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ladyinwriting18 · 1 year

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The Gift (Darth Maul x You)

Summary: Returning home after a recent failure, Darth Maul just wants to sink into solitude. But instead he finds a rather large gift box waiting for him.

Words: 5,072

Warnings: Master/Slave, PIV, Oral Sex, Knotting.

It had been one of the longest weeks of Maul’s entire life. He had barely eaten, barely slept. There hadn’t been time for such things. Not when his Master had given him the important task hunting down the Nubian Princess and her two Jedi protectors. There had been sightings of them in the Outer Rim, but by the time Maul had arrived there had been no trace of them. Which meant that he had searched every desolate planet in the forsaken system. But he found nothing. Which meant that, not only is Maul sleep-deprived and underfed, he’s also fucking livid. Come morning he’d be standing before his Master admitting his failure. The disappointment he’d soon face is undeinable. He enters his quarters, desperate to sink into silence and isolation, but instead he finds a giant and neatly wrapped gift box standing right in his path.

Maul almost loses it and snatches off his heavy black cloak to toss it aside. “What in the Stars is this?” He growls to himself. The anger he feels evolves into tension that it has the muscles between his shoulder blades aching. Slowly, he approaches the strange box. His bright eyes run over it, catching sight of a letter sitting beneath a large red bow. Gloved fingers snatch the note up to read the perfectly written Aurebeshian words. Dear Apprentice,

Use this gift to ease the sting of your failure. Perhaps taking your aggression out on it will help you remember who you are. -Sidious Nausea rolls through him. His Master already knew he had failed. He didn’t need to be told. He just knew. Which is not only infuriating but also humiliating. Maul crumples the letter in his hand and squeezes until his fist begins to hurt. After a moment he lets it drop. He might as well get this over with so he could finally get some sleep.

He reaches out and pulls apart the bow before ripping away the wrapping paper. Cautiously, he leans forward to look inside but what he finds leaves him stunned. He blinks his eyes a few times to see if he’s simply sleep deprived or if there really is a beautiful and nearly naked woman looking up at him. Your lips turn up into a soft smile. “Hello, Master. How may I serve you?” Maul can only stare. You tilt your head to the side curiously. “Master? Are you alright? You look-” “Who are you? What is this?” He snaps, though he can’t stop himself from looking over the length of your body. You’re in a kneeling position, with your knees closed and your hands folded in your lap. Around your neck a silk black ribbon is neatly tied. It matches the nightgown you wear. It doesn’t go unnoticed that it barely covers your body. Maul swallows….hard. Looking up, he finds your gentle and friendly gaze. No one looked at a sith lord like that, especially not random women. You speak up, your voice is soft….comforting, like warm honey. “I’m yours now, Master. I belong to you.” His brows pull together. He doesn’t understand. “What?” However, his confusion doesn’t deter you from patiently re-explaining. “I’m a gift from your Master and I’m here to serve you, for as long as you want me.” “You’re my….gift.” You warmly smile and nod. He still can’t seem to fully wrap his head around the concept. “A human gift. In a box?” “Mhmm,” You hum. “Although, I could be more useful outside the box. If it pleases you, Master.”

