The Gift of Solace
By: Jody
Author's Notes: This AU scene takes place about three years after ROTS and is post "So close, yet so far away" but prequel to a "Picking up the Broken Pieces."
Disclaimer: Of course I own none of this. Though I truly wished I did ;) /small
"The Gift of Solace."
He doesn’t know why he is here. He told himself that he wouldn’t return. Too many memories, even more buried and denied regrets. Yet he stands alone with hands resting on the same balcony ridge he once stood what feels like another lifetime ago with his beautiful angel and bride.
It was the summer season at the time, a stark contrast to the icy, cold winter scene that greets him now. Though the moon is full, the night sky is murky with clouds. Ahead the lake and its islands nearby are covered with snow, completing the image of frozen dormancy and deep sleep.
Floating through the night air the sound of joyous music travels from a ballroom some distance away. The winter celebrations are now well underway and the Naboo are only too happy to enjoy this rare moment of peace; much like the troops of the Executor who have been stationed here for the next few days. However the Sith lord senses his master believes the Rebels will choose these sacred days to strike as it would carry a greater element of surprise.
But despite this, Darth Vader doubts it will come to pass. After all even these anarchists wouldn’t dare to strike the Emperor’s homeworld, especially not with his second in command stationed here.
Originally he planned to remain aboard his ship to monitor possible enemy activity and movement. But he sensed that she would be here for the celebrations, if not to enjoy the festivities then to fulfill the public duties required of her political position. It is for this reason alone, that the fallen Jedi chose to depart from the confines of his ship.
Though he knows the chances of her coming to this silent monument of their past is virtually nonexistent he remains. For the memories of this place and the nearness of her aura still offers some of the silent solace he unconsciously seeks.
After some time of silent contemplation alone the dark warrior feels the soft warmth of a familiar force signature that can only be Padme’s. It grows stronger and more defined with each passing moment and like a moth to a flame he finds himself instinctively drawn to it. As though hoping to bask in the edges of her brightness and soothing essence. But in his desire to emerge himself in the warmth of her energies he almost misses the sound of nearing footsteps in the snow behind him.
Promptly snapping out of his meditative like state he realizes it wasn’t just his imagination after all, she is indeed a lot closer then he thought.
The footsteps fall silent suddenly, marking her hesitation; he doesn’t dare move fearing she may leave if he does. However she does quietly turn away, but not before he can read the lingering sadness that always seems to be present in her aura now.
“Don’t go.”
He pleads softly, though the harsh distortion of his vocabulator alters his words making it more sound more like a command. She pauses for a moment and if he could, he would have instinctively held his breath.
“What brings you here, Lord Vader?”
The same title that always filled him with such pride now fills him with tired confusion; well hidden and buried shame. He’d never admit it, at least not anymore, but he loved the way she would say his name. Her soft Naboo dialect would alter the normally harsh sounding Hutteese and make it sound peaceful, gentle even. Yet, the same accent that could make the proudest title sound harsh and distasteful, as it does now.
“I imagine for the same reason you are here, Senator.”
He didn’t mean to sound so angry but her cool reply wounded him more then expected and instinctively he lashes out. She is not frightened however. In truth for but the briefest moment he feels something from her thoughts that is possibly an unspoken apology.
A tired sigh escapes her lips as she tightens the deep blue cloak around herself as a strong gust of wind whips through the trees and around them. His instincts even now urge him to slip an arm around her. To offer some warmth, but he refrains, out of fear of rejection or lack of courage he can no longer say.
An awkward silence falls between them as she gently lifts the hood of her light blue cloak over her head so that it hides her features behind its fluffy white trim.
“Must we always fight?”
She asks softly leaving him feeling both defensive and frustrated.
“I’m not the one who insists on this distance.”
He states quickly. She nods slightly in agreement.
“No, your not. But your actions have placed me in a position where it is necessary.”
He glances to her sharply, his thoughts turning to disbelief.
“You chose to leave me, not the other way around.”
He retorts as the vocabulator masks the underlying pain that weighs heavy in his frustrated tones. The former queen glances briefly at her hands and through the force he can feel the silent sorrow growing in her guarded thoughts, encouraging the struggle within to comfort her.
“Only because you chose a path I can not follow.”
“All I ever wanted is for you to be safe and happy Padme.”
For you to be proud to be my wife, he mentally adds. But his thoughts draw to a quick close as she turns to face him, her eyes stormy and her words piercing.
“Happiness? How little you know me, if you actually believe that ruling an empire built on tyranny and suffering will make me happy.
I think this has little to do with my happiness and more to do with your lust for power, Lord Vader.”
