Just after the destruction of Alderaan, the Emperor ordered a legion of stormtroopers to investigate Yavin IV. He had not assigned Vader to this mission, for he was well aware of the yslamiri that inhabited the vast foliage of the lush planet.
Yavin IV was specifically chosen for its natural habitat or rather the inhabitants that called this lush environment its home. Though it was hardly a proper safeguard against the threat that was Lord Vader and his Lady Queen, for a time, the Alliance Rebels acted out of these primitive headquarters without fear. However, their time of security had now come to an end and despite the Emperor’s blatant attempts to keep Vader from this mission, the Sith Lord couldn’t resist joining the Stormtroops in their investigation. He knew the Alliance Rebels were located here and was as eager to see them removed as his beloved. It had been too long since he had a real challenge to face, and the prospect of catching his enemies off guard was too much to resist.
Dormé did not seem to be the only one who desired to be there in person when the pitiful Rebellion was crushed. She wanted to hear their screams...to see her beloved’s lightsaber slashing through them one by one...and to see their traitorous blood spilling forth like a sacrifice to her... It did not take long for the troops to land and Dormé strode through the dense forest at her beloved’s side. Her thirst for blood was unquenchable.
Moving through the thick brush of forest Anakin remained close to Dormé’s side ever watchful for any and all threats. But something did not feel quite right, though the Sith Lord could not explain what it was he felt. It was almost as though he could not feel anything or anyone at all. Frowning from within the confines of his mask, he continued onward, unaware that he was being watched and monitored from the shadows of the trees. Little did he realise that their prey had long since been aware of his arrival and were preparing to make an attack of their own.
Vader kept his thoughts to himself for the moment, however, they continued their journey through the forest to the ruins that over looked turbulent waters far below. It was then that he heard the sound of rustling in the trees and moved to activate his lightsaber. The sword sparked to life as it always did but something was off. The powerful weapon seemed weaker somehow and lacked the energy that normally accompanied it, as though something were hindering the crystal’s energy.
Dormé was on guard as well, remaining close to her beloved as the troopers followed. Though she heard the rustling, it sounded like wings and she did not pay it much heed. When her Dark Lord turned sharply to look at her, her brow furrowed, thinking he sensed something. What he said shocked her.
He could no longer see her Force signature—or anything else for that matter—just as he could no longer hear the soft thrum of the Force or feel its cold tendrils around him. ‘Dormé, something’s wrong. I can’t feel anything...I can’t sense anything!’ he said with growing panic.
‘What does that mean?’ she asked curiously, hearing the panic in his mechanical voice. ‘I don’t—I don’t understand...’
Anakin struggled to clear his thoughts to tap into the darkness that had always calmed in him the past or at least gave him the heady rush that would ensure his fears were forgotten. However the harder he tried to touch the Force, the more he found himself unable to do so. It was as though he was grasping at thin air, or as though he were blind to the life energy that once coursed through his veins. Panic now gripped his mind as he clutched his lightsaber tighter.
The stormtroopers were on the verge of encircling the Rebel encampment only to discover that the entire region was set up with traps and hidden arsenal. From behind Dormé and Anakin, shadowed figures seem to just drop from the trees leaving them both surrounded by the now properly trained and seasoned ground fighters of the resistance.
It was not until Vader felt Dormé’s hand on his arm that his thoughts were able to regain some semblance of coherency. He studied her in silent concern. ‘I can’t feel the Force Dormé. It’s like—I can’t feel anything, I can’t touch it or sense it. It’s like I’m numb to it,’ he murmured in fear though through the vocabulator it sounded like a growl.
‘What?’ she asked, not understanding still. ‘How can this be?’ Dormé was becoming fearful as well and sure enough, the fear proved accurate as gun fire and explosions echoed all around and through the trees.
