Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Love can blossom like a Rose, yet its thorns can purge its darkest Secrets...

As the early evening air rolls in along the vast lakes of Naboo, it engulfs the city's inhabitants with a refreshing coolness and a sweet fragrance of flowers, permeating its gentle breezes. It truly is a remarkable and yet majestic paradise, full of vivacious splendor, from its magnificent seas to the bountiful meadows that encase this wondrous planet.

Still entranced in their own private universe, Padme' and Anakin rest their heads together and lovingly gaze into one another's eyes. The couple remains in the confines of the shadows, cast by the shuura trees lush, leafy branches. Anakin affectionately fondles Padme's silken fingers, as he cradles her soft hands in his. Gently he nuzzles them to his chiseled jaw line, then slowly and passionately he caresses her palms with his warm lips. Padme' can't help her impulsive swooning and finds herself melting, more and more to his alluring gestures. Yet she has an uneasy sensation in the very core of her stomach, filled only with sorrowful dread, leaving that empty pit to gyrate with queasiness. It didn't take her gifted husband long to realize that something else consumed her thoughts other than his seductive flirtations.

" What is it? What's wrong?" Asked Anakin. "

His query was filled with impatience and concern. He knew she wasn't well, though he didn't know its cause or the severity of its origin. Padme's hesitation only added to his anxiety.She abruptly let go of his hands, wrapping one arm around her own waist and placing her other hand firmly on her graceful neck. Padme' felt nauseous as a lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to swallow, let alone breathe.

"I don't know where to begin, or how to tell you...." Padme's words trailed off as tears pooled in her large, dark, wistful eyes. The very thought of telling Anakin that another precious life has been taken from him without his ability to contain it or control its destiny, chilled her to the bone and dimmed her soul.

"Whatever it is, I can fix it, I'm here now, you no longer have to worry, about anything." Anakin's voice was deeper and louder now, almost demanding in tone.
No matter the extremity of her illness, he would be able to remedy the infection, injury, or complication. If necessary, he would call upon the force to heal her completely.

Looking at him directly, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew he loved her and only wanted to help her, but he was clueless to the severity of the situation. His whole demeanor, of being able to fix whatever was broken, left Padme' baffled and agitated.

"Ani', I'm not a speeder in need of repair. Nor am I a droid that needs to be rewired. Some times there are things that no ONE can fix!" Burst Padme'.

She knew her voice was cold and her words were harsh, yet she felt her outburst would be the only way to get her point across and through his arrogance. Even so, not a single moment after her explosive verbal lashing, did she regret it and wish to turn back in time. The look on his face alone was enough to pierce her heart and stop it from beating. She reached out to him, laying her hand along his cheek until his eyes found hers once again.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. You're only trying to help me. I love you all the more for that, but what has happened to me cannot be mended." Padme's voice was tender and only a shy away from a whisper, laced in tears that spilled over her eyes and cascaded down her radiant face.

"I want to make you well. Let me help you? What can I do?" Anakin was desperate in his need to overcome their obstacles; it was a need to prove himself, never to fail again. He pulled her close, tightening his embrace around her, nestling his face in her lush, coiled mane. It was at that precise moment, he felt something; a distinct, all too familiar feeling, one he never wished to feel again. His insides twisted, and his blood seemed to grow cold, as he shuddered in the depths of his own fears that never ceased to haunt his soul. Everything around him seemed to move in slow motion, like something out of a dream as she began to tell him the painful truth surrounding her health. Padme's face was buried into his chest, as her soft, sobbing, and woeful voice spoke to his heart.

"My body wasn't responding to the change. I didn't even know what was happening at the time. I never even knew I was carrying our love's gift until I lost it....Anakin, I miscarried." Padme' couldn't hold her normally unfaltering poise any longer; she grew weary and collapsed in Anakin's arms in an uncontrollable state of sobs. In a brief moment of shock, he froze, holding her limp body to his paralyzed, hard exterior. Blinking feverishly, he awoke from his daze, swooping his arms under and over his mourning wife and lifting her up, resting her tightly against his chest. Next to the shuura tree, was a small, marbled and decorative bench, where he finally sat and cradled her slumped, feeble body. Averting his eyes upward, toward the heavenly skies of Naboo, he silently asked, "WHY?" How could the force not help in matters such as these? How can the force itself be found within all things and yet cannot be controlled? Then his thoughts wandered farther, to a time that seemed so long ago, to a small hut in Mos Espa. There he remembered and heard a voice, gentle, and sweet; it was singing to him. He could almost feel her strong, yet tender hands, massaging his shoulders as she sung her lullaby to ease his sorrows away. Lost within the memory, he too began to sing and sway as he did when he was wrapped in Shmi's soothing embrace.

