3.1k words

✦

Villain

✦

(Y/n)'s POV
I opened my eyes to the sound of small droplets of rain, hitting and sliding down the fabric of the tent. It was a sound that was so soothing, I was almost put back to sleep. But I held my eyes open as I watched and heard a shadow passing by the tent, their feet crunching on the leaves and dirt under their heavy boots.

Normally I'd ignore it, I didn't suspect any danger and it was likely someone from our camp, but I felt a tight pull within the force. As if it was begging me to follow this person.

I lifted my head from Anakin's shoulder and checked to see if he was awake. He wasn't, his eyes were closed with his head leaning back against the wall, and he was lightly snoring as he usually does. Although he denies it profusely. One day I'll record him, just so I can show him that he's wrong.

I slowly moved away so I wouldn't wake him and got to my feet with a stretch. I paused when I heard my back crack and side-eyed my Master in hopes it didn't wake him. He hardly moved, signaling he was still dead asleep. Thankfully, not only did I not want him following me, he needs rest after what his body just went through.

I threw my cloak on and raised the hood before quietly exiting the tent. To my luck it wasn't raining hard, only a light drizzle that was enough to get me damp, but not soaked.

I followed the pull and started off slow to not draw attention to myself, but once I felt like I was far enough away from our camp, I picked up my pace. The rain got a little heavier and I felt the droplets hitting my face as I pushed past the plants and looked ahead for Luke. I started to realize it was him the closer I got, his signature was oddly distinctive.

"Halt!" A clone yelled and I stopped in my tracks, the rain slowly getting heavier by the minute. Now I was soaked, "Turn around with your hands up — slowly." I did as they asked and turned around with my hands raised. Immediately he dropped his weapon when he saw it was me, "Commander? What are you doing outside of the perimeter?"

I dropped my hands down with a sheepish grin, "Uh, just getting some fresh air."

He tilted his head and I didn't need to see past the helmet to envision his confused expression, "We're in the middle of a storm."

I smiled as I held my hand out and watched the water hit my skin, "I've always found rain and storms to be more soothing than bird songs or sunlight." There's a certain element to it that's hard to explain, but I think this weather is the most beautiful. "So call me crazy, but I enjoy being in it and cherishing it, it relaxes me. Which is something I needed after the day I've had." I dropped my hand down.

The trooper didn't say much when he leaned his head back and allowed the rain to hit his helmet. I'm sure weather like this reminds him of home, "I don't disagree with you Commander," He brought his head down. I felt his eyes on me, "But it's not safe out here right now and I don't think General Sky—"

"General Skywalker doesn't have to know." I waved my hand in-front of him. I've only done this once before, so I hope I'm doing it right.

"General Skywalker doesn't have to know." He repeated.

I smiled, "In fact, you never saw me."

"I never saw you."

I waved my hand one more time, "You finished your patrol and everything is clear, you're going back to camp now."

"Everything is clear, I'm going back to camp." He turned around and headed towards the camp while I quickly moved out of sight so he wouldn't see me again. I wouldn't want to have to do all of that a second time.

I rushed through the rain and the light fog that was seeping between each flower petal and leaf. His presence grew stronger and stronger, until I stopped when I had reached a section of the jungle that was open. In the middle of the large opening was Luke dressed in all black, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his hood down, and his back to me.

It looked like he was mediating, "Luke," I called to him as I approached, "Luke you're going to get sick out here like this." I walked around him and knelt down so our faces were leveled. His eyes remained closed, I wasn't even sure if he knew I was there or not. The rain slid down his face and he was starting to appear more pale than before, "Hey—" I shook his shoulder to gain his attention, and his eyes quickly snapped open as he gripped my wrist tight to remove my touch from him.

I yelled in pain when I felt something snap. He instantly let go, his eyes filled with regret and horror. I  held my wrist to me and fell back, soaking my pants and cloak in mud, "I'm so sorry Mo—(y/n), I didn't mean to hurt you," He said with panic in his voice. I eyed my wrist and came to the conclusion that it was broken... it hurt like fucking hell, "I'm so so sorry. Here I can fix it, let me fix it," He reached forward and grabbed my wrist, making it hurt even more.

"Ow Luke—"

"Please trust me," He silenced me, guilt riding in his words. I'm the one who got hurt here so I don't know why I was starting to feel sorry for him. Poor guy looked like he felt horrible, "You caught me off guard," He sighed, holding my wrist between both of his palms, "Not that that excuses anything." A yellow glow appeared from his hands.