Vader shook his head unsure how to explain what had happened to him either though the answers would reveal itself at a later point. But before he could even guess at its cause, the dark lord’s attentions were turned to the sound of explosions and gunfire. It was expected and normally he would have been thrilled at the possibility of enjoying such a battle but now his thoughts were elsewhere.
Vader had never really had to fight without the use of the Force before although he had trained in this fashion years ago. Nevertheless, he was left without another option and soon was caught up in the fray as Dormé whipped around, screeching curses in Uriashian as she thundered toward the shadowed figures.
Her main concern was protecting her beloved who seemed to have lost his ability to wield the Force for some reason. She would make them pay!
Though his lightsaber felt strange in his hands now—for it lacked the power it once wielded—the Sith Lord did not hesitate any longer and moved to attack. Without the dark side to guide his movement or amplify his skills Anakin’s abilities were that of a normal human. As such while he was able to make his attacks with great viciousness, it lacked the speed and agility he was so accustomed to leaving Anakin feeling overly vulnerable. Given too his panicked state of mind the fallen Jedi was very ease prey for their attackers and it was not long before he was defending himself over attacking them.
The Alliance ground fighters were skilled and moved with greatest of ease marking their familiarity with this environment, however, Dormé was far more skilled than most and soon many fell to her blade. But there were still a few who proved themselves and despite Vader’s attempts to stop them, it was becoming all too apparent that he was outnumbered. Moving as fast as he could, Anakin tried to ignore the fatigue that normally eluded him in battle. Just as he tried to ignore the fact that his attacks were not nearly as effective as they should have been. Soon the shots he was trying to block were getting closer to his armour. Struggling to protect both Dormé and himself, Vader unwittingly began to fallback towards the edges that overlooked the turbulent rapids below.
One pathetic rebel after another fell to Dormé’s blade, but even when it was caked with blood, it was not enough for her. But this rage withered within her, though she was unclear as to why. She had no idea that her beloved’s waning Force abilities directly influenced her darker tendencies.
Slashing and decapitating two attackers that had gotten too close Anakin started to believe that he was regaining control once more. But then a third came from out of nowhere—or so it felt—and without warning, fired a shot into his main chestplate, upsetting the controls of his ventilator. He cried out in rage and move to attack but the fighter was faster. Soon they fired off more shots into Vader’s armoured form causing him to lose his balance and go careening off the edge of the small cliff and into the waters below.
The warrior was quick in her attacks and did not hesitate to take advantage of the Sith Lord’s shock and inability to recover. It was not to say that she was far from safe, for her colleagues were falling rapidly to the witch’s blade just as they were to Lord Vader’s. Nevertheless, the former handmaiden known as Rabé would not give into her fears. It was because of this that she was able to even get close enough to the man that was once her mistress’s husband. It was also because of this that she was able to show no mercy or falter in the face of victory as the Emperor’s second-in-command plummeted into the rapids.
Though engrossed in battle, Dormé felt weakened in some way, as though her slashes were less efficient than they normally were. The custom-made wakizashi normally felt more balanced in her grip than it did today. Soon her attentions were diverted to her Dark Lord who was no longer by her side. She heard him crying out and rushed straight for him.
Instinctively, Anakin tried to use the Force to stabilize himself to dampen the fall but his thoughts reached out to nothing. His body hit the turbulent waters with a loud splash and Vader’s thoughts scattered to blind panic as he tried desperately to reach the surface. Yet even as his body succumbed to the weight of the armour that continued to drag him downward, Anakin’s thoughts promptly returned to Dormé. He recalled the last rebel who fought him and feared for her safety. This one seemed more skilled than the others, and with Dormé already being outnumbered, the thought made him try even harder to pull himself to the surface.
Rabé had not anticipated was the rush of shock to pour over her as her eyes fell to the woman clad in crimson. Throughout the battle, Rabé never did have time or a chance to get a close look at Lady Vader. But Lady Vader approached the cliff where Vader had fallen—ignoring the last of her prey left standing—Rabé caught sight of the familiar face and was stunned. Never in her life would she have guessed that the infamous Lady Vader was none other than Dormé Jaffa.
