the end, it matter little and soon he was gathering the darkness around him, letting it course through his veins and cloud his thoughts. A dark look crept into his features as he used the Force to blocked all possible exits.
It was clear they were expecting his arrival, though Dormé wasn’t sure why or how that could be. But she didn’t dwell on it as her hand tightly gripped her wakizashi, just waiting for Anakin’s word. She was almost giddy with expectation. Her eyes gleamed as she watched him, in preparation to unleash their hell upon them. A thrill shot through her as Anakin used the Force to block their exit, knowing what would come next.
It was the feeling of his beloved’s eyes on him that filled him with the most joy. This was about to become their moment of glory and without so much as a word he glanced back to her with eyes filled with a sickly yellow and rimmed with crimson and gave her a dark smile. Then drawing out his lightsaber, he activated it and prepared for the slaughter that was to come.
It was his gaze and dark smile that was incredibly difficult to resist. She had to remind herself that they had a job to do. This was the first time the two of them were able to unleash hell upon their enemies, and though they sought galactic peace, it would not be the last time they would seek battle together. Upon hearing and seeing Anakin’s lightsaber activate, Dormé didn’t hesitate before taking out droids and Neimodians with single-slice accuracy. Though it was no lightsaber, her blade was just as deadly when wielded correctly. Their enemies stood no chance against their vengeance.
Feeling the dark side pulsating through his veins, Anakin soon became lost in the slaughter as he moved through their prey with much ease. Sensing Dormé’s own bloodlust mingling with his own was a heady feeling indeed just as the sight of her attacking her prey as though she were but completing an elegant dance filled him with lusty thoughts.
She barely heard their cries for mercy as she sliced off limbs and heads, pierced guts and hearts, blood spilling forth from each cut. Her victims were by far the bloodier of the two since her sword did not cauterize wounds. Most of the time, she would look over to see her beloved in action and it filled her with unnatural pride.
It was as struggle to continue the battle to say the least, though it was hardly a battle worth mentioning as they were far too skilled for the politicians that commande the separtatist organization. But despite his wish to bask in his presence of his empress Vader couldn’t deny the rush he got from feeling and hearing the requiem of the many souls they sent to the Force and this too left him feeling quite drunk in the Darkness he also basked in.
Once her last victim’s soul departed, she dropped her sword, not out of regret, but out of having no more use for it, as she stormed over to Anakin with lust-filled eyes.
As the last lifeless body fell to the floor and mingled in the pools of blood that once belonged to its compatriots, the Sith Lord immediately lost interest in his dark side mistress. His thoughts were now entirely on his empress and he didn’t hesitate to join her with an expression that mirrored her own. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he proceeded to kiss her with all the fire and passion that a man could give, having never felt so alive and wanted nothing more than to enjoy his queen and beloved.
There was no need for words, as much as Dormé wanted to know what it was like for him during the battle as an incredibly Force sensitive individual. She was far too caught up in him to pose questions, let alone notice the dead bodies or the fact a good portion of her cloak and gown were spattered with blood. She pressed herself against Anakin, returning his kiss with equally ferocity. Disregarding the fact they were locked in the room with the remains of their enemies, they made use of the room to give in to their what seemed almost to be unquenchable desires. Never in her life had she known such passion and as such, resolved that she would be joining him on his each and every mission.
Through the Force, he could feel her desire and it was hard to know where hers began and his ended. This left Anakin more than eager to lose himself in the arms of his beloved. Her bloodied state did nothing to stop him, neither did the bodies of the dead that lingered all around him. With the darkness still coursing through his veins and lingering around Dormé, Anakin felt as though he were a god and she, a goddess. That they had restored justice and as such were entitled to celebrate...And celebrate they did letting the darkness encompass their thoughts and intermingle with their feelings of passion and love for each other. Anakin opened his thoughts to her allowing his empress to feel his emotions and to sense the darkness the lingered and wrapped itself around them. The feeling was too enjoyable after all not to share and Vader wanted Dormé to understand and appreciate what he had always known all his life.
The sensations caused by the dark side of the Force as Anakin opened it up to her was beyond amazing. Though it would haunt her later, at the moment, she relished the experience, never having felt so high in her life. It was as though she drank too much apsinthos, but saw and felt everything in a heightened level of clarity. It wasn’t until the putrid stench of the dead invaded her senses that Dormé knew it was clearly time to leave. But the rush she felt still had not left and she wondered if the feeling would ever pass, hoping that it wouldn’t.
