#ahem PRINCE erstwhile

[moonlitglen]

Of course I lied to you all these years, he told Neverfell in his head. For the same reason I had to tell you the truth just now. You're the only real friend I've ever had, you stupid little hen.

- Frances Hardinge, A Face Like Glass

[cadesama]

Any Vader finding and raising baby Luke AU. :D

Yularen did not know why or how Darth Vader had chosen to pluck him out of ISB. He suspected it had something to do with the young Emperor’s erstwhile career as his Jedi General, which had been at the time and remained code for Jedi Tormentor. He suspected, equally, that was how he’d ended up nanny to the young prince.

Or, would, if he did not carefully sidestep this problem right the kriff now.

“Ahem,” he began cautiously, hefting baby Luke in his arms. “If I may…”

“You may not,” Vader rumbled from deep within his complex breathing apparatus. To be sure, the effect was quite intimidating.

Moreso, Yularen assumed, to officers who had not been called to the Palace in the middle of the night because a certain Emperor didn’t know how to calm a colicky baby. Or perhaps moreso to any officer in such circumstances who could not read the plain and abject panic beneath the mask and did not know what a reckless, heartfelt fool the Emperor was.

“Nonetheless, I must object. I am not a nursemaid, milord. What you require is a droid.”

It was a curious thing, that Vader should not immediately call upon a droid. He’d cared for his own astromech so very much. Yularen assumed it must have betrayed him, as the Jedi had betrayed them all.

“He knows droids,” Vader all but snarled. Yularen found himself entertaining the boy, wiggling his fingers above his head, and snapped his head up at the interesting tone entering Vader’s voice, despite the vocoder. He meant himself. His artificial voice, his limbs. His mask. “He must know of people.”

“But,” and this was Yularen’s weakness protest yet. “Me?”