#varykino

[womenofswzine]

📡 TRANSMISSION INCOMING 📡

A lovely preview of Padmé Amidala and her handmaidens by @bishoujo-bitch 💥 Pre-Orders for Rebel, Rebel: Women of Star Wars open now until August 31st!

💥 ORDER HERE 💥

[fiatluxillustration-portfolio]

thinking about doing the Naboo arch as a jumbo pin… sketch + linework has been completed for a while now

[x]

[mayhemandtrouble]

Are We There Yet?, Chapter 26 of Not Giving Up

Full Story on Ao3, with detailed tags and NSFW chapters

Ben did not understand Rey’s tolerance - fondness even - of the porgs who had infested the Falcon. But she cooed over them, standing over the nests they’d made the walls and gave them treats till they followed her around like pets. Small, loud creatures who waddled and bit his fingers if he didn’t offer them a snack quickly enough. Leia informed him it was good practice for being a Father, as if he wasn’t certain enough he would fail.

Rey swore there were only three aboard, but Ben suspected there were closer to fifteen. And they stalked him, squawking loudly like watchdogs if he got too close to the cockpit. He contemplated turning them into snacks at least three times an hour but the damn things had the biggest, most pleading eyes he’d ever seen and even Chewbecca growled protectively of them.

Currently, one was hopping atop the dejarik, making it exceedingly difficult to focus on anything resembling a long term strategy. The game wasn’t friendly to start with, with his former baby-sitter as the opponent. Rey had demanded they sit down and try so there they were. Watching a fat-bottomed bird try to stomp holographic creatures, with its wide foot. At least it was absurd enough to distract them both from the utter horribleness of the situation.

The Wookie trilled in low frustration, leaning back and damn near sulking. He also would have preferred to simply eat the damn birds. He’d tried. Even without Rey’s fondness, the pathetic creatures managed to make him feel guilty! Chewbacca doubted they had two brain cells to rub together in a flock, yet they had mastered the art of looking pitiful as a survival tactic. 

“Agreed.” Ben grumbled, leaning an elbow on the table and poking at the creature’s white feathered stomach. It screeched in reply, which brought the predictable response of his love hollering from the cockpit.

“Ben! Leave them alone!”

“Yes, dear!” He answered too sweetly, head tilting. Had Father and Mother had moments like this? Did it fucking matter, he didn’t want a marriage like theirs. Did he? With a groan, Ben let his head fall onto the table. Wherever Mother was taking them, he hoped they got there soon. Maybe it would have a nice, solitary cell where he wouldn’t have to deal with all this emotional shit. Being a monster was so much easier. Callous laughter from beside him and Ben had to concede it was entirely justified.

“Laugh it up.” Ben chuckled self-deprecatingly. If only Hux could see him now, Kylo Ren - taking orders from his heavily pregnant fiancee regarding the kind treatment of pest species. Sitting up again, he looked over to Chewie, who seemed entirely pleased by Ben’s current foul mood. It had surprised Ben how nice he found it that Chewbacca wasn’t afraid of him. Angry, furious, rage - well deserved emotions but without the undercurrents of terror. 

Chewbacca didn’t understand the decisions his honor family were making, not fully. He understood why Rey wanted the sire of her children nearby. He understood why Leia struggled to abandon her son. But how could Rey sleep beside the murderer so peacefully, how did Leia justify it.

Chewie watched as Ben punched in his next few moves. In terms of his long life span, the boy had grown up in only a few heartbeats. Something had happened, something Han and Leia talked about in whispers. Usual brooding during one’s coming-of-age grew steadily darker and something flickered in the boy’s eyes that the Wookie couldn’t place. The circles under Ben’s eyes had grown deeper.

When one of Ben’s creatures destroyed Chewie’s favorite fighter, the Wookie howled in rage, head pulled back to the game. The porg screeched again, facing off with the massive fighter with the confidence of a well-indulged favorite.

“Chewie!”

Rey’s voice cut through from the cockpit again, and this time Chewbacca cradled his head in his paw. Eying the stupid bird and wishing he’d gone through with his initial plan to eat them all. 

“Bet they’d taste good fried,” Ben muttered, unable to keep a smirk off his lips to see Chewie’s reaction to Rey’s scolding. By now, Rey probably knew where they were going and when they were landing and everything about Mother’s plan. For once, he didn’t care - just as long as he stayed at her side until their family was more settled. Then he could worry about all the what nexts.