Maul suddenly realizes that he’s kept you waiting inside this damn box for much too long. He also has no idea how long you’ve been inside before finding you. Sidious isn’t known for his tenderness towards women. For all Maul knows you had been made to wait for days. He holds his hand out for you to take and waits, but you don’t move. “Well?” He asks, irritated to see you still kneeling. You whisper, looking rather shy. “I need your permission first.” “You need–what?” He has no idea why you’d need a verbal command to stand up, but his patience is wearing thin. His fingers twitch as his hand remains outstretched to you. “Get out of the box. Now.” You immediately rise to your feet and place your smaller hand in his as you lift your leg over the edge of the box, then the other. It gives Maul an excellent view of your body. You’re beautiful, with an air of grace and femininity. Not to mention your scent is so intoxicating that it has his cock twitching. He continues to eye you curiously, enjoying the way your body moves as you situate yourself in front of him. You smooth out your short nightgown and tuck a stray lock of hair behind your ear before sinking back to your knees. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but it definitely wasn’t that. Placing his hand behind his back, he looks down at you from the tip of his nose and starts to circle around you with slow, calculated steps. “Did I hear you correctly? You said you belong to me now?” “Yes, Master.” He stops in front of you. “And you’ll do anything I ask?” You keep your eyes down, but answer without hesitation. “It will bring me great pleasure to fulfill your every request.” He grits his teeth and clenches his hands into fists. But not out of anger…out of anticipation and need. Needs that hadn’t been met in a very long time. “Look up at me,” He commands. You eagerly obey, and look up at him with large doe eyes. You stare at him like you truly want to fulfill his every desire. Everything about you screams submission. It awakens the primal side within him. The one that hiss at him to mate and breed. His Master had said that the gift was meant for him to take his aggressions out on. He could dominate you, take you, and claim you all in a single night. His chest rises and falls at a quick, jagged pace. This stunning little creature is all mine.

The realization makes him grin. “You say that you’ll fulfill any request?” You nod, “Anything Master.”

Maul chuckles darkly. He wants to test that theory by having you crawl to him and swallow his cock whole.

But first? First he wants to play, to see if you really did want to serve him. He takes a step forward with his right foot, placing his boot in front of you. “Kiss it.” Immediately you obey, positioning yourself on all fours. You lean down and press your full lips to the tip of his boot. But you don’t stop at just one kiss. In fact you cover the top of his boot with kisses. The entire time you make soft, sweet noises—as if it’s actually bringing you pleasure to kiss his fucking foot. Maul lets out a rough growl. “Don’t stop.” You purr and lower your upper body even further onto the floor, but keep your hips in the air. It showcases the soft curve of your ass. Your kisses turn to licks, making the tops of his boot glisten with your spit. The sight almost makes him lose control. “Keep going,” he commands through clenched teeth. He can feel his cock pulsing, constrained by his pants but so fucking hard and just waiting to be set free. Clasping your hands around his ankle, you pull your torso off the floor to get closer to him. You hold eye contact with him while kissing and nuzzling your way up the length of his leg. You look at him without fear, without disgust, without judgment.

It's an unusual occurrence for him. Especially because on his home planet of Dathomir, males are deemed desirable based solely on fighting skills. But this is different. You are different. You look at him with reverence and lust. A quick peek into your mind tells him that you find him beautiful….exotic.

Another unusual occurrence that only makes him more eager to claim you. However, once you reach his groin, you stop and sit back on your heels with your feet folded beneath you. You sit with your spine perfectly straight and your hands resting atop your knees, palms up. So submissive and so fucking perfect. “You’re waiting for my command, aren’t you?” Maul asks, as a gloved hand hovers over the bulge in his pants. Your eyes dart to the movement of his hand that’s now slowly rubbing his erection through his pants. You seem transfixed but still manage to reply.

“My sole purpose is to give my Master pleasure. I’m your property to do with as you please.”

“My property?” He breathes and lowers his pants to release his aching cock.

He watches with satisfaction when your eyes widen at the sight of it.

You nod as your gaze looks over the markings that line his shaft.

“You’re my property,” he repeats, savoring the concept on his tongue. “My beautiful…little…submissive…slave girl.”

Maul pants between words, stroking himself with a firm grip.

“Yes Master,” you moan with a lick of your lips as you watch his hand move up and down his length. “I’m your slave. I belong to you and only you.”

“Then be a good girl and come suck my cock.”

You almost take him by surprise with how fast you rise onto your knees. Within seconds, you have one hand wrapped around the base while your tongue traces over the markings you were once eyeing.

“My Master is so beautiful.” You moan out while your tongue eagerly works.

Maul isn’t sure if you meant to say that outloud or not but it hardly matters once you wrap your lips around the head of his cock.

Your hand and mouth work in tandem—tugging firmly while lovingly sucking. That is until you drop your hand away and deepthroat him. “Fucking Maker.” He swears and throws his head back.

