Before the Saga Celtic challenge: "I never will marry", story 9/9 from Sheev´s POV: answers

Celtic challenge 2:

@Pandora made it possible that I can do another Celtic song and this is now my second participation in the wonderful challenge. And perhaps Cowgirl Jedi 1701 is astonished about a nice side of Sheev Palpatine, too. Please tell me if that is not the case and you are annoyed for me linking you!

Second and main editor of most vignettes is @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha. The first one to basically hears about updates is my husband @DarthUncle.

Anyway, I chose a fairly well-known SW character... AGAIN and paired him up with my OC Nagina... AGAIN.

Reader warning: Please excuse my weird English! I am German. English is only my Second language!

Here we go:



Title: “I will never marry”, a Sheev Palpatine vignette with several parts

Story I:“Down by the sea shore”

Summary: Since the day that she was born on a meadow next to the Solleu River, his niece has been a true water creature. As a Naboo man Sheev Palpatine accepts that holy union.

Time frame: The story happens 45 BY.

Planet of choice: Surprise, surprise!!!

Disclaimer: SW is owned by George Lucas, Lucas Ltd. and now The Walt Disney Company

This morning as I rambled down by the seashore
The wind it did whistle, and the waters did roar
But I heard a fair damsel make a pitiful sound
It sounded so lonesome in the waters around

“I never will marry, I'll be no man's wife
I expect to live single all the days of my life
The shells in the ocean shall be my deathbed
The fish in deep water swim over my head”

She plunged her fair body in the waters so deep
And she closed her blue eyes in those waters to sleep
My love's gone and left me, the one I adore
And she's gone where I never will see her no more

So I never will marry, I'll be no man's wife
I expect to live single all the days of my life

The shells in the ocean shall be my deathbed
The fish in deep water swim over my head

I never will marry, I'll be no man's wife
I expect to live single all the days of my life



I. “Down by the sea shore” (A space ship, still 45 BY)

Scarif is just one step on your way to power, unlimited power. But after the latest Maul incident, and you felt that one coming for a long time, you need the perfect distraction for your niece. It is quite a way from Naboo, but you fear that you need to put a safe distance between her and her lover boy.

You set the course into the ship's computer and lean back in your leather seat. Normally, you prefer to fly manually, but there seems to be need of talk. To be on autopilot is a reasonable option. You do not want this trip to end before it starts.

“I want home,” Nagina moans in a sulky tone that makes it hard for you not to smile at her. “You are a monster.”

Perhaps you are. It comes automatically with being a Sith Lord. But right now, you think of yourself as generous and, on top of all, as reasonable. You did not even shave this morning and look like a Wookie. If your spin doctor catches you this way then you will need to kill him.

“You still have some holiday weeks left with me,” you remind her in a gentle voice. “It was rather exhausting to plan my quality time with you. Sate is an old spoil sport when it comes to my personal calender.”



Her wounded eyes stare at you, her mind obviously still busy with the kiss that never should have happened. You know that she relished it, perhaps even aimed for more. And can you blame her? Recently she got fourteen years old. She is ready to discover the other sex, ready to die for romance. It is more than unfortunate that she went after the wrong boy. You wish her better luck for her next try. Hopefully, with someone else.

You try to stir Nagina's thoughts away from Maul. “Besides, my master is not an imbecile,” you inform her. “I needed to be very convincing.”

There is no need for name's dropping. Your niece knows you talk about Darth Plagueis. You watch her gape at the very thought of the Muun, who she never had to meet in her entire life. And you will make sure that she never has to. For it will mean her certain death.

Nagina is the beautiful exception in a life dedicated to deceit, cruelty and the acquisition of power. You will not make her pay the price for your choices. She will prevail.

You look at her face, that has gotten a pale complexion. She is easier to decipher than one of your ancient Sith scripts.“There is no way I bring you back to Gita and Chetan right now,” you explain to her as diplomatically as possible. “I am afraid that you have to stay put with me.”

“Am I your hostage?” she throws right into your face.

