The Penitent -- continued

Nope, not nitpicky at all. I actually thought of bringing that up, but since I'm sure that will be addressed in the prequels, I decided not to. (Besides, given Obi-Wan, they probably didn't -- they probaby just declared him dead and said that Vader was someone else entirely!)

Motibi was a bit too fast -- things like this take some time to set up. But imagine announcing "Free repairs, just ask." It's astounding people didn't accost him on the way out of the courtroom.

 

Sorry to take so long. Had an emergent project for my hubby and fell over about 1 a.m. Got up about 9 this morning and had to finish it off and then do some errands. Have to work tonight so here's a snippet for you.

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The palace hummed with activity as people scurried around, preparing for the hasty wedding. Anakin couldn't help watching with some amusement, remembering his first wedding and all the concommittent flurry, procedure and pomp involved. How different this was... and oddly, how much more satisfying in some ways. Granted, his impending departure so quickly after the ceremony gave a bittersweet quality to it, but he didn't regret renewing those vows he'd made to Amidala. Kerea rushed past him, a breeze sweeping by him in her wake.

Rather like a bee's nest, all this hustle and bustle.

"Well, they have to make it quick or you'll be gone before they're done." Dritali spoke from his left. Amongst all the furor, he'd missed her approach. "You must really be distracted with all this not to feel me coming."

He grinned back at her. "You could say that. It's not often a man gets the chance to marry his angel another time."

She cocked her head and gave him a measuring look. "So... What are you going to wear? Not that, I hope."

Surprised, he looked down at the simple tunic and trousers he wore. "I... I hadn't really considered..."

"Come on. Let's see what we can find you that Kree and the Queen won't kill you for," she told him, dragging him off toward his quarters.

Ani went without protest, suddenly aware of how important his family and friends felt about how he presented himself. For himself, he cared little for outer trappings. Too many years he'd been incarcerated behind the mask and suit to worry with how he looked now. But he also understood others did not share his careless attitude toward appearances and for this special day, he would allow those who cared for him to rule his decision in this matter.

How little importance this matter has compared to all the rest. For my part, I am grateful for the blessings the Force has allowed me. Perhaps it feels the prodigal son should be given some peace before the storm.

Dritali pulled out outfit after outfit from his closet. He didn't remember having so many. Where had they come from?

"Kree. She wanted something to do... some present to give you before you went away." Dritali hesitated. "Of course, that was before the sentence. Don't know what'll happen to them now." She drooped visibly for a moment, then pulled herself together and approached with a light blue tunic, piped in darker tones and a pair of dark blue trousers. "Here, try these."

He took the clothes thrust at him without a word, sharing her distress. Oh, not because of the clothes themselves, but because of the obvious loving care that had been given them. Retreating behind a screen, he changed, brushing an invisible speck from his boots and then presenting himself for Dritali's inspection.

She'd never shrunk from him since his marking, but now tears welled in her eyes.

"Dritali?"

"I'm sorry. It's just..." She paused. "I know you're the same person as Vader, but maybe how you looked before kind of made me forget. Think you were another person. Now..." Furiously, she scrubbed at her eyes and straightened. "Now we share our scars. Maybe Princess Leia made her decision because of what you did for me... Maybe because I said something about it. I don't know. I... I... Oh, I never intended for you to have to be scarred again."

Ani strode toward her quickly, taking her by the shoulders. "Don't ever apologize for what happened, Dritali. I did what I did because it needed doing, not because you forced me to. This..." He indicated his marks. "This will fade some with time and like you, it will remind me of why I must use discretion in my actions and not allow myself to become... carried away again."

He searched her eyes, suppressing a grimace. What an understatement! Still, he could not allow her to take any

 

Waaaaah! That was the most touching thing I've ever read! Great job, Belle. Wonderful! Bravo!

Was that the finale?

 

Nope. There are four scenes left (Belle, I'm going to split the next one I'm planning into two), maybe five (Skysong?).

 

Four or five?
Don't know how I'll be able to live on when this one is ended.

 

Yay! There's more! Not much more, but more!

This story is just unreal.

 

::Grabs a tissue::

That was beautiful!!

Only 4 or 5 left!??!?!?!?!

 

Oh that was such a sweet post.

 

Kerea had never noticed how very many people were in the Palace, because until the wedding, she'd never seen everyone gathered.

At the main table at the reception -- she and Tash had really been invited to sit with the family! -- were the Skywalkers, Dritali, Prince Lando, Isabel Tashin, Ivva Japui (she sat at Kerea's side, and sometimes leaned over and whispered like a big sister), Boss Carn Gari, and a Naboo couple named Tirzé and Drel that Kerea hadn't met before. On the dance floor...