You hum, tightening your lips around him as you pick up your pace and bob your head up and down while sucking him off. He watches you intently. Yellow irises burn with lust at every flick of your tongue. “Are you enjoying this, pet?” He pants, dick stiffening and pulsing in your mouth. You hum happily and Maul can’t fight the smile that tugs at his lips. Your mouth is warm and so fucking inviting, like his cock was always meant to be there. His hand shoots out to grip the back of your head. Thick fingers tangle in the locks of your hair, moving you up and down at just the right pace. You obey his physical commands and let him fuck your mouth while you slobber all over him. The sounds of you slurping and sucking with so much enthusiasm send him into a frenzy. It’s almost too much. Your skilful tongue. Your hot mouth. The wet, messy sounds of you sucking. And your big beautiful eyes that look up at him full of affection.

It only makes him want you more. His hands tighten their grasp on your head and begin thrusting his hips forward, slamming his cock into your throat as far as physically possible. You sputter around him, nails gripping and digging into his thighs to hold yourself steady. “That’s it,” he grunts, “choke on your Master’s cock.” You moan, gagging and groaning while saliva drips from the corner of your mouth. Your brows knit together, face crumpled in pleasure and that’s when he catches sight of you pressing your thighs together. A spark of intense heat bursts through him. You’re getting off on this. Pleasing him. Choking on his cock. Being a good little slave girl. His last bit of control snaps. “Stand up.” He commands and forcefully pulls away, slipping his cock from your mouth. You take a moment to catch your breath before standing. He allows you this reprieve but keeps himself busy by stripping off the rest of his clothing. By the time you’re on your feet, he stands before you naked except for his leather gloves. You look him over, taking in every black mark that decorates his flesh. You take a step forward, hands outstretched as if you want to touch. He doesn’t give you the chance. Instead he places his hands on your shoulders and pushes you backwards until your back hits the wall. He shoves his hand between your legs while the other leans flat against the wall above your head.

He towers over with a grin, “Be a good girl and open wider for me.” You shift your stance, leaning against the wall so you can spread your legs wider and allow his hand to slip inside your panties. His fingers make contact with your already soaked cunt. A chorus of sweet melodies leave your open mouth. You grind yourself into his touch. He desperately wants to fuck you right here against the wall, but he knows you’ll need to cum before taking his cock and more importantly his knot. So first he’d take care of you and make your sweet little pussy gush all over him. “You’re so wet.” He breathes, he can tell by how easily his glove slides along your slit that you’re drenched.

He prods your opening and watches your eyelids droop close. “What an overactive cunt you have.” “It’s your cunt now, Master. All of me is yours.” He hums in approval and leans in to whisper in your ear. “That’s right, you do belong to me,” His finger traces back up towards your clit. “Every part of you is mine. Including your clit,” He purrs and applies pressure to the sensitive bud. You whine and twitch, nearly coming undone from the firm circles he rubs onto your clit. Being Dathomirian helps to heighten his senses. Allowing him to pick up on the sound of your wetness smashing against his glove. Your head tilts back and your mouth falls open into a tiny ‘o’. You’re about to cum, but he isn’t finished playing with you. Not by a long shot. He pulls his gloved hand away and brings it to his mouth, causing you to sob at the loss of his touch. It’s almost adorable how needy you are. Using his teeth, he rips the glove from his hand before spitting it onto the floor and returning it to your cunt. Except this time he moves his fingers to your entrance and plunges them inside of you. You cry out, both hands grab ahold of the arm pressed between your thighs and mercilessly fingerfucking you. His fingers move in slick, quick thrusts that have you mewling nonsense.

He leans in further, nuzzling the side of your face with his and pressing his body against yours. You gasp at the feeling of his hard cock leaking precum on your thigh. Maul chuckles and hovers by your ear while he speaks. “This belongs to me too. This tight little hole is mine. Do you understand?” He asks, picking up the pace of his fingers. “I’ll fuck it when I want and fill it up with my cum whenever I want.”