Water! Cursing her gown, knowing it would not aid in rescuing him, Dormé quickly stripped, leaving her gown and sword in a pile, not caring who saw her, before diving in after Vader. It was lucky for them that one of the commander stormtroopers witnessed this.
By the time Rabé snapped out of her confusion and proceeded to trail the threat that was Dormé, the Lady of the Sith had already dove into the water to retrieve her lover. Upon arriving to shore, the camouflaged woman stared at the crumpled gown and blade and found herself faltering. But instincts worked fast and soon she was slipping into the shadows as she waited for Dormé’s return to shore. It was hardly an honourable way to make a kill, but then when had either Lord Vader or his Queen shown honour?
Struggling to breathe the fallen Jedi’s thoughts soon began to fade. Fighting against the inky blackness that was threatening to overtake him, the Sith Lord cursed himself for not being more careful. He cursed the Force for choosing now to abandon him and his beloved, but most of all he cursed himself for not being able to help Dormé and for ultimately placing her life in danger because of it. With these lingering thoughts Anakin’s battle to breathe soon proved to be fruitless. Just as his desperate efforts to claw his way back to the surface was swiftly brought to an end, leaving the hulking black form to sink slowly to the bottom of the rushing rapids that bled into the river.
Dormé tried to find him under the water, but his armour made him so heavy, she could not pull him to the surface. It took a few dives before she was able to remove the helmet and most of the outer plating, to bring him up to the surface. He could not breathe without the mask working though, so even bring him to shore did little to help. ‘Stay with me, Anakin,’ she cried, trying to give him rescue breathing and praying it was of some use.
Vader’s body was unresponsive at first to Dormé’s rescue and by the time they reached shore, his skin was beginning to grow cold and take on a bluish hue. With his thoughts lost to the inky blackness of unconsciousness, Anakin appeared all but dead.
Too consumed in her attempt to rescue her beloved, Dormé refused to believe he would die. She did not give up, even when her rescue breathing did not seem to do anything at all.
However as Dormé began to breathe life into his lungs the broken man began to weakly stir. Slowly, he began to surface the realm of consciousness with each breath given until finally the fallen Jedi’s eyes snapped opened as he began to cough up water and gasp for air, raspy though his breath was.
‘My love!’ she exclaimed. ‘You’re all right...you’re going to be just fine...’ Tears came to her eyes, but were not shed, for their safety had not been assured. She began removing his boots in order to heave him to his feet so they could get away.
Anakin as though in a hazy dream could hear Dormé’s voice speaking to him and clutching onto the sound the struggling Sith Lord forced his broken lungs to breathe. It was a task in and of itself and in his disorientated state of mind he was struggling to grasp why he could not breathe as normal or where exactly he even was.
Unfortunately, as the Sith Lord came to, the threat that was the former handmaiden revealed herself once more as Rabé aimed her sights on Anakin’s barely conscious form and began to fire.
Without her sword in hand, Dormé was defenceless. Shots were fired at Anakin, just slightly missing him. There was no use in using herself as a shield, but carrying him from this place, even with increased adrenaline, was not going to happen. She cursed herself for not thinking ahead of time and at least bringing a comlink.
Vader was conscious enough to recognise the sound of shots being fired, alerting him to trouble and his concerns immediately turned to Dormé’s safety. Struggling to gasp for air, he tried to touch her thoughts to warn her to leave for cover, but soon remembered he could not touch the Force. This only added to the feeling that he was trapped in some horrible nightmare despite the fact it felt far too real to be a dream. ‘...Dormé...go to...safety...’ he rasped trying to get her attention as she move to take off his boots. But if she heard, she did not respond.
Thankfully, Dormé did not have to wait long as an Imperial ship landed nearby.