Well, Kerea guessed that not all of them lived in the Palace. The Queen was the Queen, and she'd thrown the doors open to the citizens of Naboo (press and potential assassins were strongly deterred by the City Guard). There were Gungans and Naboo and Alderaanians all dancing together, and it made Kerea want to laugh out loud. An Alderaani boy and a Gungan girl were trying to do the latest steps to a dance from Coruscant, and failing spectacularly. Princess Leia and Han were dancing together, looking happy -- Han was trying to teach her some step and she wasn't learning it very well, but they were laughing about it.

"Do you want to dance?" she heard Anakin ask the Queen.

Amidala turned around, surprised. "Do you?"

"I want what you want."

She winked. "It would be impolite to leave the party this early."

Anakin actually blushed, and Amidala laughed merrily. "I would like to dance, Ani. I'd like to dance for a long time. But I don't want to try whatever those children are doing."

"Deal."

They stood and made their way out onto the dance floor. On their other side, Dritali was watching them go. She loved to dance, and looked like she was waiting for permission.

"Hey," Tash said. "You up for a spin?"

She smiled. "Yes. But I have an idea... ask 'Tali, okay?"

He shrugged and shook his head, then got up to ask her. She looked relieved, and asked Luke if it was all right. He looked surprised that she would even ask, and waved them out. Kerea had a feeling that she wouldn't see Dritali off the dance floor for the rest of the night.

"You want to dance?" she asked Luke.

He laughed and shook his head. "I don't think so, Kerea. But thank you."

"Why not?"

"I have no idea how."

Lando leaned around him. "You want to dance with someone, I'll dance with you. Gotta show off this outfit somewhere."

She nodded and took his hand. He led her out. "So, I hear you and Tash are headed out to Yirisu tomorrow?"

Kerea nodded. "It's where he's from."

"It's a good place. They have a vein of tiral in the mountains that's pure practically out of the ground."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, we're getting around to outfitting the doors to the Alderaani museum, and we're going to do them in tiral -- it has that nice bluish shine -- and someone needs to go negotiate for it. Since Her Majesty will probably back at work next week, I thought I'd go with you and Tash. If you don't have a problem with it."

"Well, we... Um... "

"Oh, just for a couple of days. I just don't like traveling alone."

"Kit didn't put you up to it, did he?"

"Nah. I conspire with people to break rules, not keep them." He winked. "Now, are we going to dance or just stand here?"

"Dance."

"Good."

They danced, and about halfway through the long song, he and Tash switched places.

---------------

Amidala's temptation was to simply latch onto Ani and not let go all night. Or tomorrow morning, or the morning after that.

But it was hardly a wedding if the bride didn't dance with everyone in reach of her arms, and besides, she was happy and she felt beautiful, and she wanted to share that with as many people as she could. She relinquished Ani to Dritali at the end of a song (Lando was already working the room with the ease of an old pro), and she herself danced with Han, then with Carn Gari, then with old Garlien. By this point, Ani was dancing with Ivva, and Dritali had accosted a handy Wookiee. Garlien led her to the edge of the floor, to the main table, and left he

 

The wedding scene was simply splendid...I couldn't think of any words to express how beautiful it was. I can also relate to Luke's uncertainty over dancing.*smiles* Can't wait to see what you all do next. Keep up the fabulous work. MTFBWY!!!!!!*smiles*

 

Thanks for all the kind words. JG, that was an awesome follow up to my wedding scene. Bravo, once again!

 

A bit more at work...

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Across the room, Amidala smiled at him. She and Luke had just come back from outside and he guessed she'd talked their son into a dance. Ani couldn't suppress the grin and Dritali laughed.

"Making eyes at your wife, Ani? Silly person. Why don't you go over there? I'll find another partner."

"Why thank you, Dritali, but what would my guests think if I abandoned one of them?" he teased.

"That you're a newlywed and you want to be with your bride."

He chuckled at her dry tone and told her. "They'd be right and from Am's look, she's ready to retire."

With that, he danced Dritali over toward Amidala and turned his partner over to Vertash. Ani extended his hand to Amidala.

"Do we dare make our exit after this last dance, wife?"

Her eyes crinkled in that way he loved, her soft voice just reaching him as she took his hand. "Personally, I don't care. I've done my part for appearances, now its our turn."

He grinned at her and together they moved toward the door. Kerea had the audacity to stop them before they left.