“Yes, yes, my Master! I understand.” You blubber at him but he doesn’t relent. “That’s a good girl.” He praises before falling silent.

For the next few moments, the only sounds are the wet squelching sounds of your cunt and your desperate cries.

You’re close to cumming again, and this time he has no plans on stopping you.

“Master….I….I’m going to–”

“I know.” He cuts you off, “But cumming is a privilege and you may not cum without my permission. Ever. Is that understood?”

“Yes Master. I must never cum without permission.” You whine while gripping his arm even tighter.

His thumb grazes your clit while still skillfully pumping his fingers.

“P-Please Master. May I cum? Please let me?”

Even if he wanted to tell you no he couldn’t with how wide and pleading your eyes look.

“Go on and cum for me.”

The permission is all you need to let the cord inside you snap.

Your entire body goes rigid and the ability to speak leaves you. Words are replaced with breathy, unrestrained moans. Your orgasm hits you so hard that your legs threaten to give out, but his muscular body holds you in place.

His fingers are coated in your juices which makes him wonder if you’d do the same to his cock.

You ride out your orgasm before slumping back against the wall. With a flushed face and glossed over eyes, you try to catch your breath. He watches your every move and removes his fingers from your core.

“Thank you for letting me cum, Master.” You murmur politely.

Could you be any more perfect?

Maul crashes his lips onto yours, forcing his tongue inside of your mouth. You return the kiss in a flurry of passion.

Up until now you had mostly kept your hands to yourself. Using them only when necessary to bring him pleasure or cling to him, but now your hands roam free.

Starting from his shoulder, you trail your hands down his bare chest to his hip bones. He moans into your mouth, enjoying the feeling of your soft hands and the way you gently suck at his tongue.

Your hands continue downward until your fingertips brush against his still very hard cock.

He breaks the kiss with a grin. “Does my slave girl want more? Should I give that cunt a taste of my cock?”

You only have time to nod before being grabbed, spun around, and thrown to the floor. Before you could yell out in shock he’s on top of you, trapping you beneath his body.

“You want this, to be fucked by your Master’s cock.” He lets his gaze leisurely travel down the length of you before making eye contact again. “Isn’t that right my naughty little slut?”

“If it pleases you, my Master,” You breath out with your chest rising and falling at a much quicker speed. “Then yes, I would like to be fucked on your cock.” At the last second you bite your bottom lip and whisper out a please. It has his pulse thumping in his veins and gripping the bust of your nightgown and tearing it apart. You yelp in surprise at being instantly exposed. The flimsy material is nothing but shreds in his hand. He does the same to your panties, leaving you bare except for the silk bow that had been tied around your neck. He stills, soaking in your beauty. You were quite possibly the most stunning thing he’s ever seen. He lets his fingertips brush along your side, chuckling when you shiver as if you’re ticklish. “Get on all fours for me.” As you turn to obey he situates himself behind you, grabbing at your flesh and kneading fistfulls of your ass. You moan, arching into his touch. “Does the naughty thing like this?” He coos, gripping your hips and pulling you back so your ass touches his cock. “Yes Master,” you moan, wiggling against him so his cock presses into your cunt from behind. “Does my little slave want to be fucked?” “I do, Master. Please. Please fuck me?” You look over your shoulder and beg. His arm lashes out and squeezes the back of your neck. He forces your head to the ground before growling out a command. “Keep that pretty face of yours on the floor.” You squeak and manage a nod before he releases your neck and lines his cock up to your entrance. He drags it across the length of your slit, making you whimper impatiently. He chuckles at your eagerness. “Now, now use your words. Tell your Master what you want….Exactly what you want.” Your mind spins, trying to form words good enough to get you what you desire. “I….I want Master to claim me for the very first time. I want to feel your cock hit me so deep that I have to beg permission to cum again. Please Master, I'll do anything.” A low growl rumbles in his chest as sweet words flow from your lips. Everything you’re saying is beyond perfection but instead of giving you a verbal reply, Maul plunges balls deep inside of you. You both tense and moan. He because of the tightness of your walls fluttering around him and you because of the sudden intrusion of his cock demanding to be taken. “Is that deep enough for that hungry hole of yours?” He groans and slowly moves out, then back in, giving you time to adjust. But knew he couldn’t wait for much longer. Not when you feel so good wrapped around him. He breathes out, watching his cock glisten from your juices when he pulls out a bit. “Are you enjoying being my little fuck toy? Do you like that I own this pussy?” “Yes!” You cry, trying to arch back to get his cock deeper. “I’m all yours, Master, and I love it.” At that he slams into you, not being able to wait any longer. You yelp at the pressure, screaming against the floor as he fucks you. He couldn’t keep his pace slow, his rhythm rough and steady. You clench around him, causing him to hiss. “No one will ever fuck you again. Do you hear me? You. Are. Mine!” He punctuates the last of his words with deeper thrusts.