You snort. “Those silly love novels don't become you. You should quit reading them.”

Why anyone could imagine herself as a damsel in distress around you, totally escapes your understanding of the universe.

“But you just kidnap me,” Nagina tries to convince you.

You bite into the insides of your cheeks in order not to laugh out loud. “I am your legal guardian.”

“So are my fosters,” she protests, looking like a little thunder cloud.

“Face it, you are under age, young lady.”

Heat spreads over her cheeks.

Quickly you add, “I was the only grown-up to drag a hot blooded Zabrak youth away from you.”

“We were just snuggling.” She chokes on a sob, her fingers balled into fists at her side. “There was no need to Force fry him, Sheev!”

You eye your niece carefully. There it is again, this feisty spark of independence. It is a foreshadowing of the woman that she will turn into. Of that you are sure. You give her a lopsided smile, before you make your point. “His unfortunate infatuation with you ended today. There is no need for you to let a second Sith into your heart.” This is not a request. It is a firmly worded command. “You can hardly deal with me.”

Her face is a wreath of pain and shame. It is nearly your undoing. “Am I expected to live single all the days of my life?”

Now there is no holding back for you. The laughter just rumbles through the entire cockpit. “As far as I remember I did not raise you to be a Jedi knight, Nagina,” you manage to say after a while. “But I certainly do not want you to be a toy for a dark acolyte of mine either.”

Nagina pouts, which is really cute.

You reach out for her, follow the line of her lips with one of your fingers. “Do you remember what happened to Githany?”

Her only answer is heavy breathing, which won't do.

“Githany,” you repeat. “What happened to her at Ruusan?”

Your niece hangs her head, beaten.

You do not raise your voice above a whisper, but you yield it like an activated light saber anyway. “Show me that my lessons on Sith history were not a waste of time!”

“Darth Bane broke her,” Nagina mumbles, starring out into the vastness of space.

“How?” you probe mercilessly.

“The thought bomb.”

You slide your fingers underneath her chin and gently lift it until she is forced to meet your gaze once more. “And how did her troubles with Bane originally start?”

She squeezes her eyes shut, but the tears smart out anyway. Silver that streams down her cheeks.

“It started with a kiss,” you translate the obvious.

Deafening silence fills the cockpit.

“Such a simple thing, a kiss one might think.”

Her red-rimmed eyes open again. “You never kiss Sly on the mouth, do you?”

As if you would answer such a question to a fourteen year old girl.

Scarif comes into view and suddenly there is no need for you to continue this conversation.

As a true Naboo your niece loves water above all. She craves it as much as you crave domination over the universe.

Grinning, you watch her jump up from the co-pilot seat and press her nose against the view screen.

If the pure sight of the planet impresses Nagina so much, than you will certainly win her over with the beach house and long walks at the shore. It also has been some time since you last swam together.

“Oh Sheev!” she shrieks in girlish delight and ends up on your lap. “Thank you!”

“For kidnapping you in an outrageous manner?” you comment gleefully. “You are very welcome, I guess.”

Her facial colour turns into crimson red. “I… I...” she stutters.
“You can inform Gita and Chetan about your whereabouts tonight.” You enjoy her guilt and embarrassment. “Kidnappers allow life signs from their victims now and then.”

A shy kiss is pressed against your right cheek.

“As for the ransom,” you smirk.

That makes her blink.

“I fear your fosters cannot afford a sum worthy of an Empress.” You pull one of her small hands into yours, caressing her palm with your left thumb. “But I might show some mercy and let you go at the beginning of your upcoming school year.”

You also have duties to attend to after this holiday break is over. There is a senate to undermine, a Sith apprentice to force back in line and a master to bedazzle.



Sources:
The song “I never will marry”, the version of Heather Dale
Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki
Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia

 

Aww, this is sweet - fun to see a teenager Nagina, and a concerned uncle Sheev, with of course his ever present Sith twist.

 

Now that he got nominated for best villain, DarthUncle, I could not stop to write something nice about him.

There was no SW female I could think about, but the combination Sheev & Nagina worked, because ideas came flooding into my brain.

