Clouded ☁ a. skywalker

v.

I held my breath. I don't know why, but I couldn't let myself give the whole plan away. I felt my tears well behind my eyes. I didn't have a father anymore. I had a dictator, a liar, a tyrant, and a tainted childhood.

"Don't do this! The people will never forgive you for killing her!" Father yelled. They must've brought out the decoy, the bag over the head. The Republic forces are to stand above them on top of storage crates, their appearances masked now by shadows. The decoy was a droid, dressed in my dress from before and they masked the wires in flesh tone plates. The droids face was covered, the shadowing covered the rest of the flaws, from below it's convincing enough.

"The important thing, is will you ever forgive yourself." Anakin told my Father, "Last chance, King Drayson. Will you give up your unjust rule for your daughter?"

"I will not give up my power that easy! I finally got all I wanted!" He yelled back. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He's about to watch me die! He's going to let me die for his rule. I thought at least he would do some kind of negotiations.

"Then we'll see you on the battle field." The other man I talked to said. Then I heard a blast go off. That wasn't part of the plan? The decoy on a crate in front of me. The two Republic guards with me collected it. The noise of metal was masked by the crate.

"No you won't! Having a likeable, innocent at my side isn't the only way I can control my people. I don't need her." More blasts went off. Anakin and the other man didn't have blasters? I was supposed to be killed with a lightsaber. Which means.. My Father killed me. He shot me. Or maybe he was trying to save me? No.. It wasn't that at all.

Anakin and the other man jumped in front of me. Anakin grabbed my hand and we ran from the warehouse and onto a ship.

The door closed and it all felt overwhelming. I let out my breath and I felt like I couldn't get it back. The ship was screaming away, and I was screaming inside. I sat down against the door, holding my chest. My heart was hurting, burning even. I let out my tears, I hated looking weak but every single childhood memory I knew was seeming like it was ripping itself to shreds.

I stared at the floor, it felt like hours I stayed there, but soon my shaking hands were taken into strong ones. My brown, lost eyes looked up into blue hopeful eyes.

"Hey, you're safe now." Anakin told me, "We're just coming out of Alaspin's atmosphere. We'll get you to Coruscant, get you safe."

At first I only nodded, but then I thought of everyone on Alaspin. They were still under my Fathers cruel rule. People were suffering under his will. I had to do something. If I could sway some to accept my Father, I can sway them back to the Republic. They need to help themselves.

"No." I squeezed Anakins hand, "No, we need to go back."

"You can't be serious. We just killed you, we can't let you go back." He protested.

"You don't know my Father like I do. He wanted me to die. He's going to use this against you. You need me." I stood up.

"No, Nola. We're getting you out of here." Anakin stood up too. His tall stature became rather intimidating, I was almost scared into complying but I knew better.

"No, you need me here. We wait until King Drayson announces my death-" Anakin turned away from me, but I followed him, "Then I need you to broadcast a speech from me, so they can see I'm alive. And I'll expose him, personally."

"No! Nola!" He argued, "You're not ready. You need to deal with these emotions before you do something crazy like that."

"This will help me!" I argue, "Helping those people will help me. I need to make this right." I look up at his eyes and pray he sees I really need this.

"I'll see what I can do. I don't know if Obi-Wan will be down for this." He rolled his eyes and left me in the cargo bay of the ship. I had no idea who this Obi-Wan was, but hopefully he agreed.

The moment he left I found myself cold again. Filled with sorrow and regret. I can't believe I ever helped that man. I need to make it right.

I walked around the ship, I had no idea where I was going. So I walked aimlessly until I found a room that no one was in. The door was open so I figured it would be okay to go inside. It was someones room, the bed wasn't made. They had a table filled with tinkering tools and broken parts on one side along with what looked like fixed parts on the other. Along the window were little models of ships and pod racers. I smiled, I used to have a few of these models when I was younger, before King Drayson threw them out.

"What are you doing in here?" I jumped at the sudden voice behind me. I turned around to see Anakin with his arms crossed.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go and the door was open so I just.." I really couldn't explain my intrusion, he didn't say anything. "Are these yours?" He looked away from me as I pointed to the models of ships.

"I only ask because I used to have a few of these before my fa- King Drayson threw them away. I always wanted to fly a Naboo Royal Starship. They supposedly glide like soap. You can't even feel the turns." I held the Naboo Royal Starship model in my hands, "Plus I've always loved the look of it."

"It's true." He finally said, "They do."

"You've flown one?" I looked up at him, "I forgot you were a pilot!"

"Best Star Pilot in the galaxy." He leaned against the doorway and turned on the light.

"You haven't seen me fly." I mimicked his smugness.

"I've been flying since I was 9. It's like second nature to me." He argued.

"No matter. I'm still sure I could blow you away if I had the chance." I replied.

"Alright then." He said, "Lets go then, to Alaspin."

"Wait, really? You're letting me go back?" I put down the model and felt myself grow excited.

"Obi-Wan wasn't exactly excited when I first told him. But I think it'll help everyone involved. I'm really trusting you here, don't let us down." Anakin smiled. I ran up and hugged him I was so happy. I could finally redeem myself to those people.

"I won't, I won't. I promise. Thank you so much." I squeezed him. He patted my back awkwardly. I knew this was probably inappropriate but I couldn't help it. With all he's done for me, I needed to find someway to thank him or help him.

"You better get your speech ready. I'm sure King Drayson is already planning on his eulogy soon." He said. And I released him. I looked up at his eyes and found them strangely mesmerizing, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just a little nervous about what to say." I looked away quickly.

"You've made plenty of speeches before-" he started but I stopped him right there.

"They were never my speeches. They were always made by someone else. All I did was say someone else's words. I never had a say in what I did or said." I said, "I always hated that."

I think it must've been then that it sunk in for him how my life worked before all of this. I never had a choice. I never had a say. All I ever was was a machine working for someone else who lied to me.

"Then, I'll help you." He offered a smile, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the hallway so we could leave, "Come on, we have to get going before it's too late."