Your eyes screw shut, the pleasure building in your lower belly. How you manage to nod in response is beyond you. It all feels too amazing to use the rational side of your brain. He plows into you from behind, his balls slapping against your clit. You curl your toes with a whine.

“Mhmm, that’s my good pet. Take this cock.” He looks down at his cock, hard, ribbed with veins and coated in your juices as it thrusts in and out of your wet hole. It’s a glorious sight and it has his orgasm threatening to hit, but there’s something he has to do first. And that’s making you cum. He grips your hips and delves as deep as he can inside of you, hitting that spot deep inside of you that has you speaking in broken, indecipherable sentences.

“I want you to cum for me,” he speaks in labored breathing and reaches around your thigh so he could rub your clit while spearing you on his length. “I want you to cum for me now.” You fall completely silent. For a moment he worries you’ve passed out, but then he feels your inner walls close around his cock in the more delicious way. Then comes the mewls. Loud, unfiltered, beautiful music. “That’s it. Cum on your Master’s cock.” He praises, lurching forward as you gush and spasm all over him. Your breathing is labored as you start coming down from your high.

His hand runs up your back to tangle his fingers into your hair, and using it to tug your head back so you hold yourself with your hands. He leans over your body and licks up your spine. Your sweat tastes salty on his tongue. He moans at the taste before moving towards your ear. “Have you ever taken a knot before, Little One?” A barely audible moan passes your lips before shaking your head. Maul hums in satisfaction. “Would you like to?” You don’t hesitate in answering. “Yes please, Master.” Releasing your hair, he returns it to your waist so he can drive himself into you. You start crying out for him again, even going so far as to beg for his knot. He’s so close now, the base of his cock starts to swell. Your pleas push him over the edge. He growls and lurches forward as his knot expands and locks you both together. You yelp and tense up, trying to move away from the intense intrusion but Maul’s arm comes around your middle and holds you securely to his chest as ropes of cum fill you. “Shhhh, you’re alright.” He soothes while panting. He knows that taking a knot isn’t easy. Especially since it’s your first time.

On shaky limbs he turns so you can both rest on your sides. The movements though slow still cause you to whimper. “Easy, I’ve got you.” He continues to sooth and slips an arm under your head so you can use it as a pillow. While the other strokes your sternum. “You did so well for me. You’ve made your Master proud.” He whispers, pleased when he feels you relax slightly. Clearly his words have comforted you.

“I feel so full.” He hums and nuzzles you with his nose. “Feels good, doesn’t it?” You nod, “It’s intense but I’ve never felt anything like it.” He leaves a number of kisses along your shoulder and neck. “Once it goes down we’ll be able to get up and dress for bed.” You leave a kiss on his bicep. “Yes, Master.” “Call me Maul.” “As you wish, Master Maul.” Maul pauses, warmth blooms in his chest. He liked the way you said his name and looked at him. It made him feel things.

