Empire: The Rise (Anakin x Reader)

The Imperial Wedding

A/N: So sorry for the long wait! I've been sick the past week or so - it's truly terrible to catch a bug! Please forgive me if this chapter isn't as well written. And, just to preface it - this is not meant to be a romantic chapter by any means. They hardly know each other, and don't like each other, anyways! This is simply the precursor to their romance. I hope you enjoy. <3

Anakin blearily rubbed at his eyes, smudging soot over one of his cheekbones. He hadn't gotten any sleep at all last night, having been preoccupied by his thoughts. He looked over his handiwork; a small, dome-topped shell was coming together slowly but surely on his workbench. He hoped to make it come alive with mechanics. He hadn't thought of a name for it quite yet - something along the lines of "magimech", or anything that described the fantastical idea of an inanimate object springing to life. 

Sunlight splashed across his face as he stood and stretched, illuminating his eyes and warming his skin. He took a couple steps toward his nightstand where a pitcher sat. Caring little for etiquette, he drank straight from the mouth of it, the water soothing his dry tongue. 

A loud banging on his door sounded, causing him to jump slightly. Water spilled down the front of his loose linen shirt, causing him to curse as he set the drink down. 

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan yelled through the door. "Are you in there? Open up!"

Yanking the damp shirt over his head, the Emperor yawned and walked to the door, pulling it open lazily. 

"Yes?" He drawled, using the shirt to clean some of the remaining water off of his chest.

"No clothes today?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice piqued with annoyance as he brushed in past Anakin.

"Sorry, Obi-Wan, I couldn't find any I liked," the young man replied smugly. 

Ignoring his comment, Obi-Wan began tearing through the Emperor's wardrobe, searching for a clean top. 

"We've been waiting for you in the Jedi Temple for over an hour," the auburn-haired councilman said without looking up. "You were supposed to meet us at sunrise. These traditions are very important, Anakin."

Anakin let out a short groan. Today was the day of the supposed "marriage"; one he had been dreading all week.

"What do I care about the traditions, Obi-Wan? It isn't a real marriage, anyways. It's all for show. I'm just doing it so that we can achieve our goals - you said it yourself, that having Coruscant will allow us to form a stronger border against the Sith."

"If you won't care about it for yourself, you need to at least care about it for (Y/N)," Obi-Wan sighed. "She's the one who has left her home, and everything she knows, to come live here in abject isolation. She could still pull out of the deal, you know."

"As if that threatens me at all," the Emperor retorted. "I could crush Coruscant with half of my military if she did."

Obi-Wan cut the young man a sharp, warning look.

"But you wouldn't - another battle is the last thing we need. Regardless of the size of her military, the queen isn't a stupid girl. She would certainly give you a fight."

Anakin said nothing in return. He knew that Obi-Wan was right - despite his arrogance, he knew that (Y/N) was still a kingdom leader, meaning this alliance held significant importance. 

"Get dressed," the auburn-haired councilman said tersely. "Let us get this event over with so that we might return to military concerns."

Anakin nodded.

Truthfully, there wasn't much he had to do. The "ceremony" was to be short and relatively simple - mainly a gesture of a union. There would be no exchanging of vows, or even walking down the aisle. It was all just fanfare - (Y/N) and Anakin would sign the legal documents in private, with the Council and Padme as witnesses, and then immediately proceed to the balcony for the showboating to the citizens afterwards. The people would be none the wiser; apparently, Obi-Wan had done an excellent job of fabricating a story of an elaborate, private ceremony occurring in the castle garden today. They just needed to see Anakin and the queen standing side by side as leaders of two nations brought together.