Attachments | Anakin Skywalker

chapter sixteen

My heart was a loud echoing sound in my ears. It was almost deafening with how fast it was beating, at how it thrummed throughout my body, allowing anxiety to flow so freely. This tiny body that had never known much fear until now. This small body that would forever me changed, although from the outside nothing would ever mark such a monumental moment. Not a scar, a scrap, a scratch would mar the beautiful face of this tiny child. But the mental images would forever be a scratch along the memories that had already formed but been forgotten, just as this one soon would be.

I felt cold. That was all I could feel as my hands shook and I hid my tiny body in a closet my mother had rushed me into moments before. I promised her that I would cover my ears and keep my eyes shut, but here I was, peeking through the three small slots in the door to see my father. My strong, kind father with his platinum curly hair a stark contrast to the dark clothes he always wore.

"Where is he?" His voice was so low, so mean it scared me. I had never heard father speak like that to anyone ever. It was frightening and jarring. His body moved ever so slightly and two men were seated on the floor, their faces bright red with blood. My eyes were wide as I watched on, seeing their bodies shake as they looked up at my father. Their white tunics were stained with that same horrible color.

"W-We told you already, we don't know. They never told us anything." The one man who had blond shaggy hair that was almost red from his wounds, spoke, his hands clearly shaking.

A long sigh emitted from my father as he raised his hand out and the man began clawing at his throat, his eyes wide in fear. Tears prickled my eyes as I wanted to scream but eventually my father stopped, letting the man go, a coughing fit ensuing after.

"How peculiar I find two Jedi's prowling around my city speaking loudly of their master and yet you have no idea where he is," The other man, one with dark raven hair, made a quick move. His hand had somehow summoned something that illuminated in a bright blue but too late, my father had the lightsaber out of his hand and another hold on him.

Seeing this man scream and beg for mercy made me physically sick as I covered my ears, watching as this man writhed on the ground in pain. I wasn't sure how my father was hurting him because he wasn't touching him, but somehow I knew he was inside this boy's mind. A sob emitted from me and I froze in fear as my father stopped and turned towards my direction.

Tears slipped down my cheeks as he approached, his boots hitting the ground hard and loud. He opened the closet door and his eyes landed on my tear stained face.

"Daddy." Is all I'm able to get out as he reaches down and wipes a stray tear falling. His eyes were his normal kind and his words were sweet like always. It was such a difference from what I had just been hearing.

"Oh my moonlight, what are you doing here?" His voice was laced with concern and love that had me hugging him tightly around his neck not wanting to let go because I was so scared. My eyes connected with one the blond man, who was standing up, a knife in his hand, but he stopped in his tracks seeing me there, his eyes widening. I couldn't help but stare at this strange man in my home, holding a knife out as if to kill me.

Quietly, he nodded to me, looked to his friend who lay passed out on the ground, and slipped out through the open window that's curtains were flapping in the soft breeze.

"Those guys-"

"My moonlight, don't worry about my friends. Where is matka?" I sniffled and wiped my nose as my father stood up and looked to see that one man was gone. A calm anger settled across his face as he took it in.

"She hid me, I don't know where she is." I replied.

A loud screaming, that startled me back into the closet, setting my heart again to racing, had my father send me a calm look.