The Dark Handmaiden | Anakin Skywalker

1. Handmaiden

Senator Amidala is an admirable woman, thought Valis as she pulled the velvet hood over her head, but her taste in clothing is hideous.

The long mirror in front of Valis revealed a young woman dressed in an orange gown. It shimmered in the bright sunlight of Naboo and seemed, in a gaudy way, to capture the essence of sunset.

She didn't recognise herself, not that it was a bad thing, she supposed. In the capital city of Theed she was to be as far removed from her true self as possible. As Valis smoothed out the soft creases in her skirts, her fingers brushed the pistol that was strapped to her thigh. It was certainly no lightsaber but it allowed some sense of power and she held on to the feeling.

A knock on the door caused both Valis and her reflection to turn away from the mirror.

'Come in,' Valis called, putting a smile on her face.

The door opened to reveal Eirtaé, dressed in the same flame-coloured attire, her hood concealing a nest of bright, blonde hair. 'The Senator is awake,' Eirtaé announced with her manicured hands folded neatly in front of her, 'she is asking for you.'

'Oh?' Valis raised an eyebrow. She was by no means close with Padmé, and certainly not her favourite confidant, that position belonged to Sabé. In fact, Valis rarely spent time with the Senator alone, much to the disappointment of Chancellor Palpatine.

Noticing her surprise, Eirtaé laughed. 'There is no need to panic Valis,' she said, 'Rabé has already done the Senator's hair, we all know you aren't the best at...that sort of thing.'

It was true; Valis had no interest in the domestic tasks that were expected of her. Placing a hand on her chest in an act of mock girlishness, Valis laughed. 'What a relief,' she breathed, 'I will be right there.'

'Actually,' Eirtaé offered with a kind smile, 'I was wondering if you would walk with me. I am headed in that direction anyway.'

Valis didn't mind the girl. She might have even gone as far to admit that, out of all of the handmaidens, she liked her the most. Eirtaé was reserved and more importantly, didn't pry into business that wasn't her own, a quality that Valis appreciated. 'Of course,' she said.

The walk to Senator Amidala's quarters was a pleasant one. A fresh breeze swept across the marble hallway, preventing the beating sun from being too hot as it shone in through the tall, stately windows.

From a distance the two women looked exactly the same; their velvet gowns brushing the glossy floor as they strolled and their heads concealed by matching hoods. It was intentional of course. They were not only handmaidens but bodyguards and glorified decoys for the former Queen, the latter of which was a responsibility that Valis, bearing no resemblance at all to Padmé, had not yet upheld.

'How was your trip to the hill country?' Eirtaé asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them, 'I hear your Uncle's residence there is dazzling.'

Although the Palpatines did indeed own a private residency in Naboo's hill country, Valis had not gone there. It was a lie, a cover-up for the true location of her recent excursion. In reality she had gone to Dathomir to seek counsel with the Nightsisters; a coven of dark magic wielders.

'It was wonderful,' Valis replied without a moment of hesitation, 'Our retreat has the most beautiful library on the entire planet. Of course that is where I spent most of my time, my uncle is determined that I further my education and follow in his footsteps.'

It wasn't entirely false. Her uncle did want her to follow in his footsteps, only not as a politician but as a Sith. Dathomir had enabled her to regain her strength in the Dark Side and she felt whole again, powerful even.