The rush of rage he feels at her cutting words almost consumes him as he barely registers the ancient stone ledge cracking beneath the tight grip of his gloved hands. But he knows he can’t unleash his fury, no matter how much he wants to give into the siren call of the darkness. She is too near and the last time he gave into his blind rage it almost cost Padme her life. He will not make that mistake again.
“I don’t need to listen to this.”
He states coldly, barely able to keep his anger under some semblance of control, as he promptly turns to leave.
However something causes him to hesitate, turning his fiery temper into silent confusion. He can feel a shiver of electricity run through him; a familiar sensation, one that always accompanies her touch as she gently grasps his now mechanical wrist. It sooths the burning fire within, leaving his thoughts in disarray as he glances back to her.
“I’m not here to fight with you.”
She doesn’t apologize for her harsh words but for the moment it doesn’t matter.
“Truce? Even just for tonight?”
She offers gently, her voice and aura soothing his agitated nerves like a healing balm. He pauses for but a moment as though inwardly considering her words though he already knows the answer. Nodding slightly in reply, he turns back to face her just in time to catch a glimpse of her soft smile before the shadows of her cloak hides her features.
A silence falls between them once more, but it is peaceful. Though albeit briefly, he almost forgets that he is Darth Vader, Sith Lord, fallen Jedi, and chosen one. She is by his side and for the first time in what seems like an eternity he is at ease.
Side by side they stand against the balcony that overlooks the frozen lake below, neither daring to breathe a word lest this rare moment of serenity be ruined by it.
He never liked the winter or the celebrations it brought. It was always too cold, harsh and unforgiving for him to ever appreciate. Leaving him to wonder how the people of Naboo could find anything about it that is worth celebrating. But as she quietly slips a mitten covered hand into his gloved palm, he finds the cloudy night sky isn’t as ominous as he once believed, or the frozen lake before them so desolate. Even the chill in the air isn’t as biting and for once the demons within seem dormant.
-----
The man who strikes first admits that his ideas have given out. Chinese Proverb
-----
The first thing that greeted his sights as he returned to his ship was the sight of frozen blood splattered across the snow. It was the last thing he wanted to see on a night like tonight but somehow, as always, fate saw to it that this rare moment of peace would be shattered. Inwardly he fumed swearing by all that was dark he would find the creatures who were responsible for this and rip them from limb to limb – slowly.
Only moments ago or so it seemed, for in his rage Darth Vader hardly felt the movement of time or anything else around him, he was alone with his precious angel. He should have known it was too good to have been real. Yet even in this state of mind he couldn’t shake the sensation that her gentle touch left over his gloved fingers like a phantom embrace. What he would have given to have shared that sacred moment for just a little while longer.
But it wasn’t meant to be (nothing that pertained to Padmé ever seemed to be) and only too soon he had received a rather urgent transmission demanding his presence back on the Executor. His commander wouldn’t explain why over the comm and in reality it didn’t matter the Sith Lord sensed trouble long before the message was received. He had just chosen to ignore it. After all how often was he given such a rare opportunity to spend time with his wife without the volatile, heated arguments and the long silences apart that always seemed to plague them now?
As he moved quickly towards his ship, noting the hints of damage done by an attack, Lord Vader wished he would have acted upon his instincts. Not out of frustration at being caught off guard like this, rather to catch the perpetrators in the act. To unleash his fury upon and show them the error of their ways. The thought of watching their flesh being torn apart by his blade or through the Force was more than a little a little satisfying. But it was too late for such thoughts and so he forced himself to focus on the present.
Stepping inside he didn’t need to demand to know what went on for he was promptly approached by an officer whose name he couldn’t remember. The man swiftly informed him of the situation but the Dark Lord was too infuriated by the turn of events to properly hear his words. Instantly he latched a hand around the man’s throat having long since grown tired of his talking.
Without a word he curled his lip beneath the mask and threw the officer against the corridor wall breaking his neck, ending his life immediately. But it was only the beginning and soon he was storming through the corridor his soul drinking in the dark power as though it were a rich wine. He took in the damage that marked the Rebel’s attempts to infiltrate the ship and decided to look into the matter more personally.
All around him the crew of the Executor scurried about with swift precision and prompt commands. Already the damages done were well under repair and despite his fury at the situation in the back of his mind he couldn’t help but be satisfied by their speed.
“Lord Vader, we have captured some of the Rebels and are currently preparing them for interrogation.”
The clipped accented tones demanded his attention and while his need for blood was strong his lieutenant’s words carried the information he sought. They had captured some of the perpetrators and now they would pay.
“What of the others?”