Chewie snorted in agreement, as much as it pained him to agree with Ben about anything. Fried with triple thick batter, that sauce from his homeworld and maybe some of that spicy shit Han had liked. Glancing over, Chewie felt his heart lurch to see that smirk on Ben’s face. It was unfair of the bastard to look so much like his father and Ben’s childhood self all once. Maybe that was why the other two couldn’t give up on him.

Issuing a halfhearted howl, Chewbacca stood abruptly. It was petty but he was pleased to see that Ben jumped back a little in concern. Good. As Rey whirled around, as best she could in her condition, Chewie hit the button to reset the game with far more force than needed. He might need to buy a new table when they landed but it would be worth it.

“Chewie, what’s wrong?” Rey had only gotten a few steps in when the Wookie trilled at her. A long, angry and pained vocalization that left her shoulders dropping. The two hadn’t even finished the game. Her hopes hadn’t been high but Rey had wanted a little better than that. As he left, Ben’s head dropped to rest in the palm of his hands.

The gentle feel of her fingers stroking through his dark curls was far more comfort than he deserved, but he took it anyway. Leaning into his lover gently when she sat beside him. Rey would tell him that everything would be all right, that they would work things out. He just had to be patient.

He wasn’t sure about that. The further he seemed to get from his life in the First Order, the worse his dreams became. Instead of wallowing in Darkness and being pulled to the Light, it was turning around. Just as it had before. 

Rey’s hand caressed the swell of their children slowly, looking out the view ports with a wide grin. She’d been apprehensive but excited when Leia said where they were going. This was her first time on such a populated world, having barely traveled outside of the Outer Rim. Ben had been shocked, then annoyed at himself for not seeing it coming.

I would have expected Mustafar.

I’m not looking to fail you twice.

Mother had the same confident determination about her that she always had. Failure did not seem to haunt her as it did him, or even normal beings. She saw it, analyzed it, and moved onto the next best choice that she could make. Or was that simply how parents were supposed to seem to their children.

He had to admit it though, Naboo was a beautiful planet. And through his grandmother’s line, Leia had access to resources here. Things she had probably been setting up from the beginning, along with about ten different plans so that she would be prepared no matter what.

“Oh Ben, look!”

“Not a bad place to raise children, mmm?” He teased her, arms wrapping around her from behind. As though they’d picked this place together, and they weren’t fleeing. Still. The joy in her eyes was something he hadn’t seen in months, as she took in the green domed roofs of the buildings and the waterfalls, with the city seeming to go all the way to the edge of water and sky. 

“I doubt we’ll stay here forever.” Rey chuckled, but couldn’t help agreeing with him. As they circled down to land, the city and its surrounding pastoral landscape seemed like something out of a story book. If they had to stay somewhere forever, a place like this might not be so bad. Though it was not lost on her that this was also where her grandfather, and his grandmother, had both come from. A matter to think on later.

���You’ll be here for the foreseeable future, at any rate.” Leia announced, pushing herself up on her cane as the Falcon landed. She was tired, though she refused to show it. The past few days - the past few months - had taken a great deal out of her. If she were particularly fortunate, Leia would be able to rest a bit here as well before she had to return to the Resistance for the clean-up work. Not that she was counting on that.

“The Lake Retreat?” Ben hesitated, then offered his mother his arm. Covering his nerves with a smirk. Pretending that he didn’t feel relief when Leia leaned her slight frame against his broader one.

“It has a proper name, Ben. Varykino. Now, one of you hurry up and get the gangplank lowered. Rey needs something decent to wear and Ben, if those clothes smelled any worse, I would burn them immediately.��� 

Laughing, Rey scurried - waddled - along to comply. She didn’t know if Leia had clothes ready for them at this Lake place, or what the plan was. But she had been living on ships for the past few months. It would do her some good to get solid ground under her again.

The plan, as it turned out, was more in line with a holiday than concealment. Which irritated Chewbacca all the more, even if he did patiently hold a woven metal basket for Rey as she tentatively selected garments in a frighteningly posh shop. Ben had sighed in annoyance, waving off assistance and grabbing a handful of ready-made garments without bothering to check prices. Leia personally threw the offending garments, left from their time on the Supremacy, into a trash chute while the lovers changed into new selections.

By the time the bill was being settled, Ben’s attire was notably cleaner and more in line with the well-to-do of Naboo, but the coloring hadn’t changed. A black tunic, fastening at his right breast with jet-colored ornamentation curling along the line of his shoulders - gathered at the sleeves where the cuffs emphasized the strength in his hands. Comfortably loose, black trousers of fine material that tucked into black boots. A wide belt, already accented with several pouches that contained who-knows-what.

