The Slave Boy

Chapter 3. Trouble

When morning came Vader left his bacta tank. The room given to him was extravagant for Tatooine. There was a large rich red covered bed, furr stuffed. It's metal headboards were elegantly carved as well. A very desirable bed for the average human. The floor was covered in a large red rug with gold patterns, and the floors were well swept, not a hint of sand to be found.

There was a room off to the side, the refresher which was even larger than one needed, with a large sonic shower and a large water shower, there was a giant slap of counter with a sink and a hidden toilet. The floor had a nice red rug that matched the rug in the main room though Vader could care less about the rugs. They were a nuisance.

Presently a timid knock sounded on the door. Vader glanced towards the sound, sensing the small human behind it and with a simple hand gesture, opened the door in acceptance of his visitor. "Come in." Vader commanded, or at least it sounded like a command to the blonde slave boy as he stepped inside.

The boy was in aching pain, that much was certain by the way he held himself. He stood still near the door once he had entered, and slowly held out his hand to Vader, offering a note to the towering Sith.

Vader stepped forward til he was close enough to take the note. Once taken the boy dropped his hand and waited as Vader opened the note and read its contents.

To Lord Vader.
My master sent me to take you to the throne room to begin business talks.

Vader frowned and looked to the boy. "Can you not speak?" He couldn't help but ask, he sensed no damage to the boy's vocal cords, and Vader was certain the boy's tongue was also intact.

The boy just barely looked to Vader before he bit his lip and looked away fearfully.

Vader sighed inwardly before grabbing a datapad laying on a nearby decorative table, handing it to the startled boy. "What is your name?" He then asked, a little more sternly.

The boy bit his lip again but slowly started to tap on the datapad before giving it back to Vader who scowled at the written named. 'Wormie', what kind of name was Wormie??? This couldn't be the boy's birth name, unless he had been born into slavery. Vader checked his anger after a moment, he could release it another time, but not now.

"Come, young one." Vader said with a huff, refusing to call this boy 'Wormie'. Young one would do.

The boy followed Vader to the throne room slowly, cringing as he walked and Vader was just able to glimpse a dull black eye, they must had beaten him with hands instead of the traditional whip punishment, not wanting to damage his servant too much apparently.

Jabba was waiting when they arrived, hulking mass and all.

Vader glanced at the boy as he scurried into a corner and watched silently as Jabba and Vader's conversations ensued.

Wormie did not understand half of what they spoke of, and after a while stopped trying. He was a simple boy, he had learned to write on his own after his aunt and uncle were killed. But he never spoke. He wasn't allowed to.

Hours past before finally Vader and Jabba were finished. With that Vader walked away, Wormie hurrying to follow him.

It struck Wormie odd when Vader headed for the exit of the palace, he was staying a whole standard month, right? But the boy said nothing as they came out into the glow of evening suns.

"I wished to leave the enclosed walls and look around for a short while." Vader explained as he began walking down a stony path, Wormie right behind him.

They walked for nearly fifteen minutes before Vader paused by a large, flat sandstone. "Sit young one, you look tired." Vader said as he turned to the boy.

Wormie just barely glanced up in surprise. No one had ever expressed concern like this for him, it was strange but he sat as commanded, his head still hanging submissively as he rested on the rock.

Vader shook his head and turned his back to the boy in hopes of making him more comfortable to watch the sunset.

However when the suns finally set, the slave had not even stirred. And so they began their trek back to the palace.

* * *

Through the next two weeks, Vader found himself looking forward to the child's visits, no matter how quiet and meek he was. The boy easily brightened Vader's mood towards his staying in this slimehole. Wormie also seemed to like coming to fetch him to meet Jabba or getting bacta, vitapaste and power cells for the Dark Lord. All seemed better than Wormie could ever imagine it being.

One day, their evening walk brought the slave and the Sith back to their usual spot. Wormie pulled himself up onto the sandstone, finally peeking through his messy hair to watch the suns with Vader, bright azure blue eyes dazzling in awe at the sight of the twin suns.

Vader just barely glimpsed the boy raise his head, but he did not risk turning fully to watch the boy, he would only frighten the poor child and Vader did not want to do that to him.

When the skies darkened Vader and Wormie went back and bade a silent 'good night' to each other before Wormie rushed off to finish his evening duties.

The small boy came into the kitchens, heading for the sink where dishes waited to be cleaned when a sense of danger struck the child, he spun around, only to get striked across the face by the burly human, Cru.

"Where have you been brat!" He shouted at the boy who had fallen under the strike, though his face felt as if he had been pummeled with a closed fist.

The boy did not answer, and trembled when the much larger man grabbed him by his white tunic. "You've been late every night for two weeks now!" Another strike to emphasize his words, causing Wormie's nose to spurt blood as Cru dragged the stunned boy off. "You need to relearn your lessons, slave." The man spat the word out like a mocking curse as he took the boy away.

During the night Vader was surprised and concerned to hear the young one's pained screams through the Force. What could the boy have done to get such a horrible punishment? Vader began to gather medical supplies in his room, preparing for the slave boy's return in the morning.

Author's Note.
Finally finished! Yippee! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry they're so short, but thank you for reading! Don't forget to comment if you'd like and vote.
And may the Force be with you!.