Proclamations and Revelations
By: Cariel
For as the curtain rose I danced as I was able
Felt my deception slowly sinking in
And so I turned to you, my love
For the solace that is there
-Fuel
Caught up in the quelling of minor insurrections in the mid-rim territories, Palpatine was, for a few days, blissfully uninformed of his apprentice’s great plans…
Marriage! Love! Palpatine had no use for those words. These terms were like infectious diseases, eating him away from the inside. Jaffa did not, he found gleefully, have enough intelligence to plot against him or encourage Vader to overthrow him. However, he was not impressed with her and she was far from special. She was more naïve and gullible than Amidala. She was, he mused, just as easily manipulated as Vader was. Despite having found nothing from his interrogation of Jaffa, she still posed a threat, though not in any way he had ever considered possible.
When he found out about Vader’s intentions to make his ‘marriage’ with Jaffa public, Palpatine did not know what to think. He wondered why he had not seen this coming. He knew of Vader’s growing affections for the former handmaiden well before Vader knew of it himself. He knew of Vader’s obsessive mannerisms and attachments and to be honest, he had no problem with that. Palpatine always had the upper hand because he knew how to use such things to his advantage, as tools of manipulation over his apprentice. However scandalous as it was for Vader to be involved with his first wife’s former handmaiden, Palpatine had not thought he would marry the girl.
Now, more than ever, the girl needed to be removed.
Being the suave entrepreneur that he was, Palpatine knew he could not be in any way connected to her death.
Oh, how ironic, he thought as he sat in his extravagant throne room on Coruscant just before the ‘celebration’. Where is Kenobi when you need him? He chuckled darkly to himself.
He gracefully rose from his throne, adjusting his cloak before stepping through to the grand hall where all of the ambassadors, senators, and planet leaders were awaiting the announcement. Drawing the Dark Side around him to conceal his thoughts from his apprentice, he threw his hands into the air and applause accompanied the gesture.
Oh yes, he would smile and cajole with the best of them this evening. He would congratulate his apprentice and the whore he calls ‘wife’. They would adore the attention and be so preoccupied they would not think he was in any way insincere. Nor would they ever suspect he would continue plotting her demise.
A processional orchestration played as Vader and his whore entered. As he observed the way Jaffa smiled up at the Sith Lord, an even more threatening fear washed over Palpatine. Would this delude his apprentice into thinking he could rule the Empire alone?
As Vader and Jaffa stood before the aristocrats, Palpatine felt as though he were standing on a precipice. What if she were to bear him children? He knew he was more powerful than Vader, but his children? If she were to conceive, the child would be as powerful as Vader had been before Kenobi duelled with him. The child would have the potential to overthrow him. Palpatine would not allow it.
Once it was decided that there would be a celebration in front of all the delegates, senators, and representatives from all the systems, Dormé had a gown specially made for the occasion. She also set about secretly creating something special for her husband.
As she examined the handcrafted sword Anakin had made for her, she recalled how glorious it had been the first time she accompanied him in battle. She recalled how much she wanted to give him that power. Her finger danced along the grip of her blade, knowing she could only dream of providing that power. His lightsaber which cut down the traitors...that was his first possession. If she had the ability, she would give him that blade. She would hand him that weapon with pride and all the love she held for him.
With this in mind, she spent her free time working on a special engraving for the hilt of his lightsaber. This engraving would bless his kills and mark this weapon of power as hers. She used one of the more ancient forms of Nabooan calligraphy which no doubt would be unknown even to the Emperor. She chose it because of its elegant tribal style and nuances that melded love and possession, fire and cleansing, peace and Armageddon.
Tonight, he wore this on his belt as they paraded into the hall. Dormé served and loved her husband first and foremost, but she also loved the Empire and the peace they ensured and enforced. She never doubted the Emperor or question his motives. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever suspect he was plotting against her.
Tonight, the rumours would forever be quelled.
Tonight, she stood by Vader’s side as his best friend, dearest soul mate and love.
Tonight, she would be announced as his wife.
Taking no notice of the signs of affection the ‘noble’ couple displayed, Palpatine was able to get a good look at the bracelet surrounding Dormé’s wrist. He knew exactly what sort of ‘magic’ it was and what it symbolized. This, however, only enhanced his smile as he announced them personally to all the guests.
‘It is my most great honour to announce before you, Lord and Lady Vader, Supreme Commanders of the Imperial Forces.’
The hall roared with approving applause and shouts of congratulations in various native tongues.
It all made Palpatine have an acidic feel in the pit of his stomach, but he continued beaming as he offered a toast to the whore. This glass of liquor was clean. They would have their pathetic little celebration tonight. ‘To your health and the effective wielding of the ultimate imperial power through your union,’ he said, raising his own glass to clink with hers.
Dormé’s eyes remained on Vader the entire time. The announcement and applause vibrated around the pair in undulating waves. It was as if for a brief space of time she was able to feel their emotions through the Force. Certainly everyone was just as thrilled about this as they were, if judging by Emperor Palpatine’s expression.
She gleefully took the glass from her husband’s master, making the toast for the both of them, knowing they would be having their own private celebration later. Just the thought of it made her yearn for the public event to be finished already. She squeezed his hand in anticipation.
Everything was so perfect and she could not have asked for a better reception. She lamented the fact she wasn’t able to kiss him in front of everyone and contented herself by refusing to move an inch away from him the entire evening.
Palpatine was more than eager for the ‘celebrations’ to end as well, but for very different reasons.
‘No, it is my pleasure, Ambassador...Thank you for your generous donation, Senator...We are so glad you were able to attend, Your Lordship...’