Rey would have scolded him for not choosing a single color, save that the effect took her breath away. He looked like a dark prince from a fairytale, the sort who might save the day or end the world save for a true love’s kiss.

Ben caught her looking as he ran his fingers through his dark curls, not that it was particularly difficult to see where she was looking. He had stationed himself in front of a mirror, doing his best to look ‘respectable’, or something that passed for it. Rey had seemed so pleased to explore the city, he felt an annoying compulsion to pass for the nobility he used to be. 

“Continue looking at me like that, and I’ll drag you into one of the dressing rooms.” Ben spoke low, his brown eyes as they met hers in the mirror. She had been trying to be subtle, brushing her fingers over a bright purple sash, studded with jewels in the shape of stars. The display just happened to be facing towards the mirror Ben was using. Chewie snorted in disgust.

“Ben! Hush!” Hissing out her embarrassment, Rey felt her face burn. Quickly checking that Leia was out of earshot and fumbling with the sash, trying to replace it hurriedly. In her haste, the one in her hands and several others tumbled to the ground. Prompting one of the overly attentive clerks to hurry to the pregnant woman’s assistance. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to… I just… I’ll get some air!”

Layers of soft pastels swirled as Rey quickly moved to the door. There had not been much ready off the rack in her favored tones that would also accommodate her newly acquired figure. Encouraged by the attendants, she’d tried to take it as a chance to try something new. And so, paid for by the Organa accounts, she wore a simple cream short tunic with whitework embroidery and a skirt comprised of several layers of a sheer material done in abstract florals. The wide soft blue waistband was edged with small bits of metal that created a subtle ringing as she moved. It tied with a large bow just above her stomach, pridefully displaying the new life she was bringing into the galaxy. Rey was entirely certain it was the most costly garment she’d ever owned and her interest in exploration was suddenly dimmed by the threat of stains.

“Come with me?” Stepping out of the shop, Ben quickly threaded his arm around her own. Not waiting for Rey to agree before he started leading her away and towards an open air market where he suspected she would be more comfortable.

“We can’t leave Leia and Chewie,” protesting with slow steps though neither Master or Wookie were running out screaming. “What if…”

“You’re my guard, remember?” He nudged her shoulder gently, knowing where her thoughts were going. They were outside of a cell by Leia’s skill and grace. If they overstepped, he would be back and Rey would be either beside him or trying to get him out. Kissing her temple lightly, he finally conceded the truth. “Mother knows - she needs a little time to arrange suitable transportation to Varykino and I want to show you something.” Full Story on Ao3, with detailed tags and NSFW chapters

[the-far-bright-center]

Padme wanted to settle down and have a family even before AotC started. She had originally wanted to retire from the public eye after her time has Queen was over, but she stayed in politics at the request of Queen Jamillia. She wanted children soo badly, and she tells Anakin as much (in AotC deleted scenes). So he would have been genuinely happy she was finally going to the the kid(s) she had wanted for so long. Anakin was himself intending to leave the Order the moment the war was over, and would have left as soon as he returned home in RotS, but then his fateful nightmares began...

My point is that there is no Happy AU for Anakin and Padme that involves their children being taken from them and having to grow up at the Temple. If Luke and Leia were to be trained, Anakin and Padme would take care of it informally, at home (at least until the twins were old enough to make such choices for themselves). The only 'Happy AU' that would be truly happy for the Skywalkers is one in which they are allowed to be together as a family.

“ani i want to have our baby back home on naboo”

“we can go to the lake country where no one will know, where we can be safe”

“i can go early and fix up the baby’s room”

“i know the perfect spot, right by the gardens”

[phoenixyfriend]

Every time I try to do a modern AU I want to change up Padme's background

Her face is EE Jewish, her accent is American, her fashion is Mongolian(-inspired), her name is Indian(-inspired), her house is Italian--

And in a modern setting it's unlikely for all to be true at once so. You gotta pick.

I think I usually go with either Mongolian-Italian or Indian-Italian (racially), religiously and maybe ethnically Jewish? Aaaaaand probably Natalie Portman's own "immigrated to the US very young" background because same, which is then the accent.

Me pointing at Padme: I'm gonna project this one specific thing on her and you can't stop me

[i-will-always-love-the-jedi]

Just some kiddos, nothing bad will ever happen to them

Yep, nothing bad, not ever. What do you mean, I’m not delusional, they’re happy and still besties to this day?

…

[msuolo]

an ordinary morning in Varykino

[ontherocks21]

Someday I'll Write It:

It will forever be in my headcanon that Padmé regularly lounges around in Anakin's undertunic on lazy mornings together at their Coruscant apartment or during Varykino getaways. In fact, Anakin has returned to the Temple sans base layer often enough that the Jedi now keep tabs on his clothing inventory usage. He still hasn't offered a decently plausible explanation.

[anidaladefencelawyer]

It is important to understand that, regarding romantic relationships...

No romantic relationship is inherently toxic from the get-go, barring those that started out with a massive exertion of intimidation or force against one partner(and then it can't be truly seen as "romantic" at all outside of say YA, which I will give more leeway to deal with stuff like that, and even then a lot hinges on the execution and to what extent can any coercive patterns be effectively overcome). Rather a relationship is just as much shaped by social and material conditions that can make or break it.

And Anidala is no exception.

A lot of the things that Jedi uncriticals like to hold against Anakin and Padme as a couple(ie: never knowing eacn other, “over-idealization”, “two marriages”) and even some legitimate flaws(ie: weak communication, secrecy and paranoia, lack of "preparedness" in a relationship) have more do with a combination of how they were raised, combined with being literally separated for most of their three years together by a war, a war which broke Anakin's mind. They never have any time to even define themselves as a couple or talk about what boundaries are.

Even some of the "OOC" stuff that Anidalas hate and Jedi uncriticals point as the "smoking gun" evidence that Anidala would never work at all like the Clovis arc could be explained by this: Anakin lost Ahsoka and having witnessed the death of his mother, not having a good mindset to deal with loss because it never was imparted onto him properly, and this would only worsen his possessive tendencies. And that's not even getting into headcanons that Anakin was being exposed to far-right toxic gender norms from Palpatine and the even more plausible headcanon that Anakin saw some hutt or crime lord rape his mother and it traumatized him seeing Clovis behave like that.

Not only that, but Anakin is a character that has been confirmed tries his best to treat his Clones like human beings and the death of each Clone is confirmed to hit him hard. While it dosen't justify entirely him trying to make Padme his escape from reality when she is pushing through bills that could hinder Palpatine's consolidation of power, it at least explains why he behaves the way he did in Hostage Crisis, which is another "smoking gun" Jedi uncriticals like to use--he was likely getting traumatized by the war and has a two weeks "mindfulness break" to say the least, and he turned to one of the only people that could give him peace of mind. It dosen't justify him trying to prioritize their love above Padme's commitments, but both canon and the Legends EU makes it clear that the Clone Wars actually traumatized him considerably, and there is enough room to explain that behavior from Anakin via headcanon knowing what we know in expanded material.

In order to run the thesis that "Anidala was inherently toxic" you need to prove that they'd implode in peacetime and Anakin would behave at his worst on a daily basis even without a war or creeping fascistic influence into his mind. However, there is very little that supports this theory outside of an interpretation only Hidalgo has, even if you draw on the most negative headcanons of Anakin.

Actually, I wouldn't say "very little" or even "scant", I'd say there's literally no evidence that Anidala would implode in peacetime. The closest we get to how "Anidala would behave in peacetime" is AOTC, with Anakin and Padme happily running around the fields and trying to enjoy each other in Varykino, along with the first few minutes of ROTS where they express hope of being a happy family before the visions drove Anakin to the edge. And the argument that Anakin would behave poorly in peacetime falls apart even further if you consider the deleted scenes as canon--we see him getting to catch up with Padme while walking through Naboo, expressing interest in her political career(these outright shatter the assumption that Anakin didn't even get to know Padme at all, when the actual anwser is that "he did try, but he didn't get time to"), meeting her family and having a nice talk with her father, and her entire family has a lot of fun with him and actually root for him and Padme together. So that thesis gets entirely blown to pieces with the deleted scenes.

And this is not even considering the fact that whenever they can team up during the war in TCW and in the canon-era EU, they make a pretty good team.

So it's clear that the entire relationship was shaped by social and material conditions rather than a single choice to be selfish(and frankly from the outside looking in, I wouldn't even call that choice selfish until ROTS on Anakin's part, more "shortsighted" at the very worst), and a lot of what brought down the relationship or prevented it from "maturing" has more to do with external factors than some inherent incompatibility between the two.

Even E.K. Johnston, who is pretty polarizing in Anidala circles because while she made it clear in her books that Clovis was actually the mismatched one with Padme and gave them some cute moments and some decent payoff in Queen's Hope, she at best finds Anakin hard to write because of what he would become and at worst, dosen't even find Anakin redeemable, had this to say about Anidala:

"He’s kind of….not happy go-lucky because Jedi don’t really do that. But like his life has literally never been better than it is right now. He’s really good at fighting. He really likes clear-cut “these people are good, these people are bad” conflicts. And he’s married to the love of his life so, ya know, everything’s coming up Anakin at this point, which does make him very interesting to write because, of course, we all know what’s coming. But you get these sort of moments with them where they do have a genuine love. They like each other so much, they just never have any time and that’s their tragedy. They never have any time to talk, they never have any time to work things out, and I got to write a very, very small sliver of that time, which is something I think people have been looking forward to seeing for a while now."

If someone who is potentially pretty harsh on Anakin could see that structural factors and lack of time brought down Anidala, I don't know how modern day Jedi fans and Jedi uncriticals can ignore this nuances.

[fiatluxillustration-portfolio]

Varykino

Watercolor Illustration

[x]

[enjxlrass]

peaceful mornings at varykino

here to feed the rexanidala fandom hehe

close ups under the cut :]

[antianakin]

AU where Ahsoka sides with Maul on Mandalore because she thinks that if she works with him then she can get his information and help against the Sith Master but plans to double cross him to make sure Anakin lives. They leave Mandalore immediately on a stolen ship, so they make it back to Coruscant just in time for Anakin to still be there after attacking the Temple, but before Obi-Wan and Yoda arrive. While Maul goes off after Palpatine, Ahsoka goes after Anakin to try to save him, thinking he's been tricked or that it's some sort of Dark Side magic controlling him perhaps, but it's not.

Maybe Anakin is just leaving the Temple, so it's still belching smoke into the air and of course it's still overrun by the 501st who aim blasters at Ahsoka the moment she shows up to try to get in, but Anakin stops them, orders them not to shoot.

Anakin offers her the same choice that he will offer Padme later, the same choice he offers Obi-Wan on Mustafar in canon: join him or die.

Ahsoka chooses to join him. Because if she joins him, she might be able to do something to save him, to change his mind. She refuses to abandon him, to walk away, to fight him.

Anakin's just gotten his orders to go to Mustafar, but he asks Ahsoka to go look in on Padme, maybe even take her somewhere safe, take her to Naboo.

When Obi-Wan and Yoda split up, Obi-Wan finds an empty apartment and Yoda finds MAUL, still waiting for an opportunity to attack Sidious, unusually patient. They come to an extremely uneasy truce as they decide to tag team Palpatine. Obi-Wan has to go through security recordings again at Padme's apartment and sees Ahsoka show up, hears her say she's working with Anakin, and that Anakin wants Ahsoka to take her to Naboo, to Varykino. He hears Padme agree and sees them both leave. He knows it could be a trap, but it's the only lead he has.

Obi-Wan arrives on Naboo and while Ahsoka is initially delighted to see him and discover that he survived, she quickly realizes he knows about what Anakin's done and becomes protective. She knows that Obi-Wan is a Jedi, a member of the High Council, and that Anakin being a Sith will strain his loyalties, but that Obi-Wan will ultimately do what he must, even if Anakin refuses to back down. Ahsoka tries to get him to leave without knowing where Anakin is, and Obi-Wan refuses, which forces Ahsoka to pull out her lightsabers to try to force him to leave. She loses.

Obi-Wan takes the opportunity to try to get to Padme and convince her to tell him where Anakin is, but Padme refuses. Even if she DID know where Anakin was, she wouldn't tell Obi-Wan because she doesn't trust him not to try to kill Anakin and she doesn't believe that Anakin would ever do the things Obi-Wan is accusing him of doing. So Obi-Wan has to pretend to accept defeat and leave, but he knows that eventually Anakin will come back to check in on Padme, he just has to wait.

Yoda and Maul together are able to overpower Palpatine and kill him, although Maul dies in the process, as well. With Anakin waiting for orders that will never come on Mustafar, this leaves something of an opening for Bail Organa and the loyalists to step in and try to quickly undo some of what Palpatine just did. They undo the Empire, they quickly try to reach out to some of the Separatist worlds (the "leadership" Anakin kills on Mustafar appears to be predominantly the Corporate Alliance, not the actual Separatist Senators) to broker peace. They reach out to Kamino to figure out how to deactivate the control chips in the clones. They expose the lies Palpatine told about the Jedi, expose the truth of what Palpatine was and what the Jedi tried to protect them from, declare the Jedi to be fallen heroes, persecuted by Palpatine, not traitors of the Republic.

