Born To Die ✸ Anakin Skywalker

Chapter Six

BORN TO DIE
CHAPTER SIX
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She was an angel.

Tahlia slept peacefully on his chest, some of her hair covering her face, but Anakin could see her beautiful face. Part of him wondered if it would always be like this if they were together. If they were married.

But he knew that would never happen. Tahlia made it perfectly clear nothing can happen.

"You know, staring is creepy."

Tahlia's soft voice filled the air as she spoke. She removed her head from his chest to look at him, a teasing grin plastered on her face.

"My bad." Anakin replied, a smug smirk on his face. "I just like looking at beautiful things."

Tahlia was screwed if he noticed her cheeks turning red.

He did notice.

"You had another nightmare about your mother?" She asked after a moment of silence. She knew he suffered from horrible nightmares about his mother.

Anakin gulped, nodding. "She is suffering. She's in pain."

Tahlia stayed quiet. She could sense sadness coming from him.

"I need to go see her." He told her, his broken gaze staring into hers. "I know I'm disobeying my mandate to protect Padmé, but I have to go to Tatooine to see my mother."

Tahlia thought for a moment. If Anakin does leave for Tatooine, she doesn't want him to go alone.

"I'll go with you." She said. He opened his mouth to object, but she spoke before he could. "I don't want you going alone. I'm sure Padmé won't mind if she came along with us."

"I don't mind at all." A voice spoke from the doorway, and they both turned to see Padmé standing there, still dressed in her nightgown.

Tahlia looked back at Anakin. "We leave in an hour."

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Tatooine was a lot warmer than Naboo.

It was a ball of sand. Every inch of the planet was sand, and Tahlia was starting to understand why Anakin hated sand so much.

The Jedi Knight sat between him and Padmé in a rickshaw being driven by a droid, R2 trailing behind them. The rickshaw came to a stop and Anakin was the first to step out, turning around and taking Tahlia's hand to help her out of the rickshaw. She helped Padmé off before the trio made their way to a shop, a creature with wings sitting outside.

"Chut-chut, Watto." Anakin greeted.

The creature looked up, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Anakin. Tahlia stood there, listening to the two speak in a language she didn't understand.

"I'm looking for Shmi Skywalker."

The creature fell silent, his gaze moving to Tahlia and Padmé before it fell back on Anakin.

"Ani?" The creature spoke, realization flashing in his eyes. "Little Ani?"

Anakin didn't say anything. Just stared at the creature.