Fortress Vader

Thirty - Penultimate

One loyal friend is worth the entire Imperial military.
Year 6

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Vader

I watch her leave and grab my cloak to run after her. I know she doesn't want my presence, but Mustafar is dangerous. Though...she looks fierce as shit in that outfit. I've never considered her to be anything other than my submissive Kitten, but watching her fluid, calculated movements in that sexy outfit is...new.

I remain slightly above her, matching her pace for the most part. I scare off a darkghast before she can reach it, connecting with it in the Force. She never even sees it. I keep my eyes on her, pushing lava splashes away three times.

The place no longer has power, and much of the outer walls have crumbled away. She turns on a glow light and begins her journey through the halls. I stay connected with the Force, verifying nothing alive will jump out to scare her.

She needs to mourn, and I don't want anyone interfering. It is stupid, but I'm not questioning it.

It takes her a while to reach her destination, and I watch from the shadows as she puts the light on the floor. Ah, she has a purpose.

Once she is on her knees, she begins trying to pry something open with her hands. I let her go at it alone for more than a minute before I locate the obstruction and shift it out of the way as she pulls. A small shriek leaves her lips as she falls backward from the sudden lack of resistance.

That begins the tears. It is a small, pathetic cry as she digs into the makeshift hiding spot and pulls out three, no, four books.

I stand there for over an hour as she holds the glow light to the pages, reading and crying.

I want badly to wrap myself around her, to let her cry in my arms so she doesn't have to do it alone. But I also don't want to make her uncomfortable or cause her to stop. She will stop when she is finished. If she wanted my comfort, she wouldn't have fled my presence.

I feel a xandank creeping through the complex and scare it away through the Force.

It is almost two hours before her sounds go quiet, and I wait another minute trying to decide what to do. But then, her cracked voice comes out for the first time.

"Father, I'm so sorry. I didn't stay hidden," her voice fades to a whisper. She chokes on a sob, and this time when she speaks, it is more cry than speech. "Thank you for not giving in, Father." I can see her shoulders shaking, the sobs wracking her body. Giving in to what? Whatever Palpatine wanted them to do to me?

She is...thanking him? For a decision that ultimately ended his life?

I can't take it anymore. I push something to the ground outside the door and her head snaps up. Her eyes had been looking at the paper, so I know she can't see me in the shadows. I wait a few seconds.

"Kitten?" I say softly as if looking for her.

"Anakin," she breathes a sigh of relief. She thought I was a predator. She's not completely wrong.

I step closer and before she can rise, I sink down next to her. The light reflects off her face and her green eyes look dark, like the black of a deep sea.

Without speaking, I reach out and tug her to my chest. I think she will resist, but she crumbles into my arms, her entire body trembling. I don't question why I am feeling just as comfortable with her here as she does. I just let her cry. Two loners finding solace in each other.

"He was a good dad," she mumbles after her cries have turned quiet.

Everything in me is screaming for me to squeeze her tighter, to run my fingers through her hair and soothe her.