Dark Force Rising
a Star Wars story
by Hermione Eveningfall
Padme Amidala Skywalker stood at her balcony, gazing over the great city of Coruscant. Evening was falling, and a cool breeze ruffled her dark curls. She ran her slender fingers along the railing, taking a deep breath, her dark eyes filled with exhaustion. The past couple of days had been rather difficult, due to the sudden bouts of nausea she experienced in the morning, causing her to spend several hours hunched miserably over the toilet. Padme had her suspicions about this affliction, and, while Anakin was busy at his usual council duties, she'd dashed off to seek official medical assistance.
"Well, Padme dear, I believe your suspicions are right," Tenia, the healer, told Padme with an enormous smile on her face, after giving the former Queen of Naboo a check up. "You are in deed pregnant."
It took a couple of minutes for the news to sink in, and before she knew it, she was squealing and dancing with her good friend around the room. However, she had yet to break the news to Anakin, but was not quite sure how to tell him. It was funny...even though she married Anakin several years before, the two rarely saw each other. In fact, their bethrothal was a complete secret, due to the strict rule about Jedi and romantic relationships, so they only saw each other at night. Often times, however, Anakin came back from his daily work so late, that Padme already drifted off to sleep when he arrived.
She hugged her arms around herself, shuddering against the chill, and decided to head back indoors. Shutting the sliding glass door, she glanced at the clock on the wall, and wet her lips anxiously. Anakin promised he would return early that night, as he admitte to her that morning he felt slightly under the weather himself. **"You should not go at all," she remembered telling him, cringing at the awful cough he produced when he first awoke. "Anakin, for once, stay in bed and rest if you're not feeling well!"
"I can't," he told her, sighing as he slid off of the mattress, stumbling around the room in the early morning darkness, fetching his clothes. "I have some very important matters I wish to discuss with the Chancellor, and we're hoping to bring it up at this afternoon at the meeting."
Padme sighed, sliding back down under the covers, and accepted a kiss from her husband. She watched as he left, feeling a lump of loneliness in her throat.**
Padme sat down at her vanity, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She just picked up the brush to begin combing her hair, when the door to the room opened, and Anakin stormed in. She fingered the object in her fingers, frowning at the angry expression on his face, and held her breath as he practically tore his robes from his body, tossing them at the chair.
He was grumbling under his breath as he unbuttoned his black shirt, running his fingers through his hair. Well, his real set of fingers along with his metallic set. Before they married, Anakin, during a vicious battle with Count Dooku, had his arm chopped off by a lightsaber. The metallic replacement was nothing like the real thing, but it functioned well enough to perform every day duties.
Padme sat slightly rigid in her chair, watching as he removed his boots and tossed them aside. He kept the shirt on despite unbuttoning it, leaving the center of his broad chest visible.
"How..." she cleared her throat, realzing how squeaky her voice sounded. He looked up, his expression remaining angry, but after a moment, it softened considerably.
"Padme," he whispered, and she stood, allowing him to come into her arms.
"What's wrong? What happened tonight?" she whispered as she set the brush down, and led him over to the bed.
"I can't talk about it right now, or I'll...huhEKESHHHH!" he covered his mouth with his hand, snapping forward. "HuhKESHHHH!" he sniffled, massaging his throbbing forehead wearily.
"Bless you. Please, Ani, talk to me." **Besides,** she thought anxiously, **I can't break the wonderful news to you if you're looking like a complete grouch.**
"Can we not talk at all at the moment?" Anakin whispered, startling her, and she backed off a little, lowering her head. "I just need time to think about things."
She nodded. "Of course. Well, here...let me fetch you some tissues. You still sound terrible, love."
Anakin coughed into his fist, shivering as she went into their private bathroom to fetch the box from on top of the sink. She stood holding the box in her hands, her heart racing. Perhaps this was not the best of nights to break the news of her pregnancy to Anakin, who was clearly so distressed over other matters. Still, the thought of holding the information in one more day was absolutely brutal.
She walked out into the bedroom again, and noticed Anakin was lying down on the bed. "Here," she announced, handing the box to him, which he accepted gratefully.
"Thank you," he replied, pulling a tissue out just as she climbed onto the bed beside him. "Anakin, do you remember we had that conversation that it is better to let go of your feelings than to keep them bottled up inside? Marriage functions properly because both partners are willing to communicate their troubles to each other." She cringed as he blew his nose.
Anakin looked at her with slight surprise, and then sighed. "Yes, you're right. I'm sorry, Padme...I just...I'm so upset about things right now."
"What...things?" Padme took his hand, massaging each of his fingers gently.
"You remember I told you what the Chancellor said to me after he invited me to his chambers the other night?" Anakin croaked, struggling to sit up so he could look into her eyes. She nodded, removing her hair clip and shaking her curls loose. "Bring the brush over, and I'll take care of those knots," he interrupted his speech, after feeling her hair with his good fingers. She kissed his forehead, feeling her heart flutter. It was always the small things that reminded her of why she loved Anakin so much.
She did as he told her, and sat between his legs, closing her eyes as he ran the brush gently through her hair. "Continue, Ani," she whispered, beginning to massage his feet.