By the time Anakin figures out Palpatine's dead, the newly born Empire has begun to crumble, and his first priority is Padme anyway, so he goes straight to Naboo, where Obi-Wan is waiting for him. But while Obi-Wan could take Anakin alone, he can't take on Anakin and Ahsoka together. Ahsoka keeps Anakin from killing Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan is badly injured and left behind on Naboo as Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padme all go on the run. To add insult to injury, Anakin takes Obi-Wan's lightsaber with him.

Anakin and Ahsoka both have effectively sworn themselves to the Sith, but neither of them spent much time as Sith before Palpatine's death, so they're fairly ineffective Sith. Anakin had thought to take Palpatine's Empire as his own, kill Palpatine after Padme was saved and then rule the galaxy, but the Empire is already gone and Palpatine is dead. Anakin did not inherit Palpatine's ability to scheme and plan, just his anger and passion and selfish greed. He has a pregnant wife who might die in childbirth, so he gets them all somewhere to hide and leaves Padme with Ahsoka while he goes out scouring the galaxy for a way to save her from what he believes to be her impending doom. He fails, but Padme doesn't die. It changes very little.

Anakin and Ahsoka are welcome nowhere in the galaxy after what Anakin did, and Ahsoka refuses to leave Anakin a second time. They all have to start living on the run, living in the shadows, finding places where they can disappear among the populace. People are looking for Anakin, looking for Padme and Ahsoka, and Anakin isn't interesting in being merciful usually. When Ahsoka tries to step between Anakin and their pursuers the way she did with Obi-Wan, it rarely goes well anymore. And they still have to find ways to get supplies, clothes for the twins, food, fuel, and transportation without leaving traces that can be followed. Anakin isn't afraid to use mind tricks to force people to give things up for them, citing that obviously they need it more. When Ahsoka tries to speak out against killing the pursuers, against violating the minds of random citizens just trying to make a living, Anakin threatens to leave her behind because if she truly loved him then she'd do whatever it took to protect him and his family, tells her that when it was Ahsoka on the run he was the only one who believed in her innocence. So she kills, she helps with the mind tricks, she steals and lies.

It's so far from the perfect life Padme had dreamed for herself on Naboo. And her discontent fuels Anakin's anger, his fear of losing her in a way he hadn't truly considered. He starts lashing out more and more, at Ahsoka, at Padme, and even one or twice at the twins. And finally, Padme can no longer take it and snaps when he aims his ire at the twins and tries to kill him. Anakin doesn't let her, and this time, Obi-Wan isn't there to tell Anakin to let go.

Devastated at this final betrayal, Ahsoka leaps in to stab Anakin through the heart, and Anakin can absolutely sense her coming, he could stop her if he wanted to easily. But Anakin, broken at the realization that he just killed Padme, would rather die than have to live with that consequence. And Anakin decides to let Ahsoka's killing blow land. Padme and Anakin die within the same heartbeat. And so Anakin fulfills the prophecy, he destroys the last Sith with his apathy and selfishness, and brings balance to the Force with his death.

Now left completely alone and emotionally shattered, Ahsoka takes the twins to the only people she knows that might be able to help them. She takes them to find the survivors of the Jedi Order, living now in a different Temple as they try to recover alongside a healing galaxy. Even if they won't trust her, help her, accept her, she knows they would never abandon Luke and Leia.

The Jedi happily accept Luke and Leia into their Order, but after a few days, Ahsoka knows she can't stay there under their protection. She knows that she hurt people, she knows she left a path of pain behind her as much as Anakin did. And she knows she has to make amends for that as best she can, and that path starts with turning herself in to the Republic to face the consequences of her choices. The Republic has done some healing of its own and with the Jedi Council speaking up for her to a Senate and Chancellor more willing to listen, Ahsoka is asked to make amends by joining a reconstruction crew that's helping patch up the galaxy in the wake of the Clone War for a few years and meet with a healer to help her through the trauma once a week (she's allowed to use a Jedi mind healer given her Force Sensitivity and history in the Order and particular relationship to Anakin).

Slowly, Ahsoka starts to heal. She spends her time being constructive and peaceful, rather than destructive and fearful. She builds new connections to support her as she moves forward down a new path. And at the end of it, Ahsoka decides that she still wants to walk the path of a Jedi. She always has, even if she got lost along the way. So she heads back to the Temple, once again ready to be a Learner.

