Fic: Veil of Shadows, 2/13, PG-13
Title: Veil of Shadows
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, angst, romance
Timeframe: OT; around time of ANH
Summary: A strange tale where the good guys are bad, the Empire has won, and a Sith adept pursues the girl of his nightmares.
Chapter 1
~~
2. Reflection
“Something is troubling you, my son.”
Luke lifted his head to meet the Emperor’s gaze. Yellow eyes peered back at him from beneath a black cowl. Luke wondered if he had been born with those eyes or if they were a gift from the dark side. As much as he wanted to become Darth Vader’s Sith apprentice, he did not relish the thought of having those burning yellow eyes.
“It’s nothing, master. I haven’t been sleeping well.”
The Emperor’s lips twisted into a grimace that might once have been a smile. “Why not?”
Luke wondered how much he should tell the old man. It was nearly impossible to lie to him. “I have these dreams.” Already he could feel the hypnotic pull that always preceded his master’s intrusion. If he didn’t yield enough, the Emperor would break him.
“What do you dream of, young Starkiller?”
Luke swallowed the moisture in his throat. “Burning.”
He half expected the Emperor to laugh and reassure him that dreams were nonsense, but the Sith just stared at him curiously. And then he asked a strange question.
“Do you burn to death?”
Luke shook his head. “No, master. I just burn.”
The Emperor leaned back in his throne. “There is something else on your mind. Tell me.”
“Master, I think you should get rid of Lord Vader.”
Few beings, he knew, had the ability to truly surprise the Emperor. Luke had the feeling he’d just joined their ranks.
“Why would I want to do that? Lord Vader is far more powerful than anyone else who might replace him.”
“I could become even more powerful.”
“Yes,” the Emperor murmured thoughtfully. “I believe you could.”
Luke felt his heart beat faster at the Emperor’s words. He struggled to maintain an air of seriousness. “I could, my lord, if-”
“Not yet,” the Sith interrupted. “You have skill and ambition, but you severely lack experience. Prove your loyalty and your worth, and perhaps one day you will stand at my side.”
Luke bowed his head. “Yes, my lord.”
“Now go. I expect you and the others to be present tonight.”
“As you wish.”
~~
The Emperor was known to hold formal gatherings at the palace every now and then, inviting his moffs, governors, generals - basically the biggest boot-lickers in the Empire. Luke hated such occasions. Most of the other adepts shared his opinion.
“Hey, Starkiller!”
Luke cocked his head to the side, following the sound of Katarn’s voice. He was pulling two drinks off of a serving droid’s tray and heading in Luke’s direction.
Great.
Katarn stepped over to Luke’s side and handed him one of the drinks. “As much as I loathe the old man, you gotta admit he throws a good party.”
Luke took a small sip and made no attempt to hide his distaste. “You’re acting like one of his pathetic servants. You’re a chosen adept. Have some pride.”
Katarn smirked and took a loud gulp from his glass. “Listen, runt, I didn’t come over here to listen to a lecture. If I wanted that I could have talked to Horn.” He gestured with his free hand, indicating a sullen-looking boy on the other side of the room.
Luke rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and shook his head. “I’m not a runt,” he muttered more to himself than to his companion. He smiled despite himself.
Katarn finished off his drink and set the glass on a passing tray. “You’re right, if anyone’s the runt, it’s Horn. You’d never know it by the way he talks, though. Bossiest little-”
“Excuse me,” Luke interrupted, pushing through the crowd of evening gowns and formal attire to reach the flash of red hair he’d just seen leaving the ballroom. He stepped out into a wide corridor where a few couples were quietly flirting. Luke darted past them, reaching out with senses beyond sight, beyond hearing.
There. A single beating heart, moving out into the gardens. He approached the open doors, feeling the cool night air rush across his skin. She was standing next to a fountain, her back to him. Red hair, darker than he remembered, was elegantly braided and coiled on top of her head. She wore a green dress that hugged her body before flowing away at the knee, flowing like the water she was moving with her fingers. He watched the ripples float away and disappear.
Luke approached her slowly, and when he was within a few meters he realized her fingers weren’t touching the water at all. She turned on him, her green eyes curious and a bit amused.
She was exquisite, to be sure, but she wasn’t the one he sought.
Her features were similar, but there was something sharper about her appearance, something that made him feel like she was a predator and he was her prey. Luke put on his most gracious smile and extended his right arm. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.”