Rabé did not remain long upon seeing the Imperial ship landing. Cursing the fact she did not react sooner, the former handmaiden was quick to depart to the thick woods to regroup with her comrades and depart to safety herself. Though she suffered wounds of her own from the shots fired, the former handmaiden survived the worst of the battle and knew she would be able to return to the frontlines in time.
Anakin, however, was in a less than stable state and though he was able to stand it was a struggle to walk as the lack of oxygen was making him light-headed. Even worst came the wounds and blood loss from the shots that had pierced through his thick armour—due to the almost point-blank range they were fired at.
The troopers fired at the rebels and helped her get Vader onto the ship to return to the Death Star.
The entire way, Dormé was mindful of her beloved, continuing to give him rescue breathing, even though he was conscious. It was easier for him to breathe her air, it seemed.
With Dormé’s constant and mindful actions, Vader’s struggling lungs were able to function well enough for the Sith Lord to return the ship without blacking out. In his almost dream like state the broken man couldn’t help but give a hint of a smile as he struggled to stay focussed on his footsteps. For in his scattered thoughts he could not help but register that Dormé’s actions and the fact he truly could breathe easier when they were sharing the same breath. Yet while he registered this, he was not entirely ignorant to the effect it was having on Dormé who now looked as weak as he felt. Though he was still struggling to figure out if this was real or dream, Anakin tried to whisper to her to save her energy.
She could not tell, nor did she care if the other officers gave her strange looks or made comments about Vader without his mask. When not giving rescue breaths to her beloved, she was giving orders to the commander. She had little breath left for herself, let alone words of comfort. So focused was she, that she heard every strained whisper Anakin directed toward her, but she would not listen. Dormé was so concerned for him, praying the exposure had not further damaged him.
Relief washed over her when the Death Star came into view. With help, they promptly took Vader to his specially equipped medical room where Anakin practically collapsed onto the cot in the room that was designed specifically for his needs. Struggling to remain conscious, the fallen Jedi’s eyes soon closed, although he soon was reaching to take hold of Dormé’s hand for he could not feel her through the Force. It was despairing to say the least and it left him feeling vulnerable, confused and frightened.
Dormé did not once think of the sword she left, nor of the scarlet gown and the fact she was practically naked in front of them. Her sole concern was Vader. Scared for him, she remained, holding his hand, feeling incredibly light-headed and her chest and lungs aching. She didn’t realise she was also feeling what he felt, that even without his ability to wield the Force, the bond between them remained unaffected.
Even as Anakin tried to tell Dormé to rest, to save her energy his beloved would not listen and in the end, he was too weak to try to convince her further. However, almost as soon as the fallen Jedi found himself on the cot, he soon slipped into unconsciousness. Drifting in and out of consciousness, the Sith Lord’s thoughts ever remained with his queen. Though he could not sense her, Anakin felt herhand in his for a time and it gave him strength not to succumb to the panic that warred within him.
As time passed, Vader found himself awakening to discover that Dormé’s hand was no longer in his own. Frantic and fearful for his beloved and wife, the Sith Lord immediately inquired about her. The Medical droids soon informed him that she had fainted, which only added to the fallen Jedi’s panicked state of mind. The droid told him that she was recovering herself in the next room. Frowning deeply and feeling a bit more alert than before, Vader demanded that she be placed in the same room as him. The droids thought otherwise and, cursing the fact he was unable to use the Force on them and being too weak to crush them with his own hands, Anakin found himself staring through the glass that now separated him from his beloved who rested on a cot of her own.
The medical droids put Dormé in a robe and administered an oxygen treatment and once she regained consciousness, she had a headache from everything that had happened. However, she was confused, wondering how she got there and if Anakin was all right. Her chest did not feel as tight and painful as it had before and soon she was sitting up and ignoring the droids that wished to check up on her as she returned to her beloved’s side.