And after my first working week in the new job position, I needed to let it go... let it flow... whatever!

 

This is a new idea. Very cool Azure. Sadly I wasn't nominated for anything this year.

 

Dear Darth_Furio I am also amazed that I got nominated for anything at all this year. Normally, I do not even attract many readers with the stuff that I put on-line. Don´t be sad! Just keep writing! You have your fan base.

 

Sheev is always scheming, now with Nagina. Sithly Sheev

 

Hi there, earlybird-obi-wan! I am bound to go to the sauna any time soon. Because it closes at 10:00 pm. But first I wanted to have a peak who was giving me an alert.

And I am glad that it was you.

 

After what happened with Maul, I almost pity any guy that catches Nagina's eye while she's on the beaches of Scarif with her uncle.

 

Back at that time, at least in my story, there is no military build up yet. Just a few natives. And those won´t be in the way.

But your concern is sweet, dear Darth Gangrenous.

 

For earlybird-obi-wan who seems to be keen on Corellian men after my latest cameo of Crix Madine elsewhere.




Celtic challenge, song 2

Title:“I will never marry”, a Sheev Palpatine vignette with several parts

Story 2:“I expect to live single all the days of my life”

Summary: The elderly Sheep Palpatine is Nagina's only living relative. That makes him her father and her older brother alike. But now there is another man in her live. Not only a lover, but a man who wants to marry her. A tenacious Corellian, loyal to the core. And he can stand up for her. Even after two bottles of wine.

Time frame: The story takes place 31 BBY.

Planet of choice: Corellia

Disclaimer:SW is owned by George Lucas, Lucas Ltd. and now The Walt Disney Company



Satisfied, you clean your mouth with a linen napkin that you gave Nagina years ago for her student flat on Alderaan. Now she lives on the capital planet of the Corellian system.

The main course has been nerf-roast with Corellian potato sticks and Alderaniaan malla petals.

The blossom wine from Naboo was up straight after the main course. Your niece had two glasses of it and has an adorable blush now. To you she is always beautiful. The light of the Force shines in her eyes, even though she serves the wrong side. But you will not blame her for her loyalty. She is what she is.

“I get the apple crumble and the blue vanilla sauce,” Nagina offers.

“Don't!” Her boy-friend Barin reaches over the table to squeeze her right hand. “You just enjoy yourself tonight, min larel.”

You grant the lovers a piercing look, but the affection which you witness here is not acted. There is just this warm fuzzy feeling in the air, that you never fully gave into as a Sith lord.

“Let me play the host,” the small man moves on and displays a wide grin. “You had a pretty stressful week at work.”

“Oh, it was not so bad,” Nagina protests meekly.

He snorts at her and shakes his head in disbelieve. Then he says, putting a lot of conviction into his voice, “Please, entertain your uncle! I can handle this.” He laughs dryly. “I am a big boy, you know. Can even use the toilet on my own. A trick most of your kindergarten kids cannot pull, I suppose.”

She starts giggling, not sounding much like a twenty-nine year old.

Barin winks at Nagina and is off to the kitchen. Despite his seize he is a graceful creature, moving with the self-assurance of a noble man.

Thoughtfully, you look deep into your empty wine glass. But the future that you search for is not in the sinking sediment.

Corellian men are a special species. They have rocket fuel for blood. And as far as you are concerned Barin ticks all the other boxes. He seems to be an independent spirit yet pragmatic. You suspect that he is daring, almost reckless in his actions.

You learned much about him the past two hours, but not enough to allow the intend marriage to go through. Therefore you bound after him and enter his realm, the kitchen.

“Supreme Chancellor,” he greets you, when he looks up from the oven.

“Sheev,” you offer.

“Pardon me, but that sounds like the name for some dumb beast of slaughter,” Barin says bluntly.

“It was the name of my father's shaving lotion,” you confine to him. “But I keep telling people that my name originates from an ancient Naboo deity. A destroyer and transformer of worlds.”

He raises a quizzical eyebrow at me. “Does it help?”