Things he didn’t have a name for. The knot inside you softens, allowing Maul to slip his cock from your depths. He detangles from you and holds a hand out to you. “Let me help you up.” You murmur a thank you, smiling sweetly and place your hand in his. He hoists you up with ease. You sway slightly but his hands hold onto you until you find your footing. His bright eyes look you over and notice the ribbon still tied in place at your neck. He reaches out and unties it. “What’s your name, sweet thing?” You tell him and he repeats it back, liking the way it rolled off his tongue. “Well pet, you are now under my care. If you serve me well, I will take care of your every need.” Your eyes go wide, tears filling them. “Thank you Master Maul! Thank you so much. I promise to be the perfect slave for you.” He eyes you for a moment, curious as to why you seem so emotional. Eventually giving you a nod before walking past you to pull his pants back on. However, when he looks back at you, he finds you still standing there naked. “You can dress in your nightclothes. It’s time for bed.” You fidget uncomfortably. “The only clothes I have with me are ruined, Master Maul.” You point down to the nightgown that he had torn off you. He frowns, “That won’t do. I’ll have clothes made for you tomorrow.”

Picking up his discarded cloak he starts making his way over to you. “Did my Master not send you here with any personal items?” “No, Master Maul. He said that, um, that…” you trail off, looking down at the ground. “Nevermind, Master.” Your discomfort is palpable. He wraps his robe around your shoulders, letting it encompass your frame. You clutch onto it and say thank you, but still don’t meet his gaze. “Look at me.” He commands, knowing you’ll obey. You do and his hand cups your cheek. “Don’t shut your Master out. What’s upsetting you?” You gnaw on your bottom lip before responding. “It’s just…your Master told me I didn’t need to pack anything because he didn’t think you’d spare my life after….well after you were through with me.” This gives him pause. Sure he was a Sith assassin but that didn’t mean he’d harm someone without good reason. “What else did he tell you?” “That I belong to whoever opens the box, and that I’m to serve them until they no longer have use for me.” You shuffle your feet. “Which he predicted to be for one night.” Your eyes fall back to the ground. He lets out a deep sigh. Your fear isn’t something he wants. He places a finger under your chin and raises it, ensuring your eyes are locked. “I meant what I said. You are mine now, and I will take good care of you.” Slowly the anxiety in your expression melts away. Your bright eyes and sweet smile returning once more. “Thank you, Master Maul.” “Come, let’s go to bed.” His finger drops and in one graceful motion lifts you up into his arms. You cling to him as he cradles you to his broad chest and brings you into his bedroom. He lets you crawl out of his cloak and under the covers of his bed. Once you’re situated he lays next to you. Suddenly, he feels fucking exhausted–emotionally and physically. He just wants to rest, but every time he closes his eyes everything comes tumbling down on him. His failures, his wasted time and resources, his impending meeting with Sidious in the morning. A rustling beside him pulls him from his thoughts. “Thank you, Master Maul.” You coo, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. Your lips flutter against his skin as you whisper. “For everything.”

No one had ever thanked him so much in his entire life. He isn’t sure how to handle this type of praise. What he does know is that a kiss on the cheek isn’t enough.

He turns his head to capture your lips with his own. “You’re welcome, pet.” He whispers against your mouth.

You seem satisfied and let out a soft sigh before nestling yourself against him with your head on his chest. Not knowing how to react, he doesn’t move. He had never had a woman snuggle with him before. Should he bring you closer? Should he hold you? It doesn’t seem to matter because within minutes your breathing slows and you fall asleep. Maul looks down at your slumbering face. You feel so soft and small next to him. How could his Master ever imagine that he’d hurt someone like you? Slowly, he lifts his hand and places it on the curve of your hip and pulls you closer. The scent of your hair fills his nostrils.

He breathes in deeply, closing his eyes as the pleasant smell.

You hum contently in your sleep and Maul’s lip twitches up. He doesn’t know what the future held but he did know one thing….

He could get used to this.

