Chapter Text
When they stepped off the ship Ahsoka looked at her surroundings, there wasn’t a single patch of grass or forest around her, the air smelled of oil and pollution, it left a terrible stench in her nose. In place of the trees and forests of her home were buildings, taller than her mind could fully comprehend, and more speeders and transport ships than she’d seen most times.
They put her on a speeder taking her through the city, people looked at her as they passed, cheered on their soldiers, she rolled her eyes deciding it was better to not look at the faces that passed. She was brought to the palace grounds, at least here there were some plants, the air smelled better, still not great, but better.
She trashed in her bindings, testing them, the metal biting into skin blood coloring sienna skin. A shock coursed through her body, she glared at the soldier with the electro-staff who had given the painful blow. She growled, low, dangerous, a threat, a warning. They dragged her kicking and growling, hissing, and spitting, by chains to the throne room of their King. She was covered in grime, her facial markings obscured by war paint, dirt, and blood.
The feral woman was brought before the elder man, his sons flanking his sides in their own thrones, she glared at each of them as they regarded her and gave a low growl as a warning. Bound or not, she would maim any of them given the chