Peace

vi.

Zera felt as if she'd been on the ship for ages, her heart racing with both excitement and fear. She had snuck aboard without anyone noticing, defying orders to stay behind because her childlike curiosity had other plans.

As she peeked out from her hiding spot, she caught glimpses of Padmé, who was breaking down in tears, the weight of their situation crashing down around her. Behind her, a Jedi Knight stood in dread, knowing the turmoil that awaited them.

The Naboo ship finally touched down on the Mustafar landing platform, adjacent to a green Starfighter. Zera's heart leaped as Anakin rushed up to the skiff, and she watched as Padmé ran to him.

Inside the ship, Padmé's eyes were raw and red, her emotional control shattered. She had sobbed the whole way there, relief washing over her that Anakin was alive, that he had come bounding across the landing deck to meet her.

"I saw your ship," Anakin said, his expression shifting to one of concern. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was so worried about you," Padmé breathed, desperation lacing her words. "Obi-Wan told me terrible things."

Anakin's demeanor shifted, growing serious. "What things?"

"He said you've turned to the dark side... that you killed younglings." She wiped the tears from her cheeks, the gravity of her words sinking in.

Releasing her pain felt cathartic, but she longed for the comfort of his embrace, to feel safe in his arms as he promised her he would never do anything like that.

"Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me," Anakin said, his voice dropping an octave, a chill creeping through her.

"He cares about us," she insisted, desperation clinging to her words.

"Us?!" he questioned incredulously.

She nodded, unwavering. "He knows... He wants to help you."

Anakin's expression hardened. "All I want is your love," she pleaded, her heart aching for the man she loved.

He shook his head vehemently. "Love won't save you, Padmé. Only my new powers can do that."

Zera, hidden just behind the cockpit, felt a surge of confusion and fear at the tension unraveling before her. She could sense the fracture in their relationship, the dark turn Anakin had taken, and the helplessness of Padmé's love against it. She wanted to intervene, to somehow mend what was breaking, but she remained frozen, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on her small shoulders.

"At what cost? You're a good person. Please don't do this," Padmé pleaded, desperation flooding her voice.

"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother!" Anakin shot back, his eyes burning with intensity. "I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of, and I've done it for you. To protect you."

"Then come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can," she implored, her heart aching for the man she once knew.

"Don't you see? We don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him."

Padmé's brow furrowed in disbelief as she began stepping away from him. "And together, you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be."

Shaking her head, she started, "I don't believe what I'm hearing... Obi-Wan was right. You've changed."

Infuriated, Anakin looked away for a moment, then back at her, his voice laced with pain. "I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me."

New tears spilled down her cheeks, but they felt inconsequential; she would never have enough tears for this moment. "I don't know you anymore," Padmé said, her voice cracking. "Anakin, you're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow."

"Because of Obi-Wan?" he asked, his tone condescending.

"Because of what you've done... what you plan to do. Stop! Please come back! I love you!"

He wasn't listening, his gaze fixed somewhere past her shoulder.

"Liar!"

Padmé turned to see Obi-Wan standing in the doorway of the Naboo Cruiser, his presence a dark shadow looming over them.

"No!" she cried, desperation in her voice. "You're with him! You've betrayed me! You brought him here to kill me!"

Zera, unable to bear the confrontation, turned away, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut until it hurt. All she could hear were muffled shouts and the igniting of lightsabers, but she couldn't dare to look.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally opened her eyes, feeling the ship lurch as it began to move. Zera watched in horror as the droids attempted to bring Padmé aboard, the woman she loved trapped in a nightmare she couldn't escape.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"We should leave this awful place," Zera heard C-3PO say, the concern in his voice unmistakable. That meant Obi-Wan was back.

Zera rushed out of the ship and ran to him, her heart pounding. "Padmé... She's... She's gonna be okay, right?"

Obi-Wan took her hand, his expression somber as he walked with her toward Padmé. "I don't know, Zera," he replied softly, a mix of worry and determination etched on his face.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The ship had landed at the station, and Obi-Wan rushed out, cradling Padmé in his arms. "We need to get her to the medical center," he urged urgently. "But take the girl elsewhere. She shouldn't be here."

At that, Zera shook her head vigorously, her heart racing. "No, no! I don't want to go. I want to stay here with her!"

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"She's lost the will to live," was all Zera heard as she sneaked away from where she'd been left, desperate to find Padmé.

For a while, all she could hear were Padmé's anguished cries, and then they fell silent. Peeking her head out, Zera caught the tail end of Padmé's words: "There's good in him, I know... I know there's still-" and then it stopped.

Master Yoda noticed the young girl. He expected her to cry or react as any child might, but she remained still and silent, as if grief had overwhelmed her, leaving her unable to process the sorrow around her.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"Hidden, safe the children must be kept," Yoda said.

"We must take them somewhere the Sith cannot sense their presence," Obi-Wan added.

"Hmm, split up they should be," Yoda suggested.

"My wife and I will take the girl-both of them," Bail said. "We've always talked about adopting a baby girl. They will be loved with us."

"And what of the boy?" Obi-Wan questioned.

"To Tatooine, to his family we will send him," Yoda replied. "I will take the child and watch over him." Obi-Wan said

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"What will happen to me?" Zera asked Obi-Wan, her voice trembling. He crouched down to her level, meeting her gaze with a reassuring expression.

"You are to be taken to Alderaan with Bail Organa, along with Leia. You'll be safe and cared for there," he said softly.

Zera nodded, a hint of resolve in her eyes. "Okay."