“We haven’t.” She placed a smooth hand in his and allowed him to press his lips to it. “Lady Rasia.”
“Luke Starkiller.” He released her hand and pretended not to notice the circles she’d been making in the water. “You must be married to someone very important to be a guest tonight.”
“Not married, no. My father is a colonel.” Her eyes were unusually calm as she stared back at him. Usually the women he talked to showed signs of fear. Then again, none of them had been Force-users. He doubted her father was a colonel.
“Ah, there you are! Lady Rasia!”
Luke spun around as a short, blond-haired man in a captain’s uniform came strolling into the garden. He held two drinks in his hands.
Lady Rasia smiled politely at Luke and swept past him to join the captain. “You brought my drink! How wonderful of you.” She glanced at Luke one last time before leaving with her companion.
Now alone, he went to the edge of the fountain and stared down at the clear pool of water. The person looking back at him had shaggy, dark blond hair and blue eyes that showed signs of fatigue. “Who are you?” he whispered to the reflection, not sure why he had asked that question.
“Luke Starkiller, one of the chosen adepts.”
Luke put his hands on the fountain’s edge and tried hard not to dig his nails into the stone. “Come to torment me, Organa?”
“My, my, so formal tonight.” Leia’s reflection appeared in the water next to his. Brown eyes met blue. “You’re still upset about the Emperor’s Hand?”
“Why would I care what happens to any of those weaklings?”
“But she’s not just any weakling, Luke, and you know that.”
“Do I?” He turned away from the fountain and studied her face. She glanced at him sidelong, continuing to focus her attention on the cascading water.
“If you want her so badly, why don’t you go after her?”
Luke leaned one elbow against the stone and pressed his thumbs together. Why didn’t he? Because he wasn’t even supposed to know who she was? Because he wasn’t allowed to leave the palace without expressed permission?
Leia smiled knowingly. “I see. You’re afraid of what the Sith will do if they find out.”
“I’m not afraid,” he insisted steadily.
She looked up at him, and this time there was something almost sad in her expression. “You will be.”
Luke felt a chill across his nerves as Leia turned and walked away. He was about to shout after her, to say something just so she would stay and explain what she meant, but she beat him to it.
Korriban. That’s where she’s gone.
He watched dumbfounded as Leia disappeared into the palace.
~~
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, angst, romance
Timeframe: OT; around time of ANH
Summary: A strange tale where the good guys are bad, the Empire has won, and a Sith adept pursues the girl of his nightmares.
Chapter 1
~~
2. Reflection
“Something is troubling you, my son.”
Luke lifted his head to meet the Emperor’s gaze. Yellow eyes peered back at him from beneath a black cowl. Luke wondered if he had been born with those eyes or if they were a gift from the dark side. As much as he wanted to become Darth Vader’s Sith apprentice, he did not relish the thought of having those burning yellow eyes.
“It’s nothing, master. I haven’t been sleeping well.”
The Emperor’s lips twisted into a grimace that might once have been a smile. “Why not?”
Luke wondered how much he should tell the old man. It was nearly impossible to lie to him. “I have these dreams.” Already he could feel the hypnotic pull that always preceded his master’s intrusion. If he didn’t yield enough, the Emperor would break him.
“What do you dream of, young Starkiller?”
Luke swallowed the moisture in his throat. “Burning.”
He half expected the Emperor to laugh and reassure him that dreams were nonsense, but the Sith just stared at him curiously. And then he asked a strange question.
“Do you burn to death?”
Luke shook his head. “No, master. I just burn.”
The Emperor leaned back in his throne. “There is something else on your mind. Tell me.”
“Master, I think you should get rid of Lord Vader.”
Few beings, he knew, had the ability to truly surprise the Emperor. Luke had the feeling he’d just joined their ranks.
“Why would I want to do that? Lord Vader is far more powerful than anyone else who might replace him.”
“I could become even more powerful.”
“Yes,” the Emperor murmured thoughtfully. “I believe you could.”
Luke felt his heart beat faster at the Emperor’s words. He struggled to maintain an air of seriousness. “I could, my lord, if-”
“Not yet,” the Sith interrupted. “You have skill and ambition, but you severely lack experience. Prove your loyalty and your worth, and perhaps one day you will stand at my side.”
Luke bowed his head. “Yes, my lord.”
“Now go. I expect you and the others to be present tonight.”
“As you wish.”