#darth maul #darth maul x you #darth maul x reader #darth maul smut #darth maul fanfic

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sethnakht · 1 year

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there's an au in my head where vader shows up at jabba's palace before luke but after leia's capture on a tip call from boba fett. leia, captive on jabba's throne, senses his arrival well before she sees him; watching his descent into the throne room, she regrets conjuring the spectre of "powerful friends" to scare jabba. vader has strangled several guards by this point; jabba doesn't care; he receives vader as though they were old business partners, without a translator. vader interrupts jabba in the middle of a self-congratulatory overture - jabba is harboring the leader of the rebel alliance, he says, pointing at leia, and must surrender her immediately. this escalates; jabba offers han instead, vader counters that jabba will relinquish the princess or die, jabba reaches for the controls to his rancor pit, leia averts her eyes, unwilling to key vader into the trapdoor beneath his feet, and suddenly vader is gone and she and the whole throne retinue are sliding, lurching, falling; they're the ones in the pit, and when she looks up, she sees vader staring down at them with an ignited lightsaber, surrounded by poorly aimed blaster fire. she looks away just as he begins to deflect it.

vader has decided to pay boba and lure luke and punish jabba all at once; he leapt over the throne and pushed its occupants with the force, pickled frogs and leia included, into the rancor pit. he still fully intends that leia be made his prisoner - he doesn't want to kill his best line to luke - he simply assumes that since she's survived him, she can survive anything. as it happens, leia does escape the rancor because it feasts on the stunned jabba first, breaking the chain that connected her to him; dodging the panicking attendants, who also end up eaten or mauled, she finds the pit entrance and secures herself by bringing down the threshold gate. if vader's right about leia, though, he's wrong here about luke, who isn't provoked into appearing. becoming impatient - having slaughtered every guard who hasn't fled - vader deprives artoo of luke's hidden saber and decides to draw luke to him where he cannot fail to appear. stuck between gates in the dungeon, leia shrieks and missteps, slicing open her boot and her foot on a misplaced axe; vader has materialized silently, like a shadow that shouldn't be in the desert. he's in a foul mood; ignoring her limp, he pulls her out by the chain still attached to her neck (because he's petty and hasn't forgotten her comment about his 'leash') all the way to his private ship (the nubian j-type that symbolizes and effected his removal from tatooine, the ship he has in the comics). with usual bumbling luck (let's say his restraining bolt no longer works because jabba is dead), threepio trails them and ends up boarding too, commenting blithely about the ship's royal trappings.

well aware luke is on tatooine, vader doesn't leave the planet; flying in a way that leia first thinks is just intended to keep her off-balance, he heads for the lars homestead. lashed to the co-pilot's seat and without a sense of their direction, leia looks at featureless sand and can't help but call up the map in her mind to where obi-wan would have lived. it's popular fanon that vader can't read leia's mind owing to natural mental shields; I could see exploring an alternative where he can sense her strong emotions, where he does swoop in and catch the fish swimming right at the surface - only that what he catches is what she's chosen to sacrifice, or what she sees no reason to hide. what to him is a prize is to her an acceptable loss. so maybe in this au, there's this history between them: on the death star, she'd given up that obi-wan was part of her mission, anticipating that he'd be on alderaan and out of reach, while protecting the location of the rebel base; maybe that's why she survived her interrogation, because vader had gone so distracted with the bait that he'd lost interest in the fish. point being, vader is well aware that she's thinking about obi-wan right at this moment, and leia is chilled to realize, just from the quality of his silence, that she knows that he knows.