Padme' looked up in astonishment, was this really her Ani' singing? It was beautiful! She never knew that he could sing; and so well, too. She gazed at his incredibly handsome face. It was as if he were somewhere else, in a different time perhaps, for his brilliant blue eyes were tightly shut, leaving only his long, lush, dark lashes to line the curves of their glorious frame.

As the comforting tune came to a close, Anakin returned to the here and now, only to find his wife quiet and staring up at him in amazement. Taking a minute to realize what had just happened, he blushed in embarrassment. Padme' couldn't help but to smile up at him and stroke his warm, soft, face.

"That was absolutely beautiful, Anakin. Where did you learn to sing like that?" Padme' was intrigued and captivated by this new found talent of his.

"Um...my Mother. She, well, WE always sang together. It was the one thing we could do that didn't cost us anything." Answered a very red and flustered Anakin.

"Thank you for sharing that with me. It means a lot to me." Padme' graced him with a tender kiss on his cheek as an added thank you.

No sooner did Anakin receive this precious kiss, did they hear a voice calling Padme's name, beckoning her to come inside. Looking at each other in bewilderment, they quickly shifted their bodies around, she remained seated and he stood tall, at attention. Anakin turned his sights back to Padme', he seemed to be hesitant in his movements before he continued onward toward the house. "Padme'?"

"Yes, Anakin."

"Do they know? Your family, do they know what happened?"

"No. My health records are confidential."

"What DID you tell them?"

Padme' gazed long and hard at Anakin's fretful eyes. As concerned as he was for her safety, he also worried about their secret surrounding their forbidden love.

"Appendicitis. The truth would prompt too many questions, ones I do not wish to answer, especially to my family." Answered Padme', in an almost shameful whisper.

She despised being deceitful to her family, especially about her health, for she knew how much her mother worried about her. Knowing this, and her disgustful feelings soaring through her, she knew it was time to part company and leave her family's home.

"Ani', please take me to my apartment, outside the Palace Plaza?"

"When? Now?" Anakin couldn't hide the excitement behind his voice, even though he tried to contain it.

"Tonight. Let's at least have dinner with my family, all right?" Suggested Padme'.

Anakin bowed slightly, and extended his hand to her. As she accepted his hard, mechanical hand, she rose before him, taking her place by his side.

"As you wish, Milady." Mused Anakin, as he tenderly kissed her hand and then placed it under his arm, pressing it firmly against his newly defined biceps. Padme' couldn't help but to giggle at his playful antics, for it was refreshing to laugh, at least for a little while.

Together they walked, arm in arm, and mirroring one another's steps, they strolled up the cobbled stone path to the glass veranda door. "Soon" she thought, "I'll be alone with my Love, my Ani', my Husband. "


"Possibly" she thought some more, "we might even be able to enjoy Theed's Festivities later this evening." Just the idea gave her stomach a tingling appeal, and her face showed her private joy, for it glowed, crimson and bright, just like one of the Twin Suns that graced the atmosphere of Anakin's home planet, Tatooine.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

The Paths we choose, Pave our Destiny...

The streets of Theed were vibrant in rich, vivid colors and the homes were decorated with lush, leafy vines, that seemed to flourish without end. Anakins' stroll was more of a swift jog, as he paved his way through the maze-like city. Normally, he would pause and soak up the scenery of this majestic paradise, but his thoughts were completely focused on something more mesmerizing; Padme'. As his pace quickened, his senses were so fixated and attuned that he could practically feel her soothing presence and smell the sweet, floral scents that perfumed her lustrous, ebony hair. He was so close to her, and yet he felt systems away, his need to hold her, to possess her, only grew with each leap toward his destination; the Naberrie homestead.

His body nearly jolted forward as he halted in the small alley outside the modest house. He was captivated by the two small, cherub girls, that played out front with an all-too familiar R2 unit. The screeching little angels recognized the Jedi immediately, and joyfully skipped over to him. They encircled him with a playful dance and a silly song, with R2 treading happily behind. Anakin blushed as he knelt down to pat the domed head of the astromech. With all the ruckus and commotion, a slender, dark-haired woman appeared on the doorstep. Anakin had to take a double look in order to decipher who this person was. Shuddering after a deep exhale, he realized it was Sola, his love's sister. Her stare was inquisitive with an added gaze of astonishment, as she vigilantly gaped in his direction.

