The Love of a Sith (aka The Chosen One)

Attempted Seduction

Vader rose to a menacing height, a furious predator stalking swiftly through the darkness to corner its prey. Padme flinched as his presence loomed before her, blocking the exit, suddenly wishing for the first time that he wasn't so much taller than her.

"Move out of my way," she snapped, glaring fiercely up at his shadowed head.

"No," Vader growled. "I told you that you are staying here- with me."

The cold fury glittering in the blazing gold of his eyes nearly sent a tinge of fear shuddering down her spine- but the trepidation was smothered as quickly as the sputtering out of a candle in a thunderstorm.

She would not cower; never to anyone, and especially not to this impostor- this horrible imposter that had driven away her sweet, good husband.

She loathed him.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Padme snarled. She slammed her fists against his hard chest with all the hate she could muster in her bitterness, not doing much damage but eliciting a shocked grunt as he stumbled back. "I don't want to be anywhere near you, monster!"

Vader had recovered in an instant and was advancing upon her now, her strong stance unintentionally faltering under the menace of his stride. She tried to hold her position- but he was close, too close, the darkness overpowering, and before she knew it backward steps had her backed against the wall as he only neared further still.

This was bad . . . horribly bad . . .

He grabbed her by the shoulders, his grip painful. "Monster, is it?" he hissed. "What happened to husband?"

"Get away from me!" She tore herself from his grasp, trying to move away and push past his large frame; except he would not have it, closing in on her now as his arms formed barriers against the wall on either side of her body.

"You seem to ignore the fact that you married me!" He pressed closer to her, his hot breath on her face harsh and furious. "Therefore-"

"Therefore what?" she growled, her eyes shining with a dangerous light.

"Therefore you should act like my wife; not treat me like I'm the scum under your feet!"

Padme's eyes widened incredulously. "Me?" She scoffed, her laugh a hard, chilly sound that resonated around the large room with freezing scorn. "How dare you! You throw me around and betray me and choke me, destroy everything that I love- and you accuse me of what? Unkindness? Tell me, Lord Vader, when have you ever been kind?" Without waiting for an answer, she raised an icy brow, her expression cold and contemptuous. "I'm sorry, why do I ask? Sith aren't kind; Sith don't love. What do you understand- how could a loveless person ever understand love?"

His eyes flickered and then hardened, yellow hooded with shadowed rage. "Don't ever speak to me that way again."

"Oh, I won't- because I'm out of here," Padme growled, tilting her chin up. "So get the kriff out of my way so I don't have to be in your despicable presence a moment longer."

Vader's fist curled and something shattered noisily in the room; then he stepped closer, the red rimming his eyes bleeding out from the edges into the gold to swirl like fire in the furious depths. Yet she was not afraid, now; no, she would fight. He didn't know her if he thought she would bend- she was not weak, not a helpless victim to his actions, whether past or present or future. She was strong; she would fight, and she would continue to fight, for Anakin- for the Anakin that she loved.

She knew who she was.

Padme Amidala Skywalker.

Not Vader, but Skywalker.