but this soon doesn't matter, because she realizes they're being pursued by what's left of jabba's guard and the millenium falcon. vader is possibly an even crazier pilot in atmosphere than in space, performing stomach-turning stunts like killing the ship's engines and going into a freefall dive to get each attacker but the more distant falcon to destroy itself; the falcon he shakes off by heading straight into a massive sandstorm. droid-like as he is, leia realizes he doesn't rely on the ship's instruments when the storm causes half to fail and they still make it past flying debris. after landing, vader orders leia to put on a flightsuit and helmet before they exit into the storm, lest she take unnecessary further damage. freeing herself of the mask the moment they're in an enclosed part of the homestead - which required passing through a courtyard open to the hostile elements - leia is first surprised by vader's choice of an abandoned hovel, then concerned when threepio reveals where they are. the more details threepio spills (the more the limits of his memory banks are revealed to vader), the more uneasy leia becomes. luke's family died because of the empire. but they'd still be alive, she can't help but think, had she not sent the death star plans to this planet. perhaps enjoying this dark turn to her thoughts, vader doesn't interrupt the flow of commentary. evidently unfazed by his own role in murdering luke's family, he prowls through their home as though it were his own castle. leia can imagine he's designing a trap for luke. silently, she implores him to stay away.

luke doesn't come. a massive piece of farming equipment, left unmaintained for too long and violently unmoored by the storm, smashes into vader's ship, taking out an engine. bounty hunters hired by angry hutts try to finish the job; vader kills them, but not before they've set his ship on fire. and vader starts to go slightly more mad than usual; the tatooine sand in his suit and smoke preventing use of his ship's hyperbaric chamber and luke's refusal to acknowledge his psychic pleading/threats and threepio's obviously mindwiped chatter and leia's scorching presence, her immense grief and scorn, her way of judging without having to speak a word - it all warps, and blurs, as he paces like the suit is cooking him from inside, and touches the wall disjointedly, and makes sudden disappearances to repair his ship with cheap moisturizer parts. for her part, leia is judging. she knows why vader wants her alive, and she's angry to be used again as bait, to say the least. and she's also judging her own chances: she's not eaten, not had access to water, she's lost a good deal of blood, her foot is bandaged with dirty cloth, and luke's lightsaber is hanging from vader's belt, tantalizingly near.

she tries to goad vader, to distract him from his ship repairs and the trap he's creating and the second lightsaber on his belt. he's become predictable, and luke won't come. she has no reason to hide her love for luke, so when vader lashes out mentally - jealously pilfering surface impressions of luke from her mind - he can remain blind to her intentions. only vader is paying real attention to her now that he's gotten to taste those memories, she's fed a hunger she hadn't known could devour, and she understands that he's draining her, taking from her, that she's shriveling up from thirst and regret and this connection. he's seeing her value as for the first time and isn't seeing her at all - and when threepio begins crying for help, drawing vader's attention away, leia is certain she is going to die.

vader wants to know when threepio entered her service. threepio is only too glad to answer exactly. leia is too depleted to care about what he shares - better that he spill the secrets of the dead captain antilles than having vader back in her head - she drifts into unconsciousness, and dreams. she's back at the palace in aldera, in the oval garden, where a stone statue of queen amidala had stood watch over beds of white asters. leia had liked to look into the child-queen's solemn face - her mother had often brought her here to tell her stories of amidala's adventures - but in her dream she is facing the statue's back, a meaningless circumstance that somehow chills her. she circles closer and yet can't get around to the front, and the harder she tries the more the details slip from her, until she can't even remember amidala's face. this too, she has lost.

anyway, that's the setup. it escalates from there. vader is paying enough attention to entertain new suspicions about luke's strong feelings for leia; amongst the many other threatening things he does, he finds desert cacti and makes leia drink the nectar. (for all she knows, it's poison, and the spikes on the surface cut her fingers and press against her face like needles.) leia, still certain she is dying, commits to saving luke as her final act, which she believes means killing vader. vader repairs his ship; leia ensures the self-destruct goes off while they're both on it. vader absorbs the blast, keeping leia alive at the cost of compromising his own life support; suddenly faced with the chance to fulfil her wish, luke's lightsaber in her hands, leia finds herself unable to follow through - because vader tells her to do it.

at last, a figure on the horizon. luke is come.

#darth vader #leia organa #long post #fic idea #this is 99% vibes with vanishing traces of plot and structure and substance #sometimes little films will play in my head #I can describe the framing and blocking and how the shots are edited #but can't for the life of me write fiction #or piece the little films together into a sensible composition #so am expelling them here to be rid of them

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