~~
The Emperor was known to hold formal gatherings at the palace every now and then, inviting his moffs, governors, generals - basically the biggest boot-lickers in the Empire. Luke hated such occasions. Most of the other adepts shared his opinion.
“Hey, Starkiller!”
Luke cocked his head to the side, following the sound of Katarn’s voice. He was pulling two drinks off of a serving droid’s tray and heading in Luke’s direction.
Great.
Katarn stepped over to Luke’s side and handed him one of the drinks. “As much as I loathe the old man, you gotta admit he throws a good party.”
Luke took a small sip and made no attempt to hide his distaste. “You’re acting like one of his pathetic servants. You’re a chosen adept. Have some pride.”
Katarn smirked and took a loud gulp from his glass. “Listen, runt, I didn’t come over here to listen to a lecture. If I wanted that I could have talked to Horn.” He gestured with his free hand, indicating a sullen-looking boy on the other side of the room.
Luke rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and shook his head. “I’m not a runt,” he muttered more to himself than to his companion. He smiled despite himself.
Katarn finished off his drink and set the glass on a passing tray. “You’re right, if anyone’s the runt, it’s Horn. You’d never know it by the way he talks, though. Bossiest little-”
“Excuse me,” Luke interrupted, pushing through the crowd of evening gowns and formal attire to reach the flash of red hair he’d just seen leaving the ballroom. He stepped out into a wide corridor where a few couples were quietly flirting. Luke darted past them, reaching out with senses beyond sight, beyond hearing.
There. A single beating heart, moving out into the gardens. He approached the open doors, feeling the cool night air rush across his skin. She was standing next to a fountain, her back to him. Red hair, darker than he remembered, was elegantly braided and coiled on top of her head. She wore a green dress that hugged her body before flowing away at the knee, flowing like the water she was moving with her fingers. He watched the ripples float away and disappear.
Luke approached her slowly, and when he was within a few meters he realized her fingers weren’t touching the water at all. She turned on him, her green eyes curious and a bit amused.
She was exquisite, to be sure, but she wasn’t the one he sought.
Her features were similar, but there was something sharper about her appearance, something that made him feel like she was a predator and he was her prey. Luke put on his most gracious smile and extended his right arm. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.”
“We haven’t.” She placed a smooth hand in his and allowed him to press his lips to it. “Lady Rasia.”
“Luke Starkiller.” He released her hand and pretended not to notice the circles she’d been making in the water. “You must be married to someone very important to be a guest tonight.”
“Not married, no. My father is a colonel.” Her eyes were unusually calm as she stared back at him. Usually the women he talked to showed signs of fear. Then again, none of them had been Force-users. He doubted her father was a colonel.
“Ah, there you are! Lady Rasia!”
Luke spun around as a short, blond-haired man in a captain’s uniform came strolling into the garden. He held two drinks in his hands.
Lady Rasia smiled politely at Luke and swept past him to join the captain. “You brought my drink! How wonderful of you.” She glanced at Luke one last time before leaving with her companion.
Now alone, he went to the edge of the fountain and stared down at the clear pool of water. The person looking back at him had shaggy, dark blond hair and blue eyes that showed signs of fatigue. “Who are you?” he whispered to the reflection, not sure why he had asked that question.
“Luke Starkiller, one of the chosen adepts.”
Luke put his hands on the fountain’s edge and tried hard not to dig his nails into the stone. “Come to torment me, Organa?”
“My, my, so formal tonight.” Leia’s reflection appeared in the water next to his. Brown eyes met blue. “You’re still upset about the Emperor’s Hand?”
“Why would I care what happens to any of those weaklings?”
“But she’s not just any weakling, Luke, and you know that.”
“Do I?” He turned away from the fountain and studied her face. She glanced at him sidelong, continuing to focus her attention on the cascading water.
“If you want her so badly, why don’t you go after her?”
Luke leaned one elbow against the stone and pressed his thumbs together. Why didn’t he? Because he wasn’t even supposed to know who she was? Because he wasn’t allowed to leave the palace without expressed permission?
Leia smiled knowingly. “I see. You’re afraid of what the Sith will do if they find out.”
“I’m not afraid,” he insisted steadily.
She looked up at him, and this time there was something almost sad in her expression. “You will be.”
Luke felt a chill across his nerves as Leia turned and walked away. He was about to shout after her, to say something just so she would stay and explain what she meant, but she beat him to it.
Korriban. That’s where she’s gone.
He watched dumbfounded as Leia disappeared into the palace.
~~