[fatedsith]

“Regardless of how we feel about each other.”

Her words haunt him even as he returns to his bedroom, the one across from Padmé’s on the topmost floor of the Varykino Villa. It was chosen so he could watch over her more easily; sense any disturbances. Not that there would be, at this estate– Anakin is confident in her safety, as long as they stay here at the Lake Country. After all, Governor Sio Bibble had agreed with Padmé that the Lake Country was the most remote part in all of Naboo. Despite what Padmé seemed to think, Anakin did value her input, knowing confidently that she’s the smartest woman he’s ever met. She joined the Apprentice Legislators when she was only eight and attended Theed Royal Academy, being trained to be a public servant.

He’s always thought it was a good thing that Padmé chose to serve; she was kind-hearted without sacrificing her intelligence. She was wise, strict and soft all at once. Anakin didn’t like politicians or their often indolent and selfish whims. If it weren’t for the Senate’s refusal to act swiftly, Naboo’s blockade wouldn’t have ruined so many lives. The unlawful Trade Federation had claimed taxation disagreements upon Naboo, using their membership in the Galactic Senate to further delay action. If it weren’t for Anakin’s own actions destroying the Trade Federation’s control ship, Naboo’s forces might not have overcome the blockade.

As much as he loved being of use to Padmé, he hated watching the Republic cause her such hardship, forcing her to go to even more extraneous lengths than she already would have. She was a good queen and now senator; wise and caring. Someone Anakin would trust with the universe itself, if the responsibility of it were placed on her shoulders. It was a shame all politicians couldn’t be more like her, and it was one of the many things about her that inspired him enough to keep her in his thoughts and dreams.

One of many things. There was also her beauty, and the connection they shared… the fact he can’t shake her from his visions. He would dream of her and in them they would talk and play, just like they had in the meadow. He felt as if he knew her more than he did; as if everything about her was also a part of him in some way. Lingering, even when she left him for ten years.

It’s why it leaves him in agony when she rejects him, telling him to come back to the real world as if his love was nothing but child’s play. He knows it’s not and it never was, even when they were children. He felt it— felt that they were meant for each other. Even the Force seemed intent on telling him so.

He returns to his bedroom with frustration and an aching sadness, discouraged. Why couldn’t she see they were meant to be? She wouldn’t even accept him when he tried to offer to keep it a secret. Didn’t she want him? She spoke delicately as if she did, dancing around the words. “Regardless of how we feel about each other,” she’d said, as if she felt it too.

That magnetic pull between them, like they needed each other. Or maybe only Anakin needed Padmé… Maybe he was a fool for coming here, thinking the senator still cared for him. Maybe Obi-Wan was right, as much as he hated even thinking the thought. But it had felt real to him, at the time– the way they kissed. She kissed him back; he’d felt it. The press of her soft mouth to his and the look in her eyes at the way his fingers trailed against her naked back.

He needs more– felt more. He swears he did, especially in the way she wiggled beside him, as if she was trying to put a lid on something she felt. Force it down, choke it out.

Or that’s what he tells himself as he starts to take off his robes, first the belt and then the leather overcoat. Pulling off the brown tunic with long sleeves, he rests the clothing on the end of the bed, leaving him shirtless.

The room Padmé gave him is adorned with the same golden curtains as in the sitting room, along with matching red velvet seats near the window. Everything is ornate; golden and beautiful, just like her and the rest of her world. Everything reminds him of her; the curtains, the intricate baroque furniture and expensive rugs. She’s like a princess, even though she isn’t a queen anymore. Maybe he thinks of her as one because she rules over his very heart and soul.

So he’s pulling his pants apart, sliding the loose dark fabric down. Jedi robes were so airy, which was good most of the time but not so much when he was trying to hide his arousal. How could he not be? Sitting beside her in a dimly lit room when she looked so beautiful, admitting she might feel something for him, just like in his dreams.

He had removed his shoes already because it was improper to wear them inside of the villa, especially up in this section of the castle. So he sits down on the bed, leaning against the headboard as his hand slips beneath the fabric of his underwear, his pants still half on his legs.

There’s a low fire crackling in the fireplace that they’d lit earlier; the one in the corner of his room. It illuminates his golden skin, making it easier to see his erection as he pulls it out. A soft frustrated sigh leaves him as his fingers close around his throbbing length, stroking gently and finding himself surprised at the force of pleasure that rolls through his body in response. It feels too good, thinking about her soft pink lips and the way they felt when they kissed on the veranda. It turns him on even more than her beauty does, knowing that she wanted him too, even if it was fleeting. Even if it didn’t mean to her what it meant to him.