During the treatment, one of the stormtroopers arrived with her gown and blade. Though it was hardly the time to return it to the healing woman the gown was folded neatly and left with the sheathed but bloodied blade on a table in the corner of the room. They were both unaware of the officers spreading malicious gossip about their latest display, Dormé’s in particular. She had ‘quite shamelessly pranced around practically nude’ in her efforts to save her beloved dark lord who ‘seemed to have lost the will to live and jumped over a cliff’.
Quite awake and hardly amused at the fact the droids refused to let Dormé rest in the same room as him, Vader was most grateful to see Dormé regain consciousness. Though his body was still weak and his head ached for reasons he could not explain, he was relieved to see that his beloved was well enough to get up and out of bed. While his mind still struggled to comprehend what had happened and how exactly he got here, Vader’s main concern was his queen.
Dormé took his hand once more, sitting this time next to the cot. Though she wanted to know how he was, she thought it best if he did not speak, so she decided against asking him questions until he was better. She was convinced he would be just fine, barely remembering or caring about his inability to wield the Force.
Almost as soon as Dormé went to join his side and take his hand, the fallen Jedi was squeezing her hand lightly and giving her a gentle smile. ‘I’m glad...you’re alright,’ he said before adding in equally soft but sincere tones. ‘...Thank you.’ While he could not recall all the events that had passed Anakin knew without question that Dormé had saved his life. But then this was a fact he had always known deep down, only this time she had saved in both the literal as well as metaphorical sense.
When her beloved spoke, Dormé shook her head. ‘Don’t try to speak,’ she said, even though she was so grateful to hear his voice. She leant closer to kiss his cheek. ‘The damage caused by the laser fire was minimal. You can hardly tell you were even fired upon now,’ she said, hoping to ease any concerns he might have about what got through his armour.
Anakin gingerly moved to touch Dormé’s cheek as she gently cautioned him to save his energy. Giving her a smile as she kissed his cheek, the Sith Lord fell silent as she further explained that the damage caused by laser fire was minimal. Furrowing his brow, he vaguely recalled being shot at and how the force of the gun fire had caused him to lose his balance, but his thoughts were promptly distracted as Dormé continued, directing his thoughts to more pleasant things.
‘Now we just need the OK to get you out of here,’ she remarked before leaning in to whisper in his ear about her plans for him upon reaching their quarters. She hoped this would motivate him into recovering and provide distraction from the failed mission.
If there was one thing that motivated him like nothing else, it was spending time with his beloved queen. Despite her encouragement, however, his thoughts returned to the fact he could not feel the Force. It was disorientating and unsettling for the silence felt was deafening to say the least. But it was a comfort to know Dormé was near, that she was all right and safe. ‘I’m sure I’m fine enough to leave,’ he remarked in stronger tones, though it was obvious he was far from healed. This did not stop Vader from trying to sit up in preparation of leaving. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in the infirmary in this disorientating state of mind. At least in their own chambers, he was in familiar and comfortable territory. At least there, he would feel more at ease and could at least attempt to make sense of the events and what happened without medical droids hounding him for vitals. More importantly, he could at least be alone with his queen.
‘Hold on, let them finish their duties,’ she said when he tried to sit up.
Anakin gave a frustrated sigh at her words and tried to sit up anyways. ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine,’ he began. If only he knew what caused his abilities to fade away and if there would be any chance of regaining them. Try as he might to ignore the dark whispers, Anakin found himself growing fearful that with the departure of his power Dormé would no longer wish to remain by his side even though it was very clear that she felt entirely the opposite.
Lightly placing her hand on his shoulders to have him lie back down, Dormé added, ‘I want to make sure you are well enough before we retire and I can lavish you with attention.’ She winked at him even though it was clear he was in a sour mood. The last thing on Dormé’s mind was Anakin’s inability to wield the Force. In fact, by the time she recovered from her faint, she had forgotten about it entirely. Her first priority was seeing that her beloved was well on the mend so they could attend to more pressing matters...and hunt the Rebels down when they got a chance.
