The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟗𝟕

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

Emperor Palpatine's yellow-eyed gaze shifted to where Astrid stood beside Obi-Wan, who was just behind Anakin. His ghoulish, hateful smile twisted further, widening. 

His voice was gravely as he spoke, "Astrid Katarn, we meet again." 

Anakin took a threatening step forward as he brandished his blue lightsaber into ready position in front of him, angling the plasmic blade of the weapon at a sixty degree angle. "You will not take her from me," he growled. "Not again." 

Ire flashed in Palpatine's eyes at Anakin's words, and he snarled, "That was all your doing, Anakin. You were the fool. You played directly into my hands. You were the one who betrayed your own Order. You killed Jedi Master Mace Windu, choosing to save a Sith Lord over a fellow Jedi. It was all of your own choice and free will!" 

His face dipped into a condescending look as he spoke in a lower voice, "And when you obeyed my orders to initiate the assassination of all of the Jedi, you paid no thought as to how they may affect your wife, a Jedi, herself."

Astrid's eyes widened at Palpatine's words, having not heard before the full extent of Anakin's actions. Astrid had thought she had heard of everything he had done, but she was wrong. She hadn't known Anakin had killed Master Mace Windu. 

Her thoughts grew more wary. 

What else had Anakin done as Darth Vader that she wasn't aware of? 

Astrid quickly shook her head, wondering how, suddenly, she was so suspicious and doubtful of Anakin. Yet, a kernel of tentative distrust remained inside Astrid like a festering wound as her gaze shifted from Emperor Palpatine to Anakin, her intent gaze practically drilling holes into Anakin's back as she studied him with floundering certainty. 

"Astrid," Obi-Wan whispered to her as his hand gently grazed hers, as if in reminder of their mission, in reminder of their goal to rid the galaxy of Palpatine's toxic presence and overthrow the Empire. 

Obi-Wan's voice and the touch of his hand jarred Astrid from her muddled, darkening thoughts, and she realized Anakin was speaking to Palpatine-- had already responded to Palpatine's earlier claim. She glanced at the wise Jedi Master from the corner of her eye. 

"Be mindful of the Dark Side," Obi-Wan murmured under his breath, so quietly that only Astrid could hear. "Palpatine is a Sith Lord very skilled in the arts of the Dark Side. The Dark Side is strong here." 

Astrid nodded, one quick dip of her head, before her attention returned to the sparring of words between Anakin and the Emperor. Motion to her right claimed her attention, though, and she noticed Tarkin inching towards them from the side of the room, his calculating movements so small and discreet, she hadn't noticed his presence to her right at first. 

Astrid shifted so she was slightly angled towards the Imperial officer, but currently, Obi-Wan was between her and Tarkin, so she supposed if a fight were to break out, Obi-Wan would be the one to engage with him. She knew Obi-Wan was aware of Tarkin's presence when he angled himself slightly towards the officer, too. 

"How would Astrid feel, Anakin," Palpatine began, his pale mouth twisting into a menacing, yet knowing smile, "if she knew what you did to the younglings, the Padawans, the future of the Jedi Order?" 

Astrid's brow dipped as her eyes flitted to Anakin in silent question, but his back was to her, so he couldn't see her questioning look. But, she knew he could sense her confusion through the Force. The doubt within her grew. 

Anakin's shoulders were tense, his body as rigid as a plank of wood, and when he spoke, his voice was strained. "You're cornered, Palpatine. Let's stop with the pleasantries, shall we? I much prefer to fight than chat."