“Immensely.” You flash him your widest grin.

“My mother sneaked straight out of the clinic after I was presented to her.” He shrugs, his gaze never wavering. “So my dad was stuck with the name giving business. He named me after a comic hero of his childhood days. Some prince in a space fantasy story.”

When the silence threatens to turn uncomfortable, you add for consideration. “In Naboo tradition the head of a household has to name a child.”

His eyes widen with interest. You can see a lot of questions in his mind. He tries to restrain himself with all his might.

You walk over to one of the kitchen chairs and make yourself comfortable on it. “Well, in lack of a father my half-sister, Mandré, gave me the honour to choose a pretty birth name for her newborn baby girl.”

He rises to his full height, the apple crumple forgotten for now.

“Wait, you were around when her mom delivered?” he asks.

“It was a secret birth.” The memories about it paint a real smile on your face. Not an artificial one, that you usually practise in front of the mirror. “Our father, old Cosinga Palpatine, was a violent tyrant. With an iron fist he ruled all of us.”

“Excuse me for saying so,” Barin crosses his arms right before his broad chest, “You seem like somebody who does not get intimidated so easily.”

“Believe me, I was young and fearful once. And perhaps not overly clever.” You are not sure you really mean what you say, but it seems the right way putting it. For you only will say the following things once and then never again. “There are reasons why Nagina ended up with foster parents.”

Barin comes so close to you, that your noses almost touch. “You are not the reason why she can be so frecking insecure about herself? Why she sometimes gets panic attacks? Or cries in her sleep.”

“I never touched her in any inappropriate way,” you prompt and blend out all the Sith incidents you made your niece face over the years. “But when she was young and vulnerable, I failed her as her protector in many ways. Back then I was not strong enough.”

His eyes are slits now. He seems to be ready to claw your face off, but for some reason he waits.

“If you ever break her heart, Barin Samye, I will find you. Even if CorSec itself tries to let you disappear. I will not send men, I will come to you personally.”

He starts laughing. “Good to know, Sheev!”

With that he turns around to the oven again, opens the door, gets the baking sheet out and suddenly, you have the tip of a knife right under your chin.

“Just for the record: if you keep failing my future wife, I will make you pay the price for it when you least expect it.” There is nothing but truth in his eyes. “She is dear to me and deserves better than a relative that is not fully admitted to the task.”

You decide to hear him out instead of frying him with Force lightening. It has been quite a while since you were that impressed and unprepared by an attack.

His voice is unwavering, his poise proud. “If there is any dirty secret, and politicians are full of them, I will use it against you. For freck's sake, try to celebrate at least her birthdays and the Naboo Light Festivals with her! Make her feel wanted and cherished, you son of a Hutt.”

You return his fierce stare. “Are that not tasks of a husband?”

The tip of the tart knife seems to be closer than before. “You have no idea what it means to be a husband. As a Corellian I do not take a martial vow lightly.”

“Indeed,” you nod.

“Then we understand each other perfectly?” Barin asks.

“Just fine,” you reply.

The knife is drawn back and ends up next to the apple crumble.

“I need to make a confession to you,” you say, in a very light and festive mood all of a sudden.

“Yes?” Barin stops cutting the crumble into even slices.

“Do not try to drug Nagina again! I made some serious mistakes when she was but a baby.”

With the knife in his hand, he turns around very slowly. “I figured as much, but I wanted to hear it from your own lips, Sheev.”

All in all you are proud of the man who wants to marry Nagina. He is cunning, has a steady hand when holding a weapon and he remains honest, even when holding a grudge.

When you would have not stopped the Maul infatuation ages ago, things would have gone from bad to worse. This way your niece has a real life among normal beings.

Barin returns to his administrations of the apple crumble. “Your name kind of sounds like Steve.”

“You could call me Sid,” you propose with a malicious grin.

“Nay, that reminds me of a silly mammal that I have once seen in a HoloNet movie series for children.”

