Empire: The Rise (Anakin x Reader)

The Dathomirian Encounter

The arid wind of the morning swept across (Y/N)'s face as she climbed aboard the steam engine. Her limbs felt stiff as she moved, and had since she awoke; not only had she slept in a relatively cramped space, but she had worked on healing the day before. For a reason she couldn't explain, any attempt to nurse someone back to health on a large scale left her feeling drained and uncomfortable, as if she'd strained every muscle in her body. She gingerly accepted Qui-Gon's assistance into the passenger carriage, with Padme and a trooper following closely behind.

Following an eventful previous evening, the convoy was preparing now to continue the Emperor's business in Tatooine. (Y/N) had spent a majority of the rest of the night sleeping next door to Shmi, and had ensured her stability in the morning before departing. The woman had not yet awoken, but her coloration was wonderfully improved. Confident that she would progress from this point forward, the group decided there was little left to accomplish on the moisture farm.

As a matter of fact, some of them had already left. Anakin, alongside his right hand man, Obi-Wan, had supposedly left for the settlement early in the morning, once awake. Though, Qui-Gon wasn't sure he had ever gone to sleep. After the royals had their confrontation on the dunes, the Emperor hadn't said a word. He had simply rounded up a handful of men, instructed Qui-Gon to return the remaining people to the steam engine, and disappeared across the sand.

The General stood now with the remaining soldiers, assisting the Empress and her hand-maiden up the steps, prepared to chaperone her return to Ra. 

As if on cue, the Empress spoke.

"Qui-Gon, where is the rest of the party?" 

Boots clicking against the metal frame, she moved through a series of train cars, each just as empty as the last.

Trailing behind her, the General winced at what he was about to say, knowing it wouldn't be received well.

"They're in Mos Eisley, my lady."

(Y/N) turned to look at him.

"They? As in, my husband, General Kenobi, and the rest of the troopers?"

"Yes, Your Highness. We are to wait here for their return."

She sighed in response.

"All I've been doing since we came here is waiting for Anakin to resolve conflicts. I thought part of the reason I was here was to see the territory?"

"Yes, well, His Imperial Highness did not seem too keen on the idea of you joining them today," Qui-Gon said brightly.

The Empress gave him an unimpressed look.

"Very well," she said loudly, seating herself with a flare in the nearest cushioned seat. It was true that she had probably caused enough commotion for the trip - though she wanted desperately to explore, she would wait the afternoon out if that is what was wanted. "How long shall we wait?"

"A few hours, at most," the General replied. "They are anticipated to return here by midday, seeing as they set to work so early this morning."

(Y/N) glanced at the pocket watch Padme had offered from her bag. It was only eight o'clock in the morning - surely "a few hours" would place them at eleven, or noon.

However, a few hours turned into one o'clock, and then two, and then three. The twin suns bore down on the metal of the steam engine, creating a near sauna inside. Anakin had once explained that part of the cooling mechanism was powered by the train's movement - therefore, the stationary waiting bred an unbearable heat.

Qui-Gon had disappeared into the recesses of the locomotive after the Empress was settled, presumably into a compartment meant for the military men. (Y/N) had peeked into it before on their way up, and seen many of them playing cards, or sharing a flask.