Frowning the Sith Lord glanced away knowing at this point arguing with her was a lost cause. Despite his foul state of mind, Vader could not deny Dormé’s words did not hold a charm of their own and at her wink, he felt his mood lighten slightly.
The wait was not as long as Dormé expected. Once Vader was given a temporary replacement mask, they were free to leave. She did not even notice the sword and gown in the other room as they exited the infirmary for their quarters. ‘Are you hungry or thirsty?’ she asked upon arriving at their quarters. She wanted to make him as comfortable as possible during his recovery.
Anakin furrowed his brow and shook his head to Dormé’s words as he removed the temporary mask in disgust. ‘No I’m fine,’ he remarked quietly as he studied her curiously. Had he been less distracted by his concerns about the Force Anakin would have picked up on the fact Dormé was without her gown or blade almost immediately. Despite this missed observation, the Sith Lord did notice it now and growing both curious and concerned he quietly approached her.
She nodded when he said he did not want anything and poured a shot of apsinthos for herself.
‘What happened to your gown and blade?’ he asked gently. ‘Did you want me to have someone get it for you?’ he offered presuming it was removed when she was being tended to by the medical staff earlier and unaware she had removed them before then.
At his remark, Dormé remembered she was still in the hospital gown and blushed. She downed the shot and decided she ought to put on something else. As she moved to do so, she explained, ‘Oh, well I actually—’ she began, but stopped herself.
Anakin gave a smile to her blush as in reality he was hardly bothered by her appearance in the hospital gown. In truth, she looked as lovely as always to him.
‘When you fell over the cliff, I knew it would be too heavy, so I took it off and left my sword when I dived in to rescue you.’ Now that she had on a simple nightgown, she was at least more presentable to her dark lord.
Her reply made him furrow his brow in silent shame. He hated being helpless and hated even more the fact that his situation had caused Dormé to lose the blade she held so dear and one of her favourite gowns. Growing apologetic, he glanced away briefly as he cursed himself and cursed his luck. ‘I’m terribly sorry. This is all my fault. I’ll have the ship go back so we can get it for you,’ he suggested not thinking, nor caring how risky such a manoeuvre would be.
‘Oh no, it’s fine,’ Dormé said, gracefully closing the distance between them. She shook her head at his suggestion.
Anakin fell silent at Dormé’s words as he grew awkward. He felt terrible for causing her to lose her weapon which was quite dear to her and the gown. Though they could easily be replaced Vader knew it wouldn’t be the same. The blade had such history behind it now, as did the gown. Not they were lost and he had no one to blame but himself.
Slipping her arms around him, she said, ‘What matters is that I’ve got you.’
Dormé’s words touched him, however, another part of him grew divided and doubtful. What exactly does she have now? he thought in despair and concern. A broken man whose body is more machine than flesh, whose powers have now been denied him. He glanced away at the thought as he felt her arms around him. The Sith Lord tried to silence his dark thoughts, but it was too much to ignore. Though he wanted to hold her, Anakin felt so unworthy of the beauty who now studied him closely.
Why would she want to remain by your side? You are nothing more than a monster, a cyborg, a broken shell of what you once were, his dark thoughts whispered into his mind. Anakin frowned as he struggled with his thoughts before quietly slipping away from Dormé’s embrace and moving quietly to their inner chambers. He had to clear his mind, meditate and try to figure out what happened, to find a way to regain what he had lost. At the very least attempt to learn what had happened. Desperate and frantic, Anakin clung to the hope that if he could understand what happened he could be one step closer to finding a way to regain his lost powers. For without them, what good was he to his queen?
Dormé frowned when he moved away from her. She paused for a moment before turning to where he had walked. She had no idea what was going on in his head.