How could she? “I will not give in to this,” she said, as if she wanted to give in. It’s all he can think about, almost obsessively, as he strokes himself a little harder. It feels like a betrayal of some kind, the way she rejected him after leaving him with the most incredible feeling he had ever experienced in his lifetime. All he can think about is the way her sweet mouth tasted, slotted against his. Frustration laces into the way Anakin touches himself, jerking off a little faster as his face contorts from the pleasure of it. He thinks about what would have happened if she did give in; if she would have had him on the couch. It’s enough to make him leak, getting his fingers wet as he touches himself, panting softly.

What he doesn’t expect is for the door to push open, hearing his name in her sweet voice. His head snaps up, looking for her in the dim light, hand still around himself. / @fatalqueen

[minecraftbookshelf]

some fake fic titles: Lost Trust The stars burn brighter in your eyes thorns and wilted roses (such a somber crown) As ever, till the end Sit and watch the planets pass by

Made up fic titles lets go!

Lost Trust - In "Adventures in Grian-Napping" I mention "the soulmate incident". This would be that. Focused mostly on Scott and Pearl probably. Double Life Urban Fantasy Style.

the stars burn brighter in your eyes - not mcyt, this would be a Star Wars fic, Anakin and Padme, a quiet day together at Varykino.

thorns and wilted roses (such a somber crown) - Wither Rose Alliance Core Four, the survivors meet up after the rapture. Sausage finds the Roseblings and has to tell them Pearl is gone. They hold a funeral service.

As Ever, Till the End - Joel and Lizzie, building off of that one time Mr InTheLittleWood said that Joel would always recognize Lizzie, in any world. Something utilizing that, featuring especially the Life Series, Empires, and HC10 (The Statue)

Sit and Watch the Planets Pass By - Etho character study, running from when he separated from the Universe up to "present day" Mostly focused on Hermitcraft and the Life Series bc i dont have much familiarity with his singleplayer series (blasphemy, I know)

Thank you for the ask!

[wendingways]

Lately, I've been procrastinating writing a tricky bit of Fortunate's Rule wanting to draw a scene where Ahsoka has been knighted, and Anakin has taken on Starkiller as his second padawan.

This drawing began as a pencil sketch on a light day at work. (On printer paper. With a crappy eraser. It was painful.) And then I photographed the sketch, loaded the pic in Krita, and colored over it. Then found a Varykino pic to go off of for the background, since the trio seemed to require one.

I'm fairly happy with it! Really pleased with the shading on the clothes, and with Ahsoka's lekku in general. Shading Anakin's face was incredibly trying for some reason, however, and I'm not at all sure that he looks ~10 years older than in TCW.

Oh, and Krita has this cool impasto brush that made filling in the gravel on the patio so easy! There's also a nice sponge brush that made the water similarly simple.

(See below for OG sketch and pose reference credit.)

The OG sketch:

Based off of this pose reference that I found on Pinterest, by mellon_soup.

[serendipity-by-chance]

personally anidala fics where anakin retires from being a jedi are my favourite. i like jedi order’s rigidness tbh and them wanting to maintain their code which exists for a reason.

i like when anakin retires and so does padme from the senate and they go back to naboo and they start doing other things but still helping people like opening up organisation to help slaves or anakin is partly a mechanic and padme handles more political stuff on naboo. i like the idea they live on theed but often spirit away on varykino with the children. i want them to have the simple happy life they want while still helping people. maybe not with lightsabers or the political aspect that they both had before but still finding ways to help people.

i also like it when obi wan and anakin have a difficult relationship in these stories and they slowly heal together and the twins help them heal. and i like obi wan being on the council still and not leaving the Order because he is the perfect jedi with his compassion and selflessness and being able to push aside his own grief for the better of others.

as for ahsoka i like the aus where she goes back because she sees the fault in the jedi system but ahsoka wants to make it better and restore the faith in jedi so she does that. but i also love the aus where she doesnt do that and like anakin and padme she goes around helping people in her own way.

and still at the end of the day, once a month or so maybe they’ll all gather together and have dinner or sth. the twins’ birthday is national holiday for them and they must attend the celebration. it’s the only time obi wan will act less like a jedi and shove responsibilities at others.

i just think after the war they all deserve a quiet and happy life.

this was meant to be about anidala but became about my prequel faves lol.