The Sith Lord demanded more than asked his attentions now fully focused on the wiry man before him, who expression though stoic did little to belie his obvious fear of the towering black form. The man before him struggled to keep a calm composure and not lose face before the fallen Jedi as he continued. “Milord those who were not captured were killed on sight. There were no escapees.”
“Of this you are certain.” Lord Vader stated already using the darkness around him to verify the man’s honesty. Fortunately for the commander the information proved accurate. But unaware that the Sith already had the answer he sought the man nodded stiffly in reply.
“Yes sir.”
“Good.” The towering form stated simply before brushing past him as he headed towards the brig where the prisoners were now being held. Wrapping the darkness around him once more he tried to ignore the nagging possibility that perhaps Padmé was located on Naboo to distract him. As a means of ensuring that he would be far from his ship when the attack occurred. But admitting this would mean having to face the fact she had not only left him, but betrayed him as well.
While her absence invoked his rage there was a part of him that couldn’t entirely blame her. For not only had he killed their children, he had almost killed her as well. Despite his longing to bask in her presence, to be near to her the Sith Lord wasn’t so arrogant to believe he was above punishment for harming his angel. Though it was painful to accept, it was understandable. The possibility of her turning to the Rebel Alliance however, was not. But despite his faith in her and her loyalties to him, Darth Vader couldn’t erase the lingering doubts as he padded the codes that would permit him access to the interrogation cells.
However as he stepped inside the sight that greeted him confirmed the worst of his fears. Handcuffed and under the watch of two imperial guards stood one of Padmé’s younger handmaidens. While he had never paid them much heed during his days as a Jedi, the Sith Lord recognized her all the same. Ellé is her name, a voice in the back of his mind whispered but went ignored. For all that was consciously felt was blind rage and overwhelming despair. Had he been more patient and examined the matter further the truth would have revealed itself, thus clearing his wife’s name. But patience was never a virtue Darth Vader possessed.
Frozen in position he could only glare at the sight before him as the storm of fury and pain poured off of him in waves. In the other rooms around him machinery began to shake and rupture, before all the lights in the sterile hallways and rooms exploded one after another. Unfazed by the wreckage caused by his rage Vader turned his attentions to the two clone troopers who were standing guard over the handmaiden. Narrowing his eyes he began to divulge in the Dark Side of the Force focusing its power on them. The effect was horrifying to witness. For through the use of the Dark Side the Sith Lord began to cause their brains to hemorrhage violently. Clutching their heads in the hopeless attempt to alleviate the pressure, their pained screams echoed in his ears like a macabre symphony. But it did not last for long for the despite the fact they were clones; they were only flesh and blood.
Feeling the darkness reaching a crescendo as it coursed through his veins the Dark Lord unleashed it without reserve onto his prey. Watching in dark satisfaction as both of the guard’s heads exploded in a torrent of blood, matter and shards of armor. Drunken with the rich toxin of the Dark Side, the fallen Jedi wanted to taste and feel the woman’s fear as it poured off her petite form. He wanted to make her suffer, to show her that he would not tolerate being played the fool.
Now covered in the remains of her former captors Ellé screamed and wept in horror as hysteria claimed the last of her thoughts. But soon she was silenced as he grasped her by the throat and lifted her up to meet his hidden face. Though he needed to learn what the Rebels mission was and who was involved, in his rage the importance of collecting information was long forgotten. Studying her with fiery but hidden blue eyes he watched as she gasped frantically for air. Large tears streamed down her cheeks as her eyes began to roll into the back of her head, reminding him of her when she tried to walk out of his life back on Mustafar.
But the memory only encouraged his rage and sorrow as it also reminded him of her betrayal. The small gesture of affection she had shown him just moments before in reality was nothing more than a mockery of his love for her. A low growl escaped his lips at the thought, as angry tears of his own began to spill. Unable to contain his rage any longer the fallen Jedi slammed the now unconscious woman’s face against the heavily plated wall with such force that it shattered her skull.
But just as quickly as soon the powerful rush of darkness coursed through his veins and pulsated through his body it began to fade. Exhausted but temporarily sated of his bloodlust the dark lord tossed the lifeless shell that was Ellé, across the small room as though she were but a broken toy. Then without pause he promptly left the interrogation room feeling his thoughts already beginning to clear.
Burying the sorrow that this dark discovery had unleashed the Sith Lord turned his thoughts to more immediate matters. Though Darth Vader knew the pain of her betrayal was certain to haunt him for the moment his thoughts were elsewhere. Determined now more than ever learn the reasons behind the Rebel’s attack he swore to himself that he would them all pay. Stopping at nothing till his own pain and sorrow is finally drowned and silenced by theirs.
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