He suggested that they should continue where they left off upon returning home.
She grinned mischievously at Anakin’s suggestion and between heated kisses, they made it back to The Tempest. Though Anakin’s suggestion referred to their apartments in the Imperial palace, Dormé was a little too impatient for that and once he set it on autopilot, she was assaulting him once more. The restored peace to the galaxy and never before had she felt so in sync with her beloved husband.
Later, when they were finally back in their own quarters, Dormé smiled at Anakin as they lay in bed together, running a hand through his hair. ‘With the Separatist destroyed, there will be far less things to worry about,’ she mused.
He couldn’t resist tightening his embrace as he too played with her long hair. ‘You were magnificent to watch,’ he purred before adding with a mischievous smile. ‘You have no idea how hard it was to stay focused throughout the battle. I don’t think I’ve ever been so eager to end a fight as I was then,’ he admitted as he gave her a kiss. ‘Rest assured, my love, with peace now finally restored we will never have to worry about such things again,’
‘Although, I have to say I almost wish there were more traitors to remove because—gods—that was amazing...nevermind seeing you in action...’
The Sith Lord couldn’t resist a chuckle. ‘I know exactly what you mean,’ he said as his eyes danced in mischief. ‘Although frankly, I much prefer the action that occurred after we removed the traitors myself.’
Dormé giggled before giving him a kiss that assured him she agreed wholeheartedly with his remark. She also hoped that that sort of action would lead to becoming pregnant, unaware that she already was. ‘And hopefully soon, there will be little ones to share in this newly instated peace...and tell them one day about how Daddy and Ama brought peace to the galaxy,’ she mused happily. But even if this wasn’t the case, deep down, she knew that having Anakin in her life was the best thing that ever happened to her.
Anakin gave a mischievous grin at her giggle before purring as he eagerly returned her kiss. Unaware of the fact even now a small spark was growing within Dormé, the young emperor gave a contented sigh to her words as he gave her a squeeze. ‘I’m already looking forward to it,’ he murmured softly as he continued to play with her hair as his eyes softened and a dreamy smile crept into his features. ‘I can’t wait ’til the sound of our children’s laughter fills the halls of the palace and the pattering of their feet are heard from the rooms,’ he mused in contentment before studying her intently as he gave her a loving smile.
As much as Dormé enjoyed the intense moments of passion following their slaughter of the Separatist leaders, Dormé loved moments like this when everything seemed right in the galaxy. And for once, Dormé was convinced that everything was perfect. She gazed in loving admiration into Anakin’s blue orbs, matching his smile. ‘And playing in the gardens, learning to swim, to fly...’ she sighed. It was a beautiful dream, one that would hopefully come true very soon. She so very much wanted to be a mother, one that would be there for her children, protecting and loving them in ways her mother never had.
Anakin grinned at her words already imagining how wonderful it will be to have a family to call their own. He could almost picture their children running about, playing and wanting to hear their Ama and daddy tell them about stories before they went to bed. It was a wonderful thought to say the least and in silence he let his thoughts wander taking in her Force signature or more importantly any subtle changes within it. It was a habit he had grown accustom to doing since their first child was returned to the Force. But it wasn’t the sadness he dwelled on now, rather on the hope that this time they would be ready for the new life and be able to protect it from whatever unseeing threats. ‘I just know you’re going to be a wonderful mother,’ he said gently.
Trailing her fingers over his chest, she wondered, ‘How many children do you want to have?’
As his thoughts wandered, Anakin found himself sensing something was indeed different this time. Furrowing his brow, he tried not to get his hopes up as he continued to study her Force aura with a trained eye. Vaguely catching Dormé’s question—much like he vaguely registered her gentle touch—Anakin’s attentions briefly returned to her. Giving her a lopsided grin, the young Sith Lord chuckled in reply. ‘As many as we can get away with,’ he semi-teased before letting once more returning his attentions to her Force signature as his expression grew almost blissful.
Resting her head contently on his chest, she missed him furrowing his brow in concentration as he scanned her Force signature. She was unaware that he had taken up the habit since the loss of their first child. Dormé laughed at his comment about how many children he would like to have. Very much of the same mind as him, not registering that childbirth was like a planned torture session, she also wanted to have many children.
