Obi-Wan smiled in approval, internally wishing that he could've helped him when no one else could.
It meant that the war that had scarred his face had not scarred his spirit.
...
And she watched that joy fade as he began to understand that their marriage could not stay hidden much longer; that even the voluminous robes she wore could not conceal a pregnancy forever. That he would be cast out in disgrace from the Jedi Order.
That she would be relieved of her post and recalled to Naboo.
"If it is revealed that the two had been married, wouldn't that cause a scandal throughout the galaxy?", Saesee asked.
"Most likely, Master Tiin", Luminara agreed, though unsure. "If word does spread that the two were married, public view within the Jedi and the Senate would face dire consequences"
"If we manage to stop Darth Sidious and his plans, we would need to speak to Skywalker should he get back. If we manage to stop what caused his fall, then at least we can give him an option to resign peacefully or think of something", Master Windu suggested.
Yoda, however, watched the husband and wife with an observant expression. He had an idea on what was going on between the two, but he never spoke about it. Given that the Jedi had already lost two powerful members of the order, that being Dooku and Anakin due to their blunders and of their ways, he knew that the Order needed to change but as to how could it be done is the question, since many of its members had already been bound tightly to the principles of the Jedi Order. And change can't just come overnight.
That the very celebrity that had made him so important to the war would turn against them both, making them the freshest possible meat for an entire galaxy full of scandalmongers. And she watched him decide that he didn't care. "That is," he said slowly, that wild spark returning to his eyes, " . . . wonderful...Padme—that's wonderful. How long have you known?"
She shook her head. "What are we going to do?"
"We're going to be happy, that's what we're going to do.
And we're going to be together. All three of us."
"But—"
"No." He laid a gentle finger on her lips, smiling down at her. "No buts. No worries. You worry too much as it is."
"I have to," she said, smiling through the tears in her eyes.
"Because you never worry at all."
"We get that they are married but shouldn't we be focusing on Darth Sidious or how Skywalker turned into Vader?", Mundi asked.
"Patience", Yoda aid, tapping his cane. "Soon be revealed, it will?"
...
Anakin lurched upright in bed, gasping, staring blindly into alien darkness.
How she had screamed for him—how she had begged for him, how her strength had failed on that alien table, how at thelast she could only whimper, Anakin, I'm sorry. I love you.
I love you—thundered inside his head, blinding him to the contours of the night-shrouded room, deafening him to every sound save the turbohammer of his heart.His hand of flesh found unfamiliar coils of sweat-damp silkensheets around his waist. Finally he remembered where he was.
He half turned, and she was with him, lying on her side, her glorious fall of hair fanned across her pillow, eyes closed, half a smile on her precious lips, and when he saw the long, slow rise and fall of her chest with the cycle of her breathing, he turned away and buried his face in his hands and sobbed.
The tears that ran between his fingers then were tears of gratitude. She was alive, and she was with him.
Obi-Wan watched the scene unfold with a grim look with anxiousness underneath it. He watched as his apprentice had a nightmare of his wife suffering beyond his imagination, and considering his, admittedly, tendencies to let his personal feelings get in the way and of what had happened to his mother back then, he knew that this was not a good sign.
"A nightmare of Senator Amidala...dying?", Shaak Ti wondered.
"It appears so, Master Ti", Mace confirmed the suspicions of the rest of the Jedi's suspicions. "But I doubt that this was the root as to why Skywalker had fallen"
...
"These visions you have- They're of pain, suffering.", Yoda observed, feeling the conflict within Skywalker, who sat with him in a nearby chamber within the Jedi temple.
"He is seeking Master Yoda for help", Kit Fisto stated.
"We know that, but why would he be too superstitious of the future?", Luminara asked.
"It could have been a prior experience", Plo Koon theorized, noticing the combined desperation and determination of Anakin . "It may have happened before and he is determined to not let it happen again"
"But who could anyone else Skywalker would have a close bond with?", Saesee interjected.
"Death."
"Yourself you speak of, or someone you know? Someone. Close to you?", Yoda asked.
"Yes.""Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin", Yoda instructed. "The fear of loss is a path to the dark side."
"I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda", Anakin firmly said.
"Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is"
Obi-Wan's mouth gaped with dread upon hearing those words. Is he going to abandon Anakin?, he said to himself.
"What must I do, Master Yoda?"
"Train yourself to let go... of everything you fear to lose"
Kit Fisto covered his face with both hands, in complete dismay. "Master Yoda's advice is good by all means, but I fear that was not a good time to say that to him"
"You share our sentiments, Master Fisto", Obi-Wan agreed with hin. Yoda covered his eyes in regret. He felt like he had made a grave error of his judgement. Like he felt that he had abandoned Skywalker.