Chuckling, you leave the kitchen to get the 'Port in a Storm' bottle.After such a battle of wills, you both need some fortified, high-octane wine from Pamarthe. Besides, you should check if Nagina is okay. She was tipsy when you last saw her.

You find your niece full asleep at the table, her head on her arms.

With the help of the Force you get her up and place her on one of the living-room sofas.

When you put a flowery plumeau over her chubby body, Barin observes with the dessert plates in his hands, “So you are a Jedi of a kind.”

“A bad one,” you answer.

“This is why she never wanted me to marry her in the first place, right?” He starts laying down the plates. “You made her witness how you deal with people that displease you.”

There is no hiding and this time you do not even want to. “I killed my entire family in front of her. Plus the security people and the flight crew.”

Barin gnarls his jaw several times before saying, “You can be glad that she did not go absolutely bogus after all you pulled.”

You move an astray hair out of Nagina's face. “I try my best.”

“One of my pals, a local Corellian Jedi Knight, always claims that there is no trying, Steve.”

The bottle with the wine from Pamarthe flies straight into your open hand. “Then we better finish this with gusto before she wakes up again.”




Sources:
The song “I never will marry”, the version of Heather Dale
A bow to Prince Barin from “Flash Gordon” and to a certain animal from the “Ice Age” movies
The web site www.starwarsepics.com, especially the Star Wars Food and Drink post from user Samantha Koortyn
The article “Palpatine’s Newly Revealed First Name is More Appropriate Than You Think” by Chris Lough on the website Thor Com
Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki
Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia

 

Thanks for finding the time to leave an icon, Darth Gangrenous and Cowgirl Jedi 1701.

I believe most people to be busy at the convention down in Orlando or watching the live stream online.

Right now DarthUncle watches his beloved "Grand Prix"/ Formula One, which also might keep people from reading my stuff.

And another explanation, which made me travel to my parents, might be that it is Easter.

 

You keep giving us nice insights into Krennic - totally believable he's such a egotistical meany at heart, though it is sweet how he cares for Nagina, even there, he's not currently (in this story) a friend because he rage quit the friendship (okay, as a teenager, but) and never found courage or a big enough step to get over himself, quite sad, and chilling. I guess it is good he doesn't have/believe in the Force!

I still wonder, were his parents negligent, or was he always going to be a difficult to dangerous kid? I know you've seen a lot of basically good kids in your work, but also occasionally kids where you really felt you had to show them their actions had consequences for others, and that wasn't okay; I hope that helped, but in the end a kindergarten teacher can't do more than nurture the good, it isn't a guarantee I guess.

 

True words, as usual, DarthUncle. And yes, there is never a guarantee for education. It will always remain a consensus of free will, nature and nurture.

 

Wrong thread for my story!!!

 

DarthUncle: Thanks for beta reading and giving me thumbs up to post this at all!

Cowgirl Jedi 1701: Another disturbingly nice story about Palpatine! Please tell me if that tag was in vain! Then it shall not happen again!

Sith-I-5: Due to strange "Batman" imagines in my head now, for your feedback elsewhere, I had to add a pair of golden underpants.

Darth_Furio, Darth Gangrenous: Sithly stuff ahead!

Kahara: Thanks for the recent encouragement!

earlybird-obi-wan: Actually more to read, sorry!




Celtic challenge, song 2

Title:“I will never marry”, a Sheev Palpatine vignette with several parts

Story 3:“Shells in the ocean”

Summary: A gentleman in his golden years is at the beach. His niece just married the man of her dreams: a dwarf. But she is as happy as a fairy tale princess. It is true love. Therefore, he is happy for her. But he is also busy erecting an Empire, a slow and tedious occupation.

Time frame: The story takes place 30 BBY.

Planet of choice: Corellia

Disclaimer: SW is owned by George Lucas, Lucas Ltd. and now The Walt Disney Company




The waves clash against the shore. A calming sound. You are bare feet and wear a swimming trunk only. None of your fancy robes for the senate. Sunglasses protect your eyes.

