Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep - Being revamped!

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Chapter 18: And a Fate is Sealed


Ree walked slowly between the Noghri guards, wondering if they had betrayed Lord Vader’s last order. Was she being taken to Palpatine? She shuddered, though her expression never changed.

At last, they reached the large, ebony doors of the throne room and Ree straightened her shoulders. If death waited her beyond those doors, she would meet it with the courage that she was sure Anakin would have displayed.

The crimson robed guards were conspicuously absent, instead anonymous white troopers stood at their posts, blasters ready. They motioned to the Noghri as the doors opened and Samri accompanied her guards inside, her stride dignified, between her guards.

There, seated on the throne, was Anakin Skywalker.

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One hour before:

Lord Vader nodded to Palpatine’s guards as they opened the throne room doors for him. He tamped down all his feelings of fear and euphoria, he let that small kernel of numbness that was always inside of him expand and fill him up.

He felt nothing. He was a vessel, waiting to be filled with darkness.

Palpatine sat behind the desk, reminding Vader sharply of the days when he had been a mere Jedi and Palpatine had been the Chancellor. Those days seemed a lifetime away; those memories belonged to another man.

“My Lord,” he said as he bowed.

The Emperor’s face was hidden inside the dark shadows of the cloak he always wore. His deformity was distressing to him at times, and during those moods, he would withdraw from the public. At other times, he seemed to revel in the shock of his scars, and would go out of his way to inflict the sight of them on any who crossed his path.

Lord Vader was accustomed to both moods.

“Ah, my friend,” Palpatine’s gnarled hand waved in a vague greeting. “I understand you’ve brought your pretty little companion once more.”

Vader shrugged, as if the news was of no consequence. “I find her presence soothing,” he murmured, ignoring the pang of memory at the words.

“You’ve grown soft, Lord Vader,” Palpatine chided him.

Anakin moved closer and nodded to the guards, who left the Emperor and his most trusted servant alone. “My lord, I have the reports on the construction of the Death Star,” he said, withdrawing a data pad from the folds of his cloak.

“Good,” Palpatine murmured. “Good…”

He reached out for them and Vader took two steps forward. The young man cleared his mind, his heart, even his soul seemed to go completely still. The galaxy held its breath for that moment, but it was gone too swiftly for even Palpatine to feel.

The data pad was in Vader’s hand, the edge of it brushed Palpatine’s fingertips, who grabbed for it greedily. The old fingers closed around it with surprising strength. The black gloved hand snatched the data pad back, yanking Palpatine forward unexpectedly.

The data pad clattered to the floor as Vader tossed it aside.

Palpatine recognized treachery immediately and called out for his guards, but Vader’s power had already reached out, closing off his airway. Desperately, Palpatine called his lightsaber to his hand.

It flew to his command, igniting in an instant, a crimson blade blooming from the tip.

Vader’s saber was already humming, low and deadly, the blade coming up to block Palpatine’s awkward strike. One hand still scrabbling to relieve the pressure in his throat, his right hand made a wide arc, striking out at Lord Vader.

Easily blocking the strike, he knew he would have to make swift work of it and give Palpatine no chance to gain the upper hand.

With a low grunt, Anakin brought up his flesh and blood hand, felt the power of the Dark Side rush through his veins, making his flesh tingle and then it erupted through the tips of his fingers, the passage of the lightning out of his hand sending a strange sensation up his arm and into his shoulder.

It was not pain exactly, but pressure. He felt the Darkness flowing out of him, the agonizing fire ripping into Palpatine’s weakened flesh. It flowed out of him easily, a satisfying torrent of deadly power.

His Master toppled out of the chair and went to his knees, convulsing in the lightning’s deadly embrace. His saber fell from his hand, rolling to his feet, where it was kicked away by the frantic movement of his limbs. Both hands came up, trying to keep the agony at bay.

But Lord Vader had learned the lesson of the lightning too well, having suffered at his Master’s hand on numerous occasions. He used all those painful lessons with exquisite skill.

Vader watched without emotion as Palpatine crumpled to the floor, his body arching up, his heels drumming on the floor without rhythm. There was just the crackling of the power Vader still felt pouring out of him and the awful thud of Palpatine’s body.

Taking no chances, Vader kept Palpatine pinned to the floor with the Force and raised his lightsaber high.

One swift blow removed Palpatine’s head and at last, the blinding light filling the room faded away.

Vader clicked a code on his comm unit.

Even now, his men were moving into place. The doors to Palpatine’s private office banged open and Lord Vader strode out of the office, leaving behind the still smoking corpse of his Master – and greatest enemy.

“There’s been a terrible accident,” he said dryly to the crimson guards. A squad of his own men moved into place behind the red-robed guards to insure they did not try to harm the new Emperor. “Make sure my office is cleaned before I return. And gather the court for the announcement.”

He swept past the stunned group and made for the throne room – where his throne awaited.