As the evening dragged on, speaking with the most important of senators and ambassadors, grinning through the entire event, he secretly plotted Dormé’s demise.
It was thoughts of the various ways she could die that brought the smile to his face. No one need know.
The fist few glorious weeks after having been announced as Vader’s wife proved to be rewarding, for no one dared to speak ill against Dormé. No one questioned her authority or even looked at her the wrong way anymore. It was brilliant. It ought to have been invigorating as well, but unfortunately, for the newly dubbed Lady Vader, with each passing day, she felt tired more easily and by the end of the day would be too exhausted to say more than two words to her husband.
Dormé did not find this unusual or a cause for concern. In fact, she was thoroughly convinced that she was carrying their child. She did not speak of it or visit the medical ward at first because the prospect was too exciting that she wanted to keep it to herself for a bit longer. She knew from her experience with Padmé and what she had heard from Moteé that becoming incredibly weary was one of the many possible signs for pregnancy. Needless to say, she was lethargic, but incredibly happy.
Though she was excited about it, she had another reason for keeping this ‘news’ from Anakin. Besides wanting to be sure, she was hesitant about how he might react. He had been waking in the middle of the night after having, what she assumed to be, nightmares and she recalled what he had told her before about foreseeing Padmé’s death as well as his mother’s. What if he had foreseen her own death? That was most certainly not something she would want to know. At the same time, she didn’t want him to have to carry the burden of that knowledge alone.
On this day, a few weeks after the celebration in front of the elite representatives of the Empire, she decided to have herself checked out. What she found out was far from what she had been expecting.
‘I am afraid,’ the medical technician stated gravely, ‘you are in fact unable to have children.’
Denial was first. Certainly the test had been administered incorrectly. Certainly, the equipment was faulty.
Rage was next. How could anyone be so incompetent? How dare they try to tell her she had misjudged her symptoms or even faked them? They would all die by Vader’s hand and she would enjoy watching them suffer slowly.
Despair hit her violently and she could no longer remain in the medical centre. Clamping a hand to her forehead, she sped back to their quarters so she could break down in tears within their sanctuary. Dormé went to the kitchen, gripping the veneer counter tightly as she bowed her head, sobbing uncontrollably.
What a foolish woman she was. How could she ever think she would be able to have a child! Why would she be blessed with the one thing she had always cherished the idea of? She was such an absolute failure! How could he ever love her now? These were some of the various laments and outrageous postulations she thought as she sobbed.
If she could have, her nails would have made indentures into the wood she was clutching so hard, but when she heard her beloved telling her through the Force that he was coming, she gasped through her tears.
Why? Why would he bother with her now? She was worthless and unworthy of his attention. The Empire was far more important than anything having to do with her.
Had the fallen Jedi known of his beloved thoughts his heart would have broke to have learnt that he had unintentionally caused her such sorrow. While he had done nothing to cause her to feel this way it was something he would certainly hold himself accountable for. But in this moment all he knew was her sorrow and his fear over the nightmares that had been plaguing him over teh past while.
Whatever it was that was causing her pain he would do everything in his power to end it as quickly as possible. For without his dearest friend and beloved he was nothing...
Quickly approaching their chambers the Sith Lord palmed the security code and swiftly entered. He rid himself of the confining helmet as though it were suffocating him as he ran into the kitchen where Dormé was weeping. ‘My love what is wrong? What happened?’
Upon Anakin’s return, Dormé would have automatically rushed over to him, but in this state, she didn’t think he would ever want to see her again, let alone want to hold her.
However, feeling his arms around her partially eased her troubled heart, the unconscious part of her chiding herself for ever doubting his love, while the more powerful part of her feeling guilty for being unable to conceive.
She felt weak in the knees, in fact, she felt weak all over and it was a good thing he held her or she would have slipped to the floor, consequently, she clutched onto Vader as if holding on for dear life. ‘Oh Anakin, I’m so sorry,’ she exclaimed, gasping through her tears.
‘If you never want to see me again because of this—I’m so sorry—I thought that I was, but I wasn’t I can’t, I can’t ever—and I’m—’ she rambled incoherently, choking on her tears and feeling incredibly light-headed.
‘Why are you apologizing? I don’t understand what happened?’ he gently. ‘Dormé, I’m not going anywhere nor would I ever leave you. Surely you understand this, you are my beloved and my soul mate nothing can or will ever change this. Please tell me what is wrong! I only want to help...’ he pleaded.
‘You can’t help! It’s my fault! I should have known—things were too perfect—’ Her breathing was erratic and her heart raced, only increasing her dizziness.
Had Dormé been able to think clearly, she would not have so offhandedly and thoughtlessly told him the truth. ‘I thought I was pregnant and went for a test and they told me—I c-can’t have children... I’m so sorry to have failed you, Anakin.’
‘Dormé it’s alright. This isn’t your fault and I’m not going anywhere I swear to you I’m not leaving-’
Her grip on him weakened as she slowly began to give in to unconsciousness. Stars invaded her sight and she wasn’t able to focus on his face as darkness overwhelmed her, but she heard him. ‘Anakin—’
‘Dormé, please my love listen to me -focus on my voice I’m going to heal you I’m going to stop this...This isn’t your fault Dormé please understand you never failed me -By the Force please don’t leave me...I can’t live without you-’ he said hoarsely as tears began to stream down his cheeks.
Her panic subsided at his words. He would not cast her off because of her failure.
Aware that time was no longer on his side, he tapped into the dark side, closing his eyes in attempts to heal her.
A/N: I’m thrilled that those of you who have reviewed enjoy this pairing as much as I do.
How many of you would be interested in reading an AU fic with Anakin/Dormé from AotC era on?
on to chapter ten
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