The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟔𝟏

"𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆!" --𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

Anakin's heart raced as he paced the Council chambers in growing distress. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides as he paced worriedly, his boots striking the chamber's marble floor with a force to match his mounting frustration. 

Surely, Master Windu would arrest Palpatine, Anakin reasoned desperately. It was against the Jedi Code to kill any defenseless lifeforms. 

But it was likely Palpatine wasn't defenseless. He was a Sith, after all. It was likely he had a lightsaber hidden somewhere in his office or within the folds of his crimson senatorial robes.  

But no, it couldn't not be an arrest. Anakin couldn't allow it to be anything but an arrest because he needed Palpatine. He so desperately needed him alive. Yet, Anakin's loyalty to the Order and to the Jedi's ideals held him back, keeping him in constant turmoil. Who was he to advocate for the life of a Sith? 

But if Anakin didn't intervene, Astrid would die, and Anakin couldn't let her die. He couldn't live without her. He couldn't bear it. 

How could he possibly continue to live with the guilt of knowing he had indirectly caused her death by allowing the Jedi to kill Chancellor Palpatine?

A tear of despair and heart-wrenching pain rolled down Anakin's cheek as he turned towards the window and gazed out at the Coruscant city. He squinted against the setting sun's glaring light. If only he could speak to Astrid for just one moment-- 

Anakin reached towards Astrid with the Force, sensing for her presence, checking to see if she was okay and wanting to send her all the love he felt for her in his heart. 

He was met with a bright fountain of light in the midst of the Force, and he knew instinctively that he had found Astrid's presence within the Force. Waves of affection and love washed over him through their Force connection, and Anakin dipped his head as his heart twisted further with pain. 

No, he couldn't leave her to die. Her life-- their baby's life-- was more valuable to him than the Order. He would do anything for Astrid, if only to keep her alive.

Anakin lifted his gaze to the city as a sense of calm and decisiveness solidified itself within him. Anakin wrenched his tearful gaze away from the metropolis as he made his final decision and hardened his heart to guard against the conflict battering itself against him. Disobeying Master Windu's orders, Anakin turned sharply on his heel and strode out of the Council chambers, steeling himself for the scene he would likely be met with when he would enter Palpatine's blood red office. 

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

Meanwhile, across the galaxy in Felucia, Astrid marched down the hallways towards the base's exit, her lightsaber hilt tapping gently against her thigh. Master Secura entered the hallway ahead of Astrid from an intersecting hallway on the left, and she turned towards Astrid at the sound of the young Jedi's footsteps. 

Master Secura fell into step beside Astrid as she offered her former Padawan a small smile. "I hear Obi-Wan defeated Grievous," her former master informed Astrid, and Astrid's eyes widened in shock and elation. 

"That-- that's wonderful!" Astrid managed to say through her disbelief and excitement. She grinned broadly as she added, "This is truly our final battle, isn't it?"