While the missing limbs had always troubled him, Anakin was able to take comfort in the fact that his powers had not entirely diminished with the loss, that despite the augmentations, he was still able to wield the Force as he always had. Now he could not even do that. The fallen Jedi felt useless and even bit the broken form he was and could hardly fathom why his beloved would wish to remain by his side now.
She waited a moment before following Anakin. She only wanted to comfort him in the way she knew how, to hopefully get his mind off what was bothering him. She knew he would talk about it when he was ready to. Dormé was unaware that she too had lost her lust for the dark side, for her sole concern was Vader, her beloved, her king, her Anakin. As much as she lusted after the power he wielded, she loved him more.
Anakin drew in a deep breath as he struggled to clear his thoughts to make sense of it all. But his mind was a scattered mess of emotions and doubts leaving him prey to the despair he sought to ignore. The fallen Jedi could hear his beloved approaching but could not stop himself from pacing. Their future once so set in stone had just become so unclear to him—or perhaps it was blatant clarity that frightened him more than anything else. He felt so vulnerable and exposed—a feeling he had thought he had known and grown comfortable with Dormé over the years only to discover that it was not anything compared to this. It were as though he had been stripped of all defences, even the ones he wasn’t aware of; leaving behind only the rawest of his emotions and thoughts in its wake. Had he not been so frightened by it Anakin might have found it oddly liberating. However, he was too consumed by his fear that Dormé would depart from him that the only ray of light in his life would leave.
After watching him pace for awhile, she grew concerned about his health, despite assurances from the droids, she didn’t want him overdoing it. ‘No more thinking, Anakin. Come to bed. Things will look better in the morning.’
Unaware that he had been pacing for some time, Anakin only drew out of his thoughts at Dormé’s words. Frowning, he glanced to her in concern and then silent sorrow as he approached almost shyly towards her. ‘And if they don’t?’ he asked softly, ‘then what?’
Dormé studied him intently, watching for any signs that she might have to alert a medical droid to attend him. When he approached, her expression softened. She slipped her arms around him again. ‘I’m not sure what you mean by that,’ she admitted. ‘But I know you’ll wear yourself out pacing like that. ‘You wouldn’t want me to have to give you rescue breathing again just yet, now would you?’ Dormé slightly teased, if only to lighten his mood.
He gave a hint of a sad smile at her teasing. ‘That depends on what sort of rescue breathing you have in mind,’ he teased back as he tried to ignore his doubts and concerns. Anakin bowed his head at her confusion, before shaking it slightly in reply. ‘I feel lost without my ability to touch the Force,’ he admitted quietly. ‘I don’t know what happened, it just faded away without warning.’ he continued in concern.
The Force, so it was about that, Dormé realised. It was still something she could not quite understand and now Anakin could not use it anymore. She knew it was something he had had since he was born and to suddenly not have it anymore must be a shock to him. She nodded in understanding once he explained himself.
As he allowed her to lead him to the bed, the Sith Lord fell prey to his insecurities once more. Without the dark side acting as a silent cloak, a protective, albeit destructive mask, Anakin’s every emotion and thought was raw and glaring. It was frightening to the man who had spent the past almost twenty years hiding behind the darkness he had grown to dependent on.
She considered it a small success leading him to bed, because she was still more concerned about him recovering from his injuries. She was about to help him undress when he touched her cheek, distracting her.
‘Why do you stay with me? I mean, I have nothing to offer you anymore,’ he said sadly. ‘I am nothing, but a broken man, I can’t even touch the Force anymore.’
Dormé would have found his question to be silly, had she still been under that cloak of darkness, but as she was not, it resonated deeply within her. She studied his eyes for a moment. ‘Because I love you,’ she replied sincerely.
Though his powers would return and with it, the dark cloak he had grown so used to, this moment would forever remain within his thoughts like a ray of light. For in her simple statement carried a truth that could never be denied or forgotten. As he returned her gentle, amber gaze, the Sith Lord—no longer blinded by the darkness—came to a new realization that he should have always known but could never truly comprehend.