You do wonder if any of your trillion citizens would recognize you right now. They know your face from daily HoloNet broadcasts and your official government speeches only. Sheev Palpatine, the private person, is an enigma to them. And you better keep it this way. Not only for Nagina, your beloved niece.

The Republic is like a Perlote tree, growing in a swamp of corruption. You spent more than a quarter of your life to injure the trunk. You did not cut it in one place, oh no. There are different injuries in several parts, too many to spot really. And your work is not done yet.

Slowly, you walk closer towards the water.

Apart from you and the newly weds nobody is around on this isle. Money usually buys you all the privacy that you need. The rest is well placed blackmail.

With a smile you bent over and pick up a shell.

It seems ages ago that you have been at a beach, enjoying yourself with innocent pleasures. Normally, you go for more dark and sinister occupations.

You hold on to the shell. It reminds you of the skin of a certain Umbaran you keep at your side. Your well-trained pet.

Nagina never was this way, not even as a teenager. Even though she is manageable and agreeable, she stays a person with a wilful personality.

You turn around to her honeymoon hut.

Since twelve hours she is inside there with her husband Barin.

A grin splits over your face.

You are happy that they found one another. An unusual couple, true, but love is a riddle for you anyway.

Of course you love your niece, but within the confinements of a Sith lord. Affection is difficult. It makes you vulnerable.

When you had Anakin Skywalker's mother taken and killed by a well-chosen Tusken tribe, you witnessed the young men's devastation. It was then, when you asked yourself what would happen if you would ever lose Nagina to death's embrace.


“You are blood of my blood,” you mutter with your left hand cramped right above your fast beating heart. “Flesh of my flesh.”

Barin Samye has been allowed to marry her, but your rights are much older. She is your little sunshine.

When you close your eyes, you are straight back in the Lake Country of Naboo. On the meadow where Nagina has been born thirty years ago. It felt so wonderful holding her little body. Normally only the acquisition and yielding of power makes you so level headed.

You remember some lines of a childhood classic your niece is found of.

With the shiny shell in your hand you walk straight into the water until it reaches your knees. Then you start to quote word for word.

“I like to watch them. They fill me with joy. The first I felt it I thought I was going to die. I said to the Red Bull I must have them, all of them, all there are. For nothing makes me happy but their shining and their grace. So the Red Bull caught them. Each time I see the unicorns, my unicorns, it is like that morning in the woods and I am truly young, in spite of myself. “

Nagina is your unicorn, your treasure. You allow others to bathe in her light – the Anils, her countless foster siblings, the children she works with and all the friendships that she has forged – but she will always be your only kin left.

The boy, hot-headed and difficult, is but an experiment you conducted. You have no real feelings for him. Into a Sith apprentice he might turn one day, if he survives the trials you have in mind for him. But your pride is reserved for one person only.

You take the shell and throw it back into the sea.

There are times you wish you could conjure a real unicorn for your niece. She would love that very much. But Sith magic does not work that way.

You turn around, because you feel a loving gaze resting on you.

Nagina, only draped into a thin bed sheet, stands on the veranda of her hut.

You wave at her and she waves back, still glowing from the aftermath of gentle love making. It was not your intention to spy on her, but her feelings leaked into your own mind.

Chuckling, you step out of the water.

Barin appears next to his wife and swings up to the banister.

They embrace and then they kiss.

He may be a small person, but he loves her with the strength and intensity of three men.

Slowly, you walk towards the hut.

When Barin's lips leave Nagina's, he faces you. “Steve, old boy,” he grins. “Fancy dinner with us?”

“You two must be absolutely ravished,” you probe, not at least annoyed with his nickname for you.

Barin, who notices your discovery, winks at you. “You have no idea, Steve.”

You start to climb the seven wooden steps. “The two of you better get dressed.” You have trouble to ignore the tiny love bites that your niece has all over her. “I set the table for us.”

Elegantly, Barin glides down. “Sure thing!”

You find his golden underpants interesting, but you cannot admire them for long because he reaches up to Nagina and hand in hand they walk into the bedroom again. Not much later you hear her giggle and protest weakly.

Getting dressed might take a while longer, but you are okay with that.