The sound of her laughter and sight of her smile warmed his heart and filled him with much joy for it seemed like an eternity since he last see Dormé truly happy without the hint of sadness in her eyes. The loss of their first child had been hard on Anakin but was nothing in comparison to how it had affected his beloved. ‘Although I think, Dormé...we just might get our wish sooner than we think...’ he murmured in disbelieving joy. Though he couldn’t be certain, essentially, he could sense that there now was a very weak, but definitely a separate Force signature that lingered about Dormé’s own.
At his words, Dormé picked up her head to look at Anakin curiously. His tone and joyful expression conveyed the truth. ‘Really?’ she asked hopefully, her smile growing as well, not realising that the only children she would be spending time with anytime soon were the captive Jedi younglings.
Now with this, discovery he was more than eager to share the news with Dormé and at his less than subtle hint he was rewarded with another growing smile to which he soon returned. ‘I think so,’ he replied in his own hopeful tones to her question. ‘I can sense another Force signature within your own, Dormé. It is weak, but it’s there,’ he continued as he was no longer able to hide the joy from his voice and features. ‘It’s beautiful,’ he murmured softly. ‘May I show you?’ he asked softly wanting to warn and receive her permission before touching her thoughts.
He called it beautiful and Dormé wanted nothing more than to believe it. How she had longed for this, especially after the loss of their first little one. Now that she knew of this one’s existence, she vowed to do everything in her power to keep it. She would see a doctor every day of its development if she had to, so long as it was healthy and safe. ‘Oh yes, please!’ Dormé said quite excitedly. She could hardly believe it was possible, but now knowing that Anakin confirmed she was pregnant, the thought filled her with such joy. Soon their dreams would come true and they would have a little one to share their Empire with.
Anakin gave a shy grin at her eager reply as he already knew that she would want this but unlike their moments under the influence of the Dark side felt the need out of respect to her to ask first. Without another word, he leaned in to gently kiss her lips and through the Force he lightly touched her mind opening his thoughts to hers.
‘It is going to be a little disorientating at first but if you look closely at your aura -the colours that surround your body- you will be able to see a second aura,’ he said softly into her thoughts as he continued to play with her hair. Through the Force, he tried to reach out to the spark as a means of making contact. It was meant to be a simple gesture, a means of making himself known to the little spark, to reveal the love they felt for the little life that was growing in their midst.
Responding to his kiss, she was pleased to hear his voice in her head, something so personal that she always relished. She kept his words in mind, as her eyes opened to the Force. ‘Oh!’ she gasped once her eyes adjusted and looked past her own signature to see the little spark. ‘Oh! Oh Anakin!’ she exclaimed, beaming. ‘It is beautiful,’ she said, repeating his assessment of a minute ago. ‘Our baby...’ She couldn’t help shedding a few tears of joy. It was so amazing and incredibly real. ‘Will we be able to do this again as it grows?’ she asked hopefully.
Anakin beamed at her reaction feeling her joy intermingling with his own. Watching her in silence, he took in her reactions feeling as though he was reliving his own experiences when he was first learning how to use his Force abilities. Gently touching her cheek Anakin wiped away her tears as he nodded to her question. ‘We can do it as much as you’d like,’ he said softly
‘I’ll have to go to the medical centre to have a check-up soon. Oh, it’s really happening, isn’t it?!’
‘I truly hope so,’ he purred as he gave her another smile.
It was truly a wonderful experience, one she would cherish, even in the worst of times. Being so close to another person and having the chance to feel their emotions as well, for a non-sensitive person, was truly amazing. That Anakin was willing to do this for her as well was something she would always appreciate. But to add to it all, the fact they were going to have a baby, that they were one step closer to attaining the dream they so often dreamt, it just made it blissful to say the least.
Anakin cherished this moment to the fullest and couldn’t help but relish feeling Dormé’s emotions and thoughts to freely touching his own. Feeling their child’s life signature only added to this feeling. Holding her close the young Sith Lord felt as though they truly were in harmony as Dormé’s people so often believed. ‘This really is a dream come true,’ he murmured softly as he kissed her once more while continuing to keep this thoughts and emotions open to her.
As happy as the moment was, it would be awhile before such happiness was felt again.
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