"Well, when I spoke of this news to the council, I also asked if they felt I was ready to assume the position as Master. I felt I was ready to accept the duties necessary, and if the Chancellor felt I was qualified to be a representative, then I should be qualified enough to break the leash Obi-Wan has been holding me on for all of these years."
Padme glanced over her shoulder. "You know Obi-Wan and Mace Windu's feelings towards Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin. It does not surprise me that they would feel suspicious about this. Something is not right about him, Anakin. I don't know exactly what it is, but the hairs on the back of my neck prickle whenever I pass by him." **Why you agreed to join his council, I don't know,** she added silently.
"That is beside the point, Padme," Anakin replied. "I...hold on..." he quickly set the brush aside, snatching another tissue from the box. "HuhKESHHHHH!" he groaned, and Padme clucked her tongue.
"Bless you," she told him, and then turned so she was looking at him. "You what?" she asked, raising her eyebrows with curiosity.
"I know my abilities are far better than Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi council make them out to be. They won't give me a chance to prove myself, and I don't think they trust me."
Padme felt her breath catch in her throat. Her heart raced as he slid off the bed, and watched as he walked towards the balcony, opening the sliding doors and onto the patio. She frowned, following in his wake.
"Anakin, I..." Padme wet her lips, lowering her head. "You are a great Jedi Knight, Ani. I am positive one day you will become as powerful as you believe you will be, but...there is always room to learn more, to prepare more thoroughly. Mistakes have been made in the past, Anakin, and I'm sure the council just wants to make sure they don't allow you to make the same ones."
Anakin gripped the railing, closing his eyes and blowing out his breath. "I am becoming more and more frustrated by this waiting. I feel like I'm getting no where, that I keep doing the same things every day. I want to advance to something greater, Padme. I know I can do it. I just wish they would give me the chance to at least try."
Padme ran a hand down his bare arm, feeling her body trembling with nerves. "Ani, I...have something to tell you," she whispered, and he lifted his head.
"What is it?" his voice suddenly grew concerned, and she smiled.
"Nothing terrible, Ani. I finally went to the healer about my morning sickness."
"What did she say?" Anakin watched as she took hold of his arms.
"I don't mean to change the subject so abruptly, but this has been on my mind all day, and I...I just have to tell you. But first, I think you might need to hold me for support." He held her as she instructed, and she reached up to whisper the exciting news into his ear.
"We're pregnant," she told him, and Anakin felt as though the entire world stopped it's motion. This had not been something he'd expected, not at all.
"Are you..." he cleared his throat. "Are you serious?"
She nodded, beaming proudly, and then bit her lip. "I don't know how," Anakin laughed, eventually lifting her up and twirling her around. "Oh darling, that is wonderful news! How far along are you?" he enveloped her in a tight hug, and she rested her cheek against his chest.
"Only two weeks."
Anakin grinned mischeviously, and tipped her chin towards him. "Ah, two weeks. Now I understand why this occurred." He winked, and she gave him a small nudge with her elbow.
"Don't be crude," she giggled, and hugged him again. "Oh Anakin, imagine us as parents!"
Anakin's face changed to an expression of bewilderment. "I wonder now, if I should mention this to Obi-Wan as soon as possible. He is the only council member who knows of our marriage." He sniffled, and Padme encouraged him to come back inside.
"We can pull him aside first thing in the morning," Padme whispered, just as he doubled over sneezing again.
"HuhKASHHHH! EhKSHHHHH!" he groaned, flopping back down onto the bed. "If this cold hasn't knocked me down by then." He pulled her close after she joined him, and grinned. "So, have you been thinking of baby names at all?" he asked, kissing her neck and making her tremble with pleasure.
"I've always loved the name Luke for a boy," she replied thoughtfully. "I had a good friend as a child who was named Luke."
"That boy you had a crush on?" Anakin asked, remembering their conversation in the meadow about their childhood loves. Padme's eyes twinkled, and she chuckled.
"Yes." She kissed his lips. "His name was Luke."
"And if it's a girl?" Anakin whispered. "Oh stars, what if we have twins? Have you been able to tell whether or not you're having more than one?"
Padme snorted. "Our technology is advanced, Ani, but not that advanced. No, I just know I'm having a child. But that would be wonderful. And as for a girl, what would you think of Leia?"
"Leia." Anakin repeated the name, rolling it around on his tongue. "Luke and Leia. It has a nice ring to it."
"I think so too," Padme whispered. "well, I'd be thrilled with a Luke or a Leia, or both." She lay down beside Anakin.
"Padme, you have no idea how badly I needed to hear good news." He told her softly, as she snuggled against him. She wrapped her arms around Anakin, allowing him to smooth her hair gently with his fingertips. Though she hardly believed it herself, she could almost feel a bit of his Force energy tingling through her, but it was a calming sensation.
Before they knew it, the usual sounds of a Coruscant night eased them both to sleep.
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me (darn!). They are the property of George Lucas.
I am writing this on the assumption that many of the "Star Wars" fans on the list have already seen the official trailer, but just in case **possible spoilers for those who haven't!**
This bunny just wouldn't go away once it sunk it's teeth into my ankle. ;o)