‘Even if you never touched the Force again, I would still love you and want to be with you.’
His true strength was not with the Force, nor in his powers or skills as a Sith or Jedi; it was Dormé. It had always been Dormé, for she was what made him complete. It was her soul that filled the empty places of his own, while her strengths were what compensated his weaknesses. With this new understanding came a completely new appreciation to her words. Remaining silent, he could study her in silent gratitude for he feared he would only succumb to his emotions should he speak.
As though understanding the powerful silence that had fallen between them, Dormé silently began to undress him, kissing each exposed piece of healed, but scarred flesh, and comforting him in the only way she knew how.
In turn, Anakin mimicked her actions, wanting to express his silent gratitude and love in a fashion that spoke volumes, but did not require words. It was a moment he would never forget for as long as he lived and during the dark hours when they were to be forced apart, this was something he would return to often for the sacredness it held. It was a sanctuary of another sort, one that he would never fully understand or completely appreciate until his return to the light.
It was hard to explain, but despite all of the years behind them, all the tears, the hatred and pain they had endured, the fierceness in battle and passions they had shared, without the barriers and masks of the dark side, they were at least for this moment, completely open and receptive to each other. In its own way, this was perfection.
This temporary lapse in the darkness provided a window in time that would aid them later when confronted with the horrors of the atrocities they committed. For now, it was another level of sanctuary they had never reached before and would not again until they were reunited in the realms of Harmony.
The bliss that followed was something Anakin had never felt before in his life and would not again until it was time for him to cross the veil. Though he believed his senses had been dulled—numbed even because of his inability to touch the Force—in reality it was quite the opposite. For the first time they saw each other as they were meant to behold one another. It was beautiful and ethereal in ways that he could not describe if he tried and yet it was not necessary for he knew that Dormé felt the same. Even with the Force to give him insight to her emotions as revealed through her signature Anakin just knew she understood.
Later as she was lying with him, she pressed her chest against his, bare flesh against bare flesh. Now she was able to feel his heart beating with her own. It was as if to say ‘Even if you never regain the lost Force abilities, you will never lose me, for you and I are one’ though the words were never spoken aloud.
Holding Dormé close and revelling in the heaven that was her arms, Anakin gave a contented sigh as she shifted. Feeling her chest against his own, the Sith Lord smiled as he listened to the sound of their heartbeats beating in tune. It was as soft and soothing as the feeling of Dormé’s dark brown locks that now twirled between his fingers. Though not a word was exchanged in the silence, so much was spoken. Their souls were able to mingle and communicate freely, without the oppressive force that had normally dulled and numbed their gentler aspects.
Though none of this could fully be appreciated by Anakin until his return to the light, Vader would never forget the strange sense of sorrow felt when his sensitivity to the Force returned. For now, all he knew was that in this place, in this moment, there was perfect tranquillity and perfect peace. That as undeserving as he knew he was, there was someone who loved him despite all of his flaws and all of his imperfections. This alone made the fallen Jedi feel as though he were as rich and powerful as the emperor himself.
Nothing felt more complete and at peace than when she was in his arms. There were no questions here, only answers slowly unfolding as the years passed by. Dormé loved this man more than anything or anyone in the universe, including herself. And she never felt truly like herself, her true self, except for when she was alone with him.
After a long while, she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, leaving as much of her body touching his as possible. In silence, she just looked at him, the real, vulnerable him, past all the lies and fronts, past the darkness that clouded their vision. Here there was only truth. She stroked his cheek, his arm, his back, his chest, every part of his physical being that was merely a shell for the other half of her soul. During this time, her eyes never left his.
A/N: More soon! In the meantime, check out the AU Dormékin ship!
Updates to the site—dramatic-personae.net/dormekin.
New Lj communiy—anakin_dorme (The LJ community is for Vader/Dormé and Anakin/Dormé =D)
on to chapter fourteen
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