"Um... I have a special something I want to give the Queen. Could I have a few minutes with her first?"

Ani held back his sigh. They'd waited this long, a little while longer wouldn't matter. He just couldn't help wondering what else Kerea had dreamed up. Reluctantly, Ani released Amidala to Kerea's care, realizing in the long run it would be worth it. Am trailed in the girl's wake, throwing a provocative look over her shoulder that nearly had him running after her.

Patience... patience... he demanded of himself, though every fiber of his body urged him to follow now.

To cool his face and his blood, he went out onto the balcony and stared into the starlit night sky. Soon... all too soon he'd be back out there with only the memories of tonight to sustain him. Tonight had to be special, for both of them and he vowed by morning neither would ever forget it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Must go. More later. (Hehehe... extending this post will make it last just a little longer).

Edit note: That's what I get for writing it on the run... Reading what I wanted there, not what I typed (a missed word here and there).

 

"Tonight, tonight
Won't be just any night
Tonight there will be no morning star
Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight,
And for us, stars will stop where they are.
Today the minutes seem like hours,
The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light.
Oh moon, grow bright,
And make this endless day endless night! "



Sing, Ani, sing...

 

*smiles* very beautiful and very sweet, makes me want to cry...

 

Fantastic posts. I can't wait for the rest.

 

*sighs*
Ohh, and you just leave us there?
At least it will take a little longer 'till it's finnished.

 

And now for their final night together for some time...

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Amidala knew Kerea had sewn something special for the wedding night, but the sight of the piece of starlight the young woman had captured took her breath away. The cloth, the palest pearlescent white, glistened in the candlelight, now gold, now silver, now palest blue... And sheer. Despite her age, she felt embarassed to don the filmy thing before the girls.

"Please let me help you, Your Majesty," Kerea urged, not in the least abashed at her creation's provocative nature. Her very matter-of-fact attitude allowed Amidala to relax a bit. After they had finally removed the last of the wedding outfit, Amidala stood motionless, studying her reflection in the full length mirror as Kerea brushed her hair out to lay loose against her back.

Beneath the dress, she'd worn a thin shift and in the soft glow the wicks provided, her body stood out in plain relief. She wondered how much more Kerea's night dress would reveal and immediately her stomach tightened, her heart began to race and her face warmed. No longer hesitant, she actively helped Kerea don the nearly transparent gown.

"Thank you, my dear... For everything. These..." Amidala waved her hand around at the colorful masses of Kerea's latest designs the others quickly hung away in the closets. "These are from your heart and mean more to me than anything else here."

Kerea ducked her head, obviously uncertain how to respond. Amidala wouldn't let that happen. She wanted those around her to understand the importance of what they had done for her and Ani.

"Tonight is special for us. It marks both a beginning and an end. For all of you to go to such trouble speaks a great deal of both the size of your hearts and the love Ani can evoke from others." The room blurred for a moment and she took an inelegant sniff and continued. "Now, to make the most of these wonderful preparations, I ask that you fetch him and give us these precious hours together to forget tomorrow in."

Kerea hugged her first, then Dritali, Ivva and then, when the others had gone, Leia approached.

"Thank you, Mother. For understanding why I had to do what I did. For loving me in spite of it. For giving all of us another chance." She curled into Amidala's arms, wringing memories of Leia the child doing just such a thing in the last few times they'd been together.

"I'll always love my family, Leia," she whispered and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. In a few moments, Leia pulled away with a tremulous smile.

"Good night, Mother. May you and Father renew all the special feelings between you tonight." With that she sped away, her footsteps growing faint in the hallway.

Just as Amidala could no longer hear them, another step took their place. A step she would never mistake. Nervously, she looked around the room. There, the finest Alderaani vintage sat on the low table before the fireplace. Despite the night's warmth, coals glowed on the hearth, providing additional warm light to the dimly lit room. Candles lined the mantle and along the dresser, flickering and casting odd shadows around the room. She knew the others had meant it to be romantic, but instead it had become somehow ominous... portending a shadowed future.

She shook off the mood and turned to greet Ani as he paused in her doorway. Seconds stretched into minutes as he stood there, drinking the sight of her in as if he hadn't seen her for years. The suspense raised gooseflesh on her arms and she moved toward him to break it, holding her arms out to him to welcome him into her embrance.

He moved hesitantly at first, then took her hand and led her closer to the light. Once there, he twirled her slowly, his gaze raking over her as hungrily as it had on their first wedding night.

