When we arrive back at our residence, my Father dismisses the guards and we climb the split staircase, banking left towards my Mother and Father's part of the house.
He pushes through the double doors and we stroll through the foyer into the living room. While he made a B-line for the liquor cart beside the fire place, I look to the book shelves that lined the walls. Most of them I had read before but they held nothing on the ring that I knew of.
The black and gold curtains that had been there since I was little were drawn open to cast rays of light on all my Mother's plants. The liquor cart rested atop the rug made by my ancestors of Endor. The alluring scent of the last thing cooked in the kitchen clung to the air; garlic and tomatoes.
I had missed my Mother's cooking once again last night. I slouch at the thought.
My Father pops the cork back on the bottle of bourbon and sets it back on the cart. He turns to me and extends a hand with a glass half full of it.
"Don't tell your Mother", he smirks.
I scoff, and walk over to stand beside the cart. I take it from him.
"Please, I've been here more than you know", I snort.
We clink our glasses together and salute, before tipping it back and drinking it down.
In unison, we sharply exhale the burn and he pours us each one more. He grabs his and walks away, making his way to stand before the mantle above the fireplace. He sighs at the floor in contemplation.
"Father? Are you alright?", I ask, stepping closer.
"Yes, yes ,I'm alright. It's just...I did'nt think I'd be telling you this story so soon", he shrugs and turns to me.
Another sip of bourbon and he nods to himself.
"Over 10,000 years ago-around the time the Jedi Order was formed-there were two rings forged by the Architects of Vale. One, with a sapphire gem that grants the wearer the gift of eternal life-but it eventually drive them insane.", he begins. He shrugs once again,"But just like the Force,-"
"There is always balance", I nodded. His eyes wrinkle as a smalll smile crosses his face. He nods and waves his hand to agree.
"The other...", he continues, walking to the liquor cart. He sets his now once again empty glass down and walks over to his book shelves on the other side of the room. His hand hovers over many of them before he finally plucks one down.
I watch as he flips through a few pages, then his face softens. His shoulders relax as he walks back over to me.
"The other", he says as he places it on the back of the couch. "The other is a gold band with a ruby stone in the middle. If worn alongside with the other, the negative effects of the other are futile. It's believed one or two brave souls accessed these relics but they went missing. Along with the rings themselves. They find a way to hide themselves, if you will."
My eyes gaze around the page. It depicts two beings holding up two rings before them; a red ring and a blue one. One was a man, the other was a woman. She held the red one, while he held the blue. Behind them, it looked as though the world was crashing down around behind them. Great fires and cracks in their temples. People looked terrified in the streets. But the man and woman on the page were just staring into each other's eyes. Like they were the only thing they could see at that moment. Like they were the only thing that mattered.
It was beautiful, while at the same time slightly unnerving.
"Who were they?", I ask.
"The last two to ever touch the rings", he answered. "One does not work without the other. And neither one have been together in thousands of years."
" 'One does not work without the other'? Like a two man rule type of thing?", I raise an eyebrow.
"Exactly. This is no fairytale, this is something that can turn into a world war that would never end",he says."Don't you see? You understand why this can't be talked about. Could you imagine what would happen if it falls into the wrong hands?"
My eyes jump across to the next page, where there is a tall, broad shouldered man with his black cloak hood hung over his face. His piercing amber eyes hold me still- one ring on each hand and they shone bright into the dark.
"It is foretold The Chosen One will bring the end of days. The end of everything we have ever known", he adds.
My eyebrows scrunch together as I turn to look up at him.
"But that means-"
"General Skywalker is under investigation", he nods. I shake my head.
"Why? I mean, he seems off-putting, yes, but-? How is it you know so much about this, Father? Have you ever seen them?", I ask, afraid of the answer.
He looks down and nods."Unfortunately, yes."
"You know all about it then...This is what this war is over?", I grit my teeth."A race for power?"
"Listen to me, carefully, Nova", he steps closer. "For what I am about to tell you, you must promise to never tell another living soul. Never return to Ilum. Leave it where it lies. If they can't find it, we'll be safer."
"If who finds it?", I shake my head."Father, please. You're scaring me."
"I know about it... because when I was 17 years old, I was assigned to hide it far under the ice", he says, his eyes full of pain."It was supposed to never be found. Ever."
"But I did", I nodded.
"But you did", he nodded back."This is a fate I tried my best to keep from you.. and I'm sorry I failed you."
Pain enters my own eyes, and I see it in his expression. Time stands still as I stare at him, bewildered. I search his eyes for any sign of deception and find none. He speaks the truth.
"I'm so sorry I dragged you into the middle of this", he says, tears forming in his eyes. He shakes his head."You and your Mother are the last thing I need in harms way."
"This is why our people are dying? The faith in our world itself? People are being terrorized, homes and family's torn apart for this!?", I say, almost breaking down myself. I shake my head and wipe quickly at my eyes.
"No. No more. We have to end this. I refuse to stand by and allow another tragedy to occur, knowing I could have done something about it. And I will not bend the knee to these-monsters."
He swallows hard and nods to himself."Your going to make a fine queen someday, daughter."
"Who is looking for it?', I ask. He doesn't answer for a moment.
I exhale sharply and look to the floor."Who was the last owner?"
"Darth Sidious", he answers with seriousness. I jut my chin out and nod.
"Hm. Now there's a name I'm familiar with", I raise my eyebrow.
My eyebrows scrunch together again as I feel a sense of panic wash over me. He seems to notice as well as we both turn towards the window. Within seconds, the sun in blocked out by a creeping shadow that cloaks the city.
The doors burst open behind us and we spin to see the guards.
"General Godfrey, I'm sorry to burst in like this-but we've been sent for you. General Grevious has entered our atmosphere. And he's brought Bane along with him", the head guard states.
My Father and I look at each other in unison.
"You stay close to me", he says."Men! On me!"
YOU ARE READING
Destruction of the Innocent (Anakin Skywalker)
MaceraEvery family has their secrets, but Nova Godfrey had no idea... As a Princess of Coruscant, Nova had been preparing her entire life to rule after her Father. But what the Jedi Order didn't know, was that ever since she was a child, she had the gift...