The Slave Boy

Chapter 9. Turn Of Events

While Vader was gone, Luke had time to himself to think, to really think about his future. Ever since accepting the fact that he could never go home, that no one cared or even loved him, Luke had been resigned to a future of chains and bondage, and eventually death in a lonely darkness. And it had almost come true til a black shadow swooped in and saved him from such a miserable, lonely fate.

His father was alive. Luke just knew Vader was his father... Dad, Dad who finally came to sweep him up from the jaws of torment and suffering. Dad who didn't lie, who took care of him. Dad who did not look down on him as some miserable slave, or a waste of space and oxygen. Relating the word 'dad' to Vader was easy, so so so easy! Why was that?

"Because he is my father, he wouldn't lie to me." Luke decided firmly, naive trust coming back to him after so long being frightened and wary of every person he met, even the other slaves. But Dad had been kind, Dad never tried to hurt him, Dad did not expect anything in return, Dad would not do anything to him.

With that self reassurance Luke sat back against his pillows with a content look on his young face, some youth having returned to it now that he was safe, Dad wouldn't let anything happen to Luke.

***

Finally the day came. Luke found himself dressed in a well fitted black shirt and pants, he wore black boots and Vader had even given him a leather belt with a pouch to hold little necessities. Luke had never been overly fond of black, but Vader said once they were settled in their new home he would allow Luke to pick his own clothing.

They were now in a speeder, leaving the hospital while Janny waved from the door, smiling as they left. Luke waved back with a smile of his own before sitting back, watching the scenery of the Naboo city fade as they drove further and further from it and into the lake country.

Vader glanced at Luke a few times, smiling as the boy stared at the green land in awe. Luke's expression mimicked Anakin's own when he first saw such green beauty. And when Luke saw the lakes, Vader almost was afraid the former desert slave boy would get a heart attack.

"Is that..." Luke murmured, awe filled as he stared at the huge body of water.

"It is, it's called a lake, fresh water." Vader explained, slowing the speeder as they came upon the house.

Luke turned to Vader and gave a slow nod before looking ahead as the speeder stopped, and Vader climbed out slowly. Luke was far more agile, and seeing as he had a lot of energy to get out he easily jumped out of the speeder before coming around the vehicle to stand close to Vader.

Vader felt a small smile pull as his skin as he led Luke towards the house, watching his son look about as if he were in some sort of heaven. Well, for a slave boy from Tatooine anything could be heaven when it was away from oppression.

They came upon the main door where Vader went to the console by it and typed in the security code. The elegant door unlocked and the two entered slowly, Luke coming just a bit closer to Vader as they entered the large, extravagant house. Vader almost laughed at Luke's dumbfounded face.

"Welcome home, my son." Vader said in his deep voice, warmed and happy as he watched Luke's blonde head swivel this way and that.

"This is my home?" Luke murmured, home was such a foreign word, and this place was so beautiful. The ceiling of the entry was high and the floor was some sort of polished tile Luke could not identify. There were many windows, letting the sunshine come in and bathe the sparse furniture in a golden hue as Vader led him to the door way ahead, he would save upstairs for a later time.

"It is, you and I will live here, and you will be safe here." Vader promised, a solemn, unbreakable vow.

Luke gave a small, rare smile and quickly followed Vader as they came upon a huge living room, decorated with blush bright red couches and seats. There was a strange little piece of tech that Vader explained was a holo projector, so they could watch a holofilm, whatever that was...
Another hall led into the kitchen, where Vader stopped and went to the fridge.

"Before we continue you need to eat." He stated firmly, gesturing for Luke to sit at on a barstool. Luke climbed up on it and watched at Vader looked through a newly stocked pantry and fridge before coming back to Luke with his favorite snack, a fruit puree that Janny had often given him when he was still recovering. Luke took it gratefully and gave a smile as Vader went to another drawer and got a spoon for the boy before returning and almost smiling as Luke silently thanked him again and dug into his food happily.

***

A Few Weeks Earlier.

A hooded figure slowly walked through Jabba's abandoned palace. The putrid smell of rotting corpses would have been overpowering to most. But not to the figure as soft footsteps echoed down the halls, finally coming upon Jabba's throne room where the hood figure finally had to resist the urge to recoil and retreat from the sight it found. A giant blob of chopped up charred fat where a proud Hutt once sat surrounded by power.

"How disillusioned power can make one.." thought the hooded figure as he then began to look around, for several minutes just turning his head from side to side til finally, he left, and quickly at that. The smell was becoming a true nightmare as the man left the palace, breathing in gasps of air greedily before regaining a strong sense of composure.

Now he could feel it, the overpowering, but fading Darkness. Of the slaughter that darkness hung over, yet he could not feel that the boy had died here... no, he had been taken. The hooded figure knew it, but did not know whether to be afraid, or relieved that the boy was no longer in bondage. But he could very well become a servant of the Emperor...

A bearded chin stuck out of the hood as the man sighed and looked to the rising suns of Tatooine. "May your end be merciful."

Author's Note.
Athousand apologies! I've been so preoccupied and busy I was not able to update on Monday as I thought I would be able. I'm sorry for the short chapter too, but the story is not dead I can reassure you! Thank you all for your patience, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment if you did, and as always may the Force be with you!