Born To Die ✸ Anakin Skywalker

Chapter Eight

BORN TO DIE
CHAPTER EIGHT
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     "Don't be afraid."

The sound of Anakin's voice made her look over at him. They stood in a cart, their wrists chained up. Padmé was out in another tunnel.

Tahlia stared into his eyes for a moment before looking down at her chained wrists. Normally, anyone would be terrified to be executed, but she wasn't. She was more afraid of not telling Anakin how she truly feels for him. She didn't want him dying without knowing how she felt for him.

"I'm not afraid to die." She said softly, looking up and meeting his gaze. "I'm afraid of dying without you knowing how I fee."

Anakin's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I love you." Tahlia said, her voice soft and affection in her eyes.

Anakin felt like he was going to fall over when he heard her say those three words to him. The woman he's been madly in love with for years loved him back. He knew she had romantic feelings towards him, but he never thought she loved him.

"You love me?" He spoke in shock.

All Tahlia did was nod slowly as her gaze never left his.

"You love me." He repeated in disbelief.

"I do." Tahlia whispered, her gaze dropping to his lips. "I truly, deeply love you. And before we die, I want you to know."

Anakin slowly began to lean in, his lips eventually meeting Tahlia's. Their lips moved slowly and passionately, and Tahlia really wanted to be held by him in this very moment. Knowing that this possibly might be their last kiss made her heart twist in pain.

Anakin didn't want the kiss to end. He wanted to continue kissing the woman he loves, but when the cart jerked forward, he was forced to pull away.

"I love you, too." He whispered, and Tahlia felt her heart flutter happily in her chest. "More than you think I do."

Cheering filled the air as their cart was being dragged around in the arena. Tahlia noticed four posts, and two familiar people were chained to two of them. As they passed Obi-Wan, Tahlia looked down to avoid the disapproval look he was giving them.

The cart came to a stop, and Tahlia was the first one to get dragged out, being pulled to the post by Padmé. Her arms were forced up, the winged creature chaining the other end of the chain to the top of the post.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd got my message." Obi-Wan said to his padawan.

"I retransmitted it just as you had requested, Master." Anakin replied as he was dragged to the post on the other side of Tahlia. "Then we decided to come and rescue you."

"Good job."

The cheering from the crowd got louder as the gates to the arena opened. A Reek appeared from the darkness, then a Nexu, and a Acklay. The last one to step out of the darkness was a Krayt dragon. Tahlia's eyes widened in horror as she watched the four dangerous creatures slowly approach them.

She turned to Padmé, raising her eyebrows in surprise when she noticed the senator was half way up her post.

Tahlia turned her attention back on the dangerous creatures, locking eyes with the Krayt dragon, its eyes narrowing as it approached her slowly. The Jedi Knight gulped, knowing she needed to think of a plan fast or she's going to get torn apart.