Bittersweet Devotion [Star Wars x Anakin Skywalker]

7.

"Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder!" -Leia Skywalker

Rain paced back and forth, her boots kicking up small clouds of dust on the floor of the small room. Her mind raced with worry, each step echoing her rising anxiety. Anakin had been gone for too long. Far too long. The uncertainty gnawed at her, a constant, gnawing dread that threatened to consume her. She chewed her nails nervously, a habit she thought she'd broken years ago, but now the anxiety brought it rushing back.

"He's been gone too long," she whispered to herself, her voice filled with a mix of fear and frustration. "I have to do something!"

But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew the futility of it. Anakin was strong, far stronger than she was—both physically and in the Force. She felt a pang of helplessness, knowing that if something had happened to him, there was little she could do. The thought of him being in danger twisted her heart, and she found herself paralyzed by indecision.

"I can't," she sighed aloud, the words hanging in the air. "He'd kill me himself if he's not dead already."

The words were meant to be a half-hearted attempt at humor, but there was no one to laugh. The room was silent, save for the soft whirring of the droids in the distance. Rain's thoughts were a whirlwind, a storm of emotions she couldn't control.

Suddenly, a crazy idea flashed through her mind, an idea that seemed both reckless and necessary. "Oh, what the hell," she muttered to herself, a determined glint in her eyes. "I'll try it."

Rain closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she reached out with the Force. She extended her thoughts towards Anakin, trying desperately to sense his presence. At first, there was nothing—just the vast emptiness of the desert and the distant hum of life. But then, she felt it—a faint connection, weak but unmistakable. He was alive.

But there was something else, something dark and terrifying. Anger. Pain. Suffering. It hit her like a wave, crashing into her with such force that she staggered back, gasping for breath. The intensity of his emotions made her chest tighten, making it hard to breathe. She could feel his pain, as if it were her own, and it was almost too much to bear.

Her connection with him broke suddenly, and she fell to her knees, clutching her chest as she tried to regain her breath. "What could have happened?" she whispered, fear gripping her heart. "I have to go after him!"

Without another thought, Rain bolted out of the room, her legs moving faster than her mind could keep up. Owen, who had been outside, looked up in surprise as she rushed past him.

"I'm going after him!" she shouted over her shoulder, not giving him a chance to respond.

Before Owen could stop her, Rain jumped on the second speeder parked nearby. The engine roared to life, and she sped away, the farm quickly disappearing behind her. The desert stretched out before her, vast and unforgiving, but she didn't care. All that mattered was finding Anakin.

As she raced through the desert, the wind whipping at her face, Rain sent out her thoughts again, searching for Anakin's presence. It was fainter now, more elusive, but still there. She followed it, her heart pounding in her chest, her mind filled with a singular focus: find Anakin.

Soon, the outline of a Sand People camp appeared on the horizon, a cluster of tents and makeshift structures. But something was wrong. The camp was in chaos, with Sand People running around like madmen, shouting in their harsh language. It was as if some wild animal had been unleashed, tearing through everything in its path.

A terrible thought crossed Rain's mind, but she dismissed it almost as soon as it surfaced. "No," she told herself firmly. "Ani wouldn't... he couldn't..."