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“The Lady Samri,” a voice cried out as she approached the throne.

She stopped a meter away from the ebony throne and curtsied to him, much as she had done earlier that day. “My Lord Emperor,” she murmured.

“Lady Ree,” he said in a warm voice. He stood up and walked down the steps, his boots ringing loudly in the silence. Then she saw his hand, reaching out to help her stand. This was a gesture of respect that even the most dense of courtiers could not ignore.

Then the familiar warmth of his hand, the reassuring pressure of his grasp and she was on her feet, painfully aware of the eyes boring into her back.

His eyes met hers and he smiled. “Leave us,” he commanded, never taking his gaze from her. His every action proclaimed her importance, and the relative insignificance of the court. They were being put in their place, just as she was being elevated to hers. But she had learned never to take for granted any of his actions. Her place in his life had yet to be determined.

She heard the muffled steps of many people trying to leave quietly at once.

And then they were alone.

He let go of her hand and she stepped back.

“You will live here now,” Ree mused, looking about the Imperial throne room with its black marble floor and crimson walls.

“Yes, this is the capital,” he replied, puzzled at the emotions he felt radiating from her.

“And…” she paused. “Will I be going back to Vjun to await your visits?”

“No,” he answered simply.

Her eyes met his. “Am I being dismissed?” Her voice cracked despite her efforts to steady it and she flushed under his scrutiny. Perhaps he would marry her off to some dignitary he wished to appease, or let her find her own way in the new Imperial court.

“You have a place in my life now, Ree,” he said softly. His words struck down those notions. “That cannot be denied by either of us.”

Clearing her throat, she retreated away from the throne – his throne.

“My fate does seem bound to yours,” she murmured.

He stepped closer to her. His voice husky, he pulled her close. “It could be even more so, little one.”

Glancing up at him, she frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

He studied her carefully. “I cannot offer you marriage,” he said quietly. “Nor can I offer you love. I do not think I am capable of that anymore.”

Anakin moved away and looked down at his feet. His hand reached out for hers.” But I can offer you my protection and the security of an acknowledged position as my mistress, my only mistress.”

Lifting her hand, he brought it to his lips. “It is not what you dreamed of as a girl, but you would never want for anything, Ree. And I will be faithful, no one but you shall ever share my bed. I would ask the same of you.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“I am an Emperor now. I have an Empire to rule and one day…” he cleared his throat. “One day I‘d like to leave this Empire to my son or daughter.”

Still confused, Ree merely looked at him, her lips parted expectantly, as if waiting for his kiss. But he was determined that she would not give him an answer in the heat of passion, but in the cold light of logic and truth.

“I trust you, Ree, a rare thing for a man in my position,” he continued. ”You were brought to me through no fault or maneuvering of your own. We have grown fond of each other, I believe.” His eyes skittered towards hers and then danced away again. “I would like for you to give me my heir, the next ruler of this galaxy, my galaxy.”

Stunned, she simply gaped at him.

“But surely you’ll marry-”

He shook his head. “No, there’ll be no marriage for me. That vow is sacred and I’ll not give it to any woman ever again,” he said firmly. “But I want a child and I need an heir. I’m asking you to give me both.”

Samri flushed. “I haven’t conceived in all our time together, milord. I don’t know if I’m capable of having a child.”

He laughed softly. “Ever my honest Ree,” he murmured, tenderness settling on his handsome features. “I offer you a chance to be the most powerful woman in the galaxy and you demur, afraid you can’t give me what I ask.” He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the crown of her head. “I assure you that you’re quite fertile.”

”Then how-” Comprehension came to her. “You made sure I did not become pregnant. How?” Curiosity prompted the question, not outrage.

Shrugging, he replied. “Nothing magical, I simply had a contraceptive put into your food.”

Ree considered this fact. “Why?”

“If you had conceived while my Master lived, he would have had you killed,” his face grew tight with rage and painful memories. “He greatly feared my offspring.”

“I think I understand,” Samri said softly. “He feared they would have your power and together you would overthrow him.”

He nodded, his jaw clenching tightly. “I was not going to see another woman die simply because she carried my child.”

Pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, but she knew she would never question him about his past. His pain was still too raw, and likely always would be. She would give him the gift of her silence and understanding; it was all she had to give.

“I am asking you to do this because you are the woman I want to give me a child,” he said in a low voice. He looked at her, hope rising in his blue eyes. “Will you give me an heir for my new Empire?”

She crossed the short distance to him and then knelt before him. She took his flesh hand in hers and placed a kiss on it. “I will give you an heir, milord, if it is within my ability to do so.”

His face relaxing, he pulled her into his embrace. She felt his muscular warmth through the layers of clothing. He laughed just before his lips crashed down on hers.

When he pulled away, a deep satisfaction was evident in his expression. ““I’m not a good person, Ree. I don’t always do what is right, but I promise you that I will always do right by you and any children you give me.”

For all their simplicity, his words were a vow between them.


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