Anakin approached the porch that perched the lovely Sola. She averted her eyes to her children and called out to them, beckoning them to come inside for supper. Then once again, she cast her sights back to the tall, strapping, young Jedi. Ever so slightly, Anakin lowered himself to a polite bow, beaming one of his charming crooked smiles her way. Sola seemed tense, as she gripped the decorative hand rail that bordered the terrace. Straightening her graceful frame, resembling her younger sister, she queried his unexpected arrival.

"Anakin Skywalker? Is there something wrong? Who sent you?" Sola spoke with such haste, that the impression of grave concern was obviously apparent. Moving closer to the elevated stoop, Anakin shook his head in assurance that no one knew of his whereabouts. Then he tilted his head up in her direction, gaining her undying attention before he answered her dubious uncertainty.

" I've come to see Padme'. Is she alright?" Whispered Anakin. Now it was he who displayed a state of anxiety.

" Padme' has been under a great deal of stress, Anakin. She's feeling better every day now. She's out back in the garden. " As Sola responded to Anakin's question, his facial expressions and bodily demeanor changed drastically. He appeared as if he were having difficulty swallowing the confirmation of this news. As he shuffled off toward the rear of the house, he glanced once more at Sola and nodded his head, showing his appreciation for her kindness.

As he turned the corner, he was captivated by the seraphic vision that engulfed his view. The gardens were lush and bountiful as it surrounded the entire estate. As serene as nature was to a force-connected soul, nothing was more tranquil than the angel that stood still in the thick of it. There, next to a shuura tree, dressed in an elegant day gown, shimmering like a silvery moon and cascading in soft lace, was the radiant Padme'. Her hair glistened like silk, as the coiled locks draped over her shoulders and flowed down her back, framing her waist. Anakin was breathless as he stood paralyzed by this beautiful fantasy displayed before him. He watched as R2 rolled out into the yard and bleeped frantically at his mistress. Padme' knelt down to the little droid as if to reason with it like a mother would to her child. Within an instant, her attention was diverted from her chirping messenger to the tall, gallant, and archaic figure that held his stance in an unswerving devotion some ten feet away. Slowly, Padme' rose to full height and gazed at her visitor in disbelief. Was it all a dream or could it possibly be her love, her husband, her Ani that had found his way back to her? As he eased forward in her direction, Padme' realized she was no longer dreaming of this day to come. For Anakin was truly there, and she was only moments away from drowning within his robust embrace.

Her whole body trembled with anticipation as he scurried towards her. Before she could even move in his direction, she was whirling around in a daze. Anakin had swooped her up into his strong arms, dangling her legs above the soft grass as he spun her around the garden. Once the spinning stopped, she was showered in tender kisses, as her body still hovered over the blooming greens that covered Naboo's grounds. Gently, he placed her down on the leafy terrain, continuing with his affectionate kisses, longing for the sweetness of her lips to meet with his.

" I've missed you Padme'. " Whispered Anakin, between kisses, as he breathlessly spoke of his loneliness and desires.

" I couldn't bear your screams any longer. I had to be sure you were all right. I've missed you so much. " Anakin's voice deepened with every word he uttered, his heart raced as his senses drank in her enticing aroma, intoxicating him more and more with every kiss. Soon, Padme' had forgotten all that she had wanted to tell him, all that she had suffered and been through. All that mattered was their embrace. This bittersweet moment of intimacy seemed to stop the galaxy from spinning on axles. Lost in the web of desire, Padme' succumbed to Anakin's allurement. She lead him by his steel mechanical hand to the opposite side of the shuura tree where they could be hidden from wandering eyes. Slyly, Anakin smiled down at his beloved wife and delicately pressed his strong, firm body on to hers, pinning her against the tree. Both seemed to be gasping for air as their chests molded together. Gazing into each others eyes, he lowered his head to hers, just barely touching Padme's soft, voluptuous lips to his.

" How did you find me? " Questioned Padme' in a raspy voice.

" I sensed your presence, like I always have. " Replied Anakin as he gently caressed his full lips against hers.

" I've been so lonely, Anakin. " Padme' whispered ever so softly as she seductively placed her fingers between his utility belt and his leather tunic, pulling him even closer toward her body.


" My every thought has been of you, of us, together in each others arms. " Finally, she reached up and tenderly kissed his lower lip. Anakin could no longer resist her, he surrendered to the kiss and welcomed it with his own. Laying both of his hands on either side of her flawless face, he deepened his kiss with the parting of his strong lips engulfing hers and quenching his thirst for her sweetness. Moaning in ecstasy, their universe was once again perfect, as their forbidden love flourished like the gardens that surrounded them; vastly prolific and purely blissful.


Friday, November 03, 2006

Echoes of the Past......