During the Maul crisis you niece made a lot of drama on Scarif, telling you that she would die as an old maid.

“Look at you now, sunshine,” you smile, a real smile.

Then you saunter into the kitchen and pour yourself a glass of Corellian whiskey. In silent salute you raise the glass to the bride.


Sources:
The song “I never will marry”, the version of Heather Dale
Lines from the fantasy novel “The Last Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle (1968)
Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki
Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia

 

Sheev can be nice to his niece and on Corellia

 

earlybird-obi-wan: Thanks for taking the time to read my challenge answers as well! It always feels good when somebody reacts and has feedback for me.

 

*shivers* Somehow, when Sheev is being nice, he seems even....sheevier.

 

Cowgirl Jedi 1701: Thanks for not being mad with me that I dared to tag you. And thanks for commenting in such a charming, funny way. I liked that very much.

 

Just because you are very convincing, earlybird-obi-wan.

And because DarthUncle insists that I go on, even though I feel utterly stupid in all that I do apart from work at present.



Celtic challenge, song 2

Title:“I will never marry”, a Sheev Palpatine vignette with several parts

Story 4:“A pitiful sound”

Summary: The greatest trickster in the universe must find out that he is mistaken. About a great many things. Everything that has transpired in the freshly started Clone Wars has not done according to his design. There was a casualty. Within his own family. Now he faces the heartbroken widow.

Time frame: The story takes place in year 1 of the Clone Wars (22 BBY).

Planet of choice: Chandrila

Disclaimer: SW is owned by George Lucas, Lucas Ltd. and now The Walt Disney Company




The sound chatters the stillness once again. It is something between a sob and a moan. It rises in pitch until it resonates in each corner of the apartment like a sea wave that breaks apart.

Normally, the negative emotions of other beings sustain you. As a Sith you like to share their pain and passion, their fear and loathing, feeding off their desperate love even.

The Ministry of War had been much quicker than you. For that you curse them profoundly. You would have found better ways to bring Nagina the bad news.

Since your early childhood years you trained yourself to be a master of words, of deception and seduction. So much depends on you being convincing.

Another wail guts you.

There is pain in Nagina's voice, the undiluted essence of grief. This is worse than the cry of a krayt dragon. Even worse than the growling of a rathtar.

A huge surge of guilt, an emotion you thought you were over with since ages, makes you reach out for the wall in front of you.

As a powerful Sith lord you faced many ferocious enemies in the past, defeated them all. Including your former master, Darth Plagueis.



But the moaning of your niece is something that you cannot deal with. You are helpless, overtaxed.

Not daring to enter her bedroom, you lean against the wall with your eyes closed and hands fisted. There is sweat on your brow.

There are old Naboo legends about water spirits that wail the way Nagina does right now. Those creatures are called banshees. Their cry is a portent of death.

You are truly agitated and instead of recalling a helpful Sith proverb, you can only recall a song from the Lake Country. Actually, only the first verse.

“This morning as I rambled down by the seashore
The wind it did whistle, and the waters did roar
But I heard a fair damsel make a pitiful sound
It sounded so lonesome in the waters around”

You shake your head.

As a young child Nagina was always quiet. Her foster parents, Gita and Chetan Anil, feared that she suffered from mutism. Especially after the incidence on the Palpatine family yacht. But then, one fine day, she started speaking again. Just like that. A miracle you are not responsible for.

Rage explodes in your chest, a volcanic eruption that you do not wish Nagina to get hurt from.

You start walking to the toilet and lock yourself in.

Normally, you are the master of the universe and its your playground. Right now you do not feel very masterful.

You search for the right words to console the young widow, but there are none.

What happened to Barin Samye cannot be explained easily.

With a sigh, you sink down on the closed toilet lid, your head in your hands.

Desolation sweeps through you.

You could blame Dooku or Grievous. That is an option. But, when you really consider it, it achieves nothing.

The bathroom mirror cracks from side to side. Suddenly, the surface looks like a spider's web.

If there was a Sith spell to turn back the time you would use it for Nagina. She deserves a happy-ever after. Not only because she is your niece.

Strength pulses through your body. A terrible surging energy that demands an outlet.

There is not even a corpse you can give back to her for a traditional Naboo incineration. Not a single cell left to produce a synthetic diamond and shooting it into space, which is the Corellian way of saying good-by to a beloved person.

The explosion destroyed every evidence of Nagina's husband. But he was on-board that ship, when the Separatists shot it down. You have your reliable sources, who told you so.

You rise to face yourself in the mirror. What you see is a gentleman in his golden years and underneath is the hare-bringer of death. A soulless monster that destroys everything in its path. Even beloved ones. This is what being a Sith is about.

Fact is that you liked this Corellian pig-head the way he was: loud, direct, fierce and loyal. He worshipped his wife, gave her a sense of belonging. With you he lacked respect most of the time, but you found that refreshing. Your discussions would last for hours and when they were over, you two had a drink together.

In regret you shake your head.

“She will remember your heart when men are fairy tales in books written by rabbits,” you quote from a children's classic that means a lot to Nagina and you.

Suddenly, it is there. A possible solution to get through to her.

You rush into the living-room, where your niece keeps artificial books. Books with real pages. She loves their smell, how they feel like in her hands.

The 'Dune' novels.

The various 'Dragon Lance' volumes.

The 'Labyrinth' story.

And then, there it is: 'The Last Unicorn.'

It is worth a try.

You tiptoe towards the bedroom.

The sounds you hear are disturbing, but you are supposed to be a fearless Sith lord.

Standing in front of the king-seize bed, you gaze at your niece for a while.

Then you put the book on the night-stand. You do not need it right now, but you will later on.

You sit down at the edge of the mattress and lean down to Nagina, reaching out for one of her hands.

“Listen,” you quote at random, the words still imprinted in your mind after all those years. “Don't listen to ME, listen. You can find the others if you are brave. They passed down all the roads long ago, and the Red Bull ran close behind them and covered their footprints. Listen! Listen, listen QUICKLY!”

The wailing stops.

You smile triumphantly, filled with sudden confidence for the task ahead.

A ray of light, coming from the hall, shines upon Nagina. Her breathing is quick and somewhat small, like that of a lesser creature and not a human.

“Then what is magic for? What is the use of wizardry if it cannot even save a unicorn?” you give to consider and her tear-rimmed eyes snap open.

You have her full attention now.

It is more than taming an animal.

More than seducing somebody to the dark side of the Force.

It is basic inter-human communication and you feel how vulnerable it makes you. Suddenly, you are exposed to another being. But you have to go through this, for Nagina's sake. You want to pamper and spoil her shamelessly, but she will not allow you to do so. Of that you are sure. You will go for it anyway.



Sources:
The song “I never will marry”, the version of Heather Dale
Quotes from the Fantasy book “The Last Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle (1968)
Honorary mention of the 'Dune' novels by Frank Herbert (1965 until 1986)
Honorary mention of the 'Dragon Lance' volumes by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (1987 until 2004)
Honorary mention of the 'Labyrinth' book based on the movie directed by Jim Hendson and produced by George Lucas (1986)
Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki
Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia

 

Whoa. Sheev feeling heartbroken. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

 

Cowgirl Jedi 1701: Thanks for taking the time to stop by! This means a lot to me.

 

Yeah, wow, powerful how Sheev is temporarily undone by the last shred of love he allowed into, couldn't banish from his life.

The power of love. I admit, I had slightly damp eyes as Sheev quoted from The Last Unicorn, knowing how much it means to you, and presumably your OG Nagina.

And at the same time I smiled for the humour of it, the great Sith lord Sidious desperately reading from a fairy tale as the only way left to console someone who's grief he was chiefly responsible for, for not caring enough about the consequences of his plans on the people in the galaxy, brought home to him, through his niece, his conscience.

Imagine if he had allowed love to grant him and the galaxy mercy, and had relented, turned himself into a real Supreme Chancellor for the Republic!

well, anyway, a moving post.