...
The scene shifted on what appeared to be an Opera at Coruscant. In a private booth, Anakin and Palpatine sat as the Chancellor kept up a rather gentlemanly expression.
"Have you ever heard the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?", Palpatine began, not sparing a glance at Anakin as he continued on watching the Opera.
The Jedi were suddenly intrigued by the mention on what is obviously a Sith Lord, and they knew that it immediately pertains a connection between him and Palpatine.
"Plagueis...I cannot recall any Sith Lord by the name of Plagueis within the Temple Archives", Saesee said, cupping his chin curiously as to what Palpatine is trying to say.
"He could easily be the Sith Lord who hid during the millennia when they were underground", Kit Fisto suggested.
"Ah, I thought not. It is not a story the Jedi would tell 's a Sith legend, of a Dark Lord who had turned his sight inward so deeply that he had come to comprehend, and master life itself. And—because the two are one, when seen clearly enough—death itself"
"Immortality? But didn't they fail at achieving this?", Mundi pointed out, shocked.
"Apparently there are some who succeeded", Plo Koon grimly admitted with a scowl beneath his mask. "Vitiate and Andeddu achieved this and managed to live centuries or even millennia"
Anakin sat up. Was he actually hearing this? "He could keep someone safe from death?"
"According to the legend," Palpatine said, "he could directly influence the midichlorians to create life; with such knowledge, to maintain life in someone already living would seem a small matter, don't you agree?"
A universe of possibility blossomed inside Anakin's head. He murmured, "Stronger than death..."
"The dark side of the force seems to be—from my reading—the pathway to many abilities some would consider unnatural.
The screen flashed where it revealed a much younger Sheev Palpatine leaning down to a hooded figure, who looked down at him. The apprentice raised his head, meeting the two yellow eyes of the alien, a Muun to be exact.
Everyone recognized the identity of the Muun and some of their mouths were left agape at the stunning realization.
"Is that...", Luminara began, becoming shocked at the identity of the Muun as the others too recognized him on screen.
"Hego Damask II of the Trade Federation?", Mundi gasped, recalling the few instances that they had crossed paths with the Muun Banker, especially at Serenno. "He was Darth Plagueis?"
"Master of Darth Sidious, he is too", Yoda added.
"For Kriff's sake, just how did they manage to conceal themselves so well?", Shaak Ti said in complete dismay, given to the fact that Palpatine already had in their case.
"Too well...", Mace admitted with a frown, recalling a few events from years past. "Masters Dooku, Dyas, Jocasta and Padawan Qui Gon met with him back at Serenno"
"They weren't able to sense anything when they met with Hego", Plo Koon reminded them, his voice grim. "Has the Sith truly become stronger over the years without any of us knowing?"
Anakin couldn't seem to get his breath. "What happened to him?"
"Oh, well, it is a tragedy, after all, you know. Once he has gained this ultimate power, he has nothing to fear save losing it—that's why the Jedi Council brought him to mind, you know."
"But what happened?"
"Well, to safeguard his power's existence, he teaches the path toward it to his apprentice."
"And?"
An older Senator Palpatine stood in front of the severely drunk form of Plagueis who was fast asleep. With a maniacal grin, he extended his hands to fire a powerful wave of lightning.
The Jedi grimaced at the fate of the Sith Lord in front of them, but after all, Palpatine secured his place as the Sith Master from Plagueis. But now everyone had a sudden realization.
"We can use this as evidence as to what happened to Hego Damask II", Saesee pointed out.
"With his death unsolved and his murderer never caught, it could be possible", Mace pointed out. "But we needed stronger evidence than just this if we are to stop him"
"And his apprentice killed him in his sleep," Palpatine said with a careless shrug. "Ironic. He can save others from death. But not himself"
"Is it possible to learn this power?", Anakin inquired, his voice both hollow and hopeful. Palpatine finally looked at him with a small smile.
"Not from a Jedi"
Obi-Wan realized why Palpatine told him this. He basically told Anakin that he had the power to save the ones he loved from dying, something that Anakin was so desperate in achieving; he had lost his mother, and Padmé was essentially the only person he could truly express what he felt, and the only connection that kept him afloat in a river full of conflict, resentment and distrust in an Order he tried to selflessly serve.
He is now cursing to himself, repeatedly asking himself as to why he didn't exert more effort at helping his apprentice.
Yoda lowered his head, a sober expression taking over. Now he realized as to why Anakin turned to Sidious. Not for power or for domination, but to save her. And by telling him to let go, Anakin knew he could not turn to the Jedi for help.
The Jedi realized this as well. Anakin's mutual distrust with them and all the times they had kept secrets from him is what made it easy for Palpatine to reach out and manipulate him.
...
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...
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