On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter LXXXIV

Luna was trying not to cry. Trying so very hard.

But it isn't everyday that someone breaks your heart. Even she, shelter as she was in the ways of love and relationships, knew that.

Just as she knew she should have been far too smart to dare trust such a valuable object with the son of a senator. But love is blind, and so was she.

Until now.

Because now she knew the truth.

And her heart was broken. Funny thing was part of Luna knew it wasn't the first time. Perhaps the first time for this particular reason, but not the first time her chest hurt like this. Not the first time she'd treated her heart with so little disregard.

She might not remember, but she knew that much. Part of her recognized this pain, felt echoes of larger and worse heartbreaks that had left chunks of her battered heart missing from before she remembered. Knew she deserved it simply because it was pain.

A part of her also knew she'd live through it before. Alone. She was and would always be alone.

But Luna had forgotten how. She had forgotten how to handle it alone.

But she knew she had to find a way to do it again. She had to, right?

There wasn't another option. Never was.

But Luna was wrong.

Vader strode into the room uninvited and found her on the floor, sobbing as quietly as she could manage while clutching her chest. Before Luna knew it, she was being cradled in his arms. Usually she would have been embarrassed, but it hurt so much she couldn't feel anything else.

Her Master said nothing, though she didn't doubt he had managed to come to a conclusion for the cause of her state from simply glancing over her desk. She could sense his rage—not at her, of course, blame had already been placed on someone else.

No, he stuffed the rage away, forcing his presence to calm down to better calm her. He placed her down on a chair, facing him.

"Little one," he murmured softly, hand gently moving to her chin to make his ashamed apprentice look him in the eyes, thumb moving to whip away her tears. Luna was too upset to speak. "It will pass in time. Keep your head up, for you wear a crown and are stronger than you could ever know."

~*~

Luna wasn't capable of doing much of anything anymore. She was tired. So tired.

And felt broken. She thought she'd been doing well. Thought she'd gotten over everything on Lothal. Accepted it.

She felt like all she'd done the past year (though everything had happened in less than a week) had been running and lying and wearing masks. Like she herself was a mask. A mask called Eclipse to interact with Sith. Another called Luna for Jedi. Valkyrie for the Rebellion. Jinn or Ana or Celestia for strangers.

Who even was Luna? What was Luna?

And Ahsoka would be there soon enough. Questions, questions, questions. It was all Luna could do to not run.

It was all Luna could do to stay still and try to let the music take her.

Cerberus's head was in her lap and she was petting him as she rested her eyes, silently wishing she was back in Sophie's house petting the big furry beast her sister called a dog. Furry enough to hide your face in.

She wanted to fly. Wanted to run.

Which was ridiculous because she had been running for so long and was too tired to do any more of it for the moment. Besides, now wasn't the time.