Surrounded by the bleak blackness of space, a large Republic Cruiser is making it's way through the Tobali System and heading for Coruscant. Aboard this large vessel are the remains of two squadrons, consisting mainly of cloned troopers and an elite few Jedi Knights. Alone in a cargo hall, one Jedi works feverishly to repair his Jedi starfighter. The Delta 7 Aethersprite has suffered some minor damages, yet its owner tinkers with the malfunctions with tedious precision.

As Anakin submerges himself within the confines of physical labor, his thoughts wander, leaving him in a state of unpalatable concern. For a standard week, he had been haunted by screams of his beloved wife calling to him. While everyone else on board finds sleep, Anakin is consumed by the agonizing fear of Padme's shrilling cries. In order to maintain his sanity, he engulfs himself into his second love, the Azure Angel.

Anakin tweaks and preps all of his customized modifications along with the repairs that are needed in order for his fighter to be fully operational. While engrossed in his work, he is unaware of a presence that stands before him. Suddenly, he is diverted from his activities by an exaggerated cough. Anakin pushes his feet off the steel platform floor and rolls out on his creeper to meet his unexpected visitor.


"Master?" Asks Anakin, bewildered by his presence.

"Anakin, it's late. You should be asleep by now." Obi-wan yawned, trying his best to stay awake and focused on the conversation.

"I have a few more things to finish up here. You go on ahead. I'll be along shortly." As Anakin spoke, he quickly rolled back under the craft and returned to his repairs.

"You can't sleep, can you?" Obi-wan asked in a muffled, sympathetic voice. Anakin remained quiet and continued with his work, grunting and groaning with every strain.

"You've been having visions again, haven't you?" Asked Obi-wan, as he shuffled his feet and paced alongside of the starfighter. Whether or not he was having premonitions, something was indeed troubling him.

"No. It's nothing, really." Lied Anakin, trying to change the subject. Though, he knew that would not be an easy task, especially with Obi-wan's exasperating persistence.

"Nothing? For the past several days, you have been walking around here dazed, like a drunken insomniac!" Shouted an annoyed Obi-wan. He was getting tired of his apprentice's new secret demeanor.
Anakin rolled out once more from underneath the craft, sitting upon the creeper and staring at his Master. Running his fingers through his short, wavy, sandy blonde hair, he bowed his head, gazing aimlessly at his boots.

"There is something I must do. I'm not going to Coruscant with you, Master." Anakin's voice was stern, he was not asking for permission, with or without authorization, he was leaving.

"Not going? What the blazes are you talking about?" Obi-wan shouted his query.

"We have a lay over of three days before our next assigned campaign. I will return in time. I promise, Master." Anakin now stood before his Master, with a painful look of determination. Obi-wan rubbed a hand over his tired eyes, he knew no matter what, nothing could change the young man's mind. He fixated his sights on Anakin's intense, piercing, blue eyes and saw the emptiness of a sorrowful soul. Obi-wan could not bear the boys' hurt any longer; he would let him go.

Obi-wan nodded his weary head in acceptance. Anakin was astonished and flashed a crooked smile at his Master. In a dash, he gathered his things and cleaned his work space. With a Jedi leap, he was on top of the right wing of his craft. Tossing his parcel in the cockpit, he turned to face his Master. Anakin bowed slightly, tilting his head in gratitude before hopping into the seat of his starfighter. The necessary codes for clearance were granted and the Azure Angel, with all it's splendor and glory, throttled to life. Within a blink of an eye, it vanished into the dense darkness of space.

Anakin sighed in a short-lived relief. He had escaped a lengthy and painstaking discussion with Obi-wan, but he hadn't freed himself from the apprehensive truth behind Padme's chilling screams, beckoning him to come to her aid. Just the thought was enough to fuel his zeal as he set the coordinates for the planet Naboo. Once everything was set, he returned his concentration back to Padme'. How he missed her, longing for her irresistible softness and silken embrace, only to have these desirable dreams destroyed by the haunting echoes of her agonizing shrieks of immense pain. So many horrifying memories of his mother's face blurred his vision, he would not allow another love to suffer such a fate again.

Blinking furiously, he took a deep breath, regaining what composure he could. Scouring his thoughts, he began to remember her vividly, dressed in white lace standing before him, with the sunset gleaming behind her. She truly was an Angel, belonging to the legendary moons of "Iego," and she was his. As he visualized their sacred wedding day, his heart called out to her.


" My love, please hear me. I've heard your cries, I've felt your pain, and tasted your tears. No longer will you have to endure your suffering alone. I'm on my way to you, my love, my everything. Nothing can stop me from returning to you; nothing ever will. You are all I'll ever need. For the Force created you for me, though there are those who deny this to be. You and I will love forever. It is my path and our destiny."