I watched as the glow grew brighter and the pain began to subside. Force heal, he used it so effortlessly. It's not an easy skill to learn either, believe me I've been trying, "Something tells me you've had one hell of a war behind you. Have you had to heal others often?" I eyed my now healed wrist and moved it around to test it out, the redness completely gone.

"Too often." He mumbled with a hint of sorrow to his words. I glanced up from my wrist to meet those blue eyes I had sworn were only in a dream. How can they be exactly like... "Again, I'm so sorry. When I meditate, I tend to tune out everything around me, so I didn't hear you approach. And I know you're probably going to tell—"

"It's okay," I assured him, raising my wrist for him to see, "See? Good as new, so as far as I'm concerned, nothing happened." The damage is gone, so I see no reason to dwell on it and I certainly don't see a reason for Anakin to know about it. It was an accident and he would completely blow it out of proportion as he does everything else.

Luke smiled and glanced down, water continuously running down his face. We were both drenched out here and I'm sure we would look insane to anyone who saw us casually sitting in the pouring rain, "You're so kind, makes me wonder how you got partnered with such an—"

"Arrogant ass?" I finished for him as I smiled, "He's not always like that, he's just untrusting of people he doesn't know—on top of that he's very protective, and I won't deny that he could also use a major attitude adjustment. But he's kind too, believe it or not," I shrugged and it looked like Luke did not believe me in the slightest. Not that I can blame him after Anakin gave him such a hard time, "He's also funny, caring, generous, sweet, selfless."

"Selfless?" Luke tilted his head, "I've heard quite the opposite when it comes to the Anakin Skywalker." He rolled his eyes.

I chuckled, "Don't listen to rumors made by people who hardly know a thing about him, listen to me," I wiped water away from my eyes since it was beginning to burn, "I've come to know him better than anyone else. So believe me when I tell you he's the most selfless person I know." I stood up, ready to get out of the rain. I can already feel a cold entering my body, and I hate getting a cold. Especially on missions.

I looked down at Luke and offered my hand. He eyed it for a moment before accepting it and allowing me to pull him to his feet, "Respectfully, you should surround yourself with better people if he is what you would consider the most selfless. Because from what I have come to know, that man is selfish, he would destroy worlds for his own benefit. And there isn't much you can say that will change my opinion."

I took a step back with a blink of surprise, "He would never—"

"He comes off as selfless to you," He pointed at me, "Because with you, he is. I believe he'd do anything for you, but the rest of us are fair game."

How did the conversation turn into this? Making Anakin seem like he's some kind of villain. Which is not something he can ever be, not my Anakin, no.. I took a deep breath."I'm not sure what you've heard to make you believe something like that—" I paused when it became hard to breath. It felt as if there was a lump in my throat, blocking almost all of the air trying to get through. Surrounding me was a green mist and the more I breathed it in, the more I felt my throat close.

Luke eyed the mist that was now almost to him, but he quickly stepped back and covered his mouth with his sleeve, "Don't breathe it in!" He yelled as he used his free hand to grip my arm and pull me towards him.

As I choked, he led me away from the deadly mist and rushed us back to the camp, "Luke I—" I had very little oxygen and I knew if I didn't get more soon, I'd faint.

"I know," He tightened his grip on me and as if the force knew this was the worst possible time, I saw a flash of light and I felt myself fall while a pair of arms caught me. That was the last I remember of my reality before I was overcome with a vision.

I looked around at my surroundings and recognized the forest. It was Naboo, the forest directly next to Padmé's lake house. I recognized a few distinctive features when it came to the plants and trees. As I admired the beauty of nature, I heard whimpering. A soft whimpering that sounded like a small child, a boy.

I followed the cries with a heavy feeling in my chest. There was something about this cry, it was filled with so much sadness, so much fear. It hurt me, it hurt me so much and I couldn't understand why. I've saved crying children before during the war, but nothing ever made my chest ache like this. I wanted to find him, to hold him, to protect him.

It didn't take me long to figure out where he was. There was a tree not far from where I appeared and I heard his cries from coming inside of the trunk. And right next to it was a subtle hole in the ground that looked too small for me to get through, but definitely big enough for a small child. I have no doubt he crawled through the hole and is now hiding in the hollow tree.

But what is he hiding from?

My thoughts were immediately answered when I heard footsteps behind me, heavy steps followed by a deep inhuman breathing. I turned around slowly and almost jumped out of my skin at the sight of a tall black figure. And I mean tall, they were about six and a half feet, completely towering over me like I was a small insect in comparison.