"Lovely..." he managed, his voice thick with emotion, before he pulled her into his arms and kissing her breathless.

She sagged against him and felt dizzy as he swept her into his arms and lay her on the soft carpet before the fire. A strang

 

(fanning self)

Now that's sharing a bottle of wine!

Beautiful, Belle.

 

Oooooh,

::Catches her breath::

So sweet. So beautiful. So...Dang it I can't think now.

 

Thanks... Heh... Hope I achieved what I aimed for... sensuality without being graphic. And yes, sharing a bottle of wine can be a wonderful experience or a terrible one.

Think Ani and Am will remember this night? I don't have any doubts. Do you?

 

No doubts at all, Belle! Whew...

Beautiful!

 

That was impressive! Wow. Nicely done, Belle. It was a beautiful night you gave them.

 

Putting this up earlier than I'd anticipated, since I'll be spending tomorrow morning doing geeky Independence Day stuff (I mean that as no insult -- I'm doing these things alone and of my own free will), so if it's going up before Thursday, it's going up now.

-----------
Dawn-fog rose over Naboo on the last morning that they would all be together. It seemed fitting to Dritali somehow, like sending the past into a haze of --

"Hey, watch it!"

She looked up. Kerea had stopped at the top of the plank and had caught the trunk in her mid-section when Dritali had kept walking anyway. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm surprised you're not taking two or three trunks back."

"I made clothes for everyone else. When would I have time to make my own?"

Kerea was always cross when things were about to change. It was in her nature, and Dritali didn't hold it against her. She just helped manhandle the trunk into the cargo hold of the Naboo royal starship (at the moment, just a re-fitted Rebel cruiser). It occurred to her that she could have used the Force to help, but since it occurred to her when they were almost finished, she thought it better not to mention the possibility to Kree, at least not in this mood. Vertash swung his smaller trunk on top of it. Several other small boxes were stacked up, and Dritali guessed they belonged to Lando, who had taken the helm.

The three of them stood together for a long moment, trying to think of some kind of momentous parting words -- it seemed that an occasion like this ought to be marked by orations -- but ultimately not coming up with anything. There were hugs and kisses. Kerea did decide to thank Dritali for rescuing her from a Tatooine slave market when she'd first come to Sanctuary -- "I always meant to, you know, but then I... well, I forgot that I didn't, and... "

Dritali rolled her eyes. She was sure that Kerea had thanked her at some point; she just couldn't remember when, and it didn't matter. She wasn't in it for the thanks.

There was another round of hugs, then Lando said that he was ready to take off, and Dritali had to get off board, and...

And then they were gone, off to the rest of their lives, and she was left here with the rest of her own.

Master Luke was waiting for her at the bottom of the gangplank, and he took her downstairs to meditate.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Do you need anything of me?"

"I need something to do until I stop thinking about it."

He laughed. "All right. My X-Wing isn't going to work to get three people off planet. Do you want to figure out the best way to get us to Coruscant?"

"What about after Coruscant?"

"Hmmm? Father will have his X-Wing."

"What about me?"

"Do you fly?"

She shook her head. "I can handle a speeder, but I never learned space piloting."

Master Luke sighed. "I hadn't thought about that. I'll have to teach you. In the meantime, I suppose I'll need a new form of transportation."

"Are we going straight to Motibi after we get the X-Wing?"

"No. They were quick, but I was quicker. We're getting the X-Wing from his home on Coruscant. And the Jedi Order has officially requested his assistance in returning all materials confiscated from the Temple during the course of the war. I don't know where we're going to house them, but we're going to get them back."

He went into meditation, and Dritali made plans for their upcoming trip. Master Luke could take his X-Wing. She and Anakin would have to ask for a small craft from the hangar. There was a boxy one that he would absolutely hate available. She checked briefly with Leia to make sure that Anakin could travel with her as well as with Luke -- he was in the care of the Jedi Order, after all, not of his son -- then prepare the ship as well as she knew how. Maybe Master Luke could take this one on Coruscant, and they wouldn't have to waste money on a separate ship just because she'd never learned space flight.

By mid-morning, her mind was clear

 

Awesome
***********

 

Can you feel his pain- he, who always so strong, who knows that he must go to fix things, to pay his penitence- but now this goodbye hurts....

"We're members of the same club." - in a way it's so strange to hear it from his mouth- as if it was Han's line or something- but it still feels right here- Ani is in a very special situation, he is badly shaken...

"The Jedi Order has officially requested his assistance in returning all materials confiscated from the Temple during the course of the war." LOL, that's what I call bureaucracy.