They stepped towards me, the sunlight peaking throughout the trees shining on the black helmet. The figure placed his hand on the tree after I moved out of its way, it knew the boy was there, "Come out here Luke."

Did he say... Luke? As in our Luke? Could this be a vision from his childhood?

"No," The poor, scared, boy yelled, "Go away, I want my Aunt and Uncle!"

"Well they are not here," The figure stroked the tree as it looked up to the top, before looking back down, "How tall are you, little one?" He placed his hand on a lightsaber handle connected to his belt. My eyes widened, he's not gonna... he wouldn't, he could kill him.

Also, him having a lightsaber caught my attention, what is he? Jedi? Is this when Luke was found and taken to the temple? He did say he was found late... this could be it. But I don't know, something about this person in front of me felt dark.

"I—I don't know." Luke's voice shook.

"Keep your head down," The figure ignited his weapon, his red glowing weapon, and cut the tree to his height. The large piece that was now separated fell to the side with a loud crash.

I screamed in fear when he did, knowing a defenseless boy was in there, and Luke screamed too. Screams of terror which only amplified when the evil figure swiped a few more times, cutting it smaller to about five feet in height, "Leave him alone!" I yelled and went to shove the person, but I went straight through them and fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry to have scared you, I just wanted to see you, to see your face for the first time." I turned around to see him reaching into opening at the top of the trunk for the child, offering him his hand, "I will never harm you," His robotic voice trailed off, "My baby." The last part was said low, and it almost sounded human, like his real voice came through the helmet, rather than the noise created by whatever he was wearing.

Luke whimpered, "But you scare me, I want my Auntie."

"Would seeing my face help you not be so afraid of me? Would seeing me as human, soothe your worries?" He asked and the boy said nothing. So the figure reached underneath his helmet, ready to take it off and I watched with anticipation, and curiosity.

"Leave him alone!" A small feminine voice shrieked. A small object came flying into view as well, hitting the helmet of the figure with a loud clink. It was a rock, the little girl who appeared from the trees had thrown a simple rock at something that looked like it lived in nightmares. Bold for a child.

He instantly dropped his hands and turned around, his attention now solely on the girl, "Leia," He moved away from Luke, stepping towards her with his hand held out to her, "My other baby—"

Other baby.. I'm so confused on what the fuck is going on right now. What the hell am I seeing?

"Run Luke!" She shouted and I whipped my head in the direction of the boy climbing out from the tree and making a run for it. But he was held up mid-air after only a few steps, the figure holding him up with the force. Although he didn't hold him up long because the little girl, Leia, went to Luke's defense by biting down on the man's leg, a part that was leather instead of armor.

He didn't make any sound of pain, but he did flinch and lose focus, allowing Luke to fall to the floor and continue on his run with Leia shouting for him to never stop running. Once Luke had disappeared beyond the trees, Leia attempted to run herself, but the man stopped her by picking her up under her arms and holding her in front of his face—helmet.

"You'll never find him now, he's gone to the best hiding spots and I won't be helping you look either. So don't bother asking." She said with attitude and almost zero fear in her eyes. She was a little scared, but she's definitely holding herself better than most children her age would.

"I'll get him eventually," The man chuckled beneath his mask and pulled the girl closer to hold her to his chest. She tried pushing away, but he overpowered her, "Has anyone told you that you are just like your Mother," He said, catching her attention. She also stopped fidgeting, his words intriguing her.

"You knew my mommy?" She tilted her head, curiosity in her eyes.

He nodded, "She was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, but she's not here anymore Princess. She's there," He pointed up, "But do you know what that means? Now you are the most beautiful." As he spoke to her, he walked away into the forest, a different direction than where Luke went.

He was taking her away.

I got up from the floor and watched them leave, knowing there wasn't anything I could do since this already happened. So all I could do was watch, and as I did, my attention was captured by a small figure in the tree not too far away. Luke, hidden and watching the two disappear with tears in his eyes.

I snapped my eyes open with a gasp and a sharp pain in my neck, "Sorry," Luke sighed as he hovered over me, "I had to stab you in the neck with something to counteract the toxic mist you inhaled."

"But she'll be okay?" Anakin asked from my side. He was standing but looking down at me with worry clouding his expression.

"Yeah," He answered in a monotone, "I told you she would be about a dozen times already. But we do need to get moving—"

"Who's Leia?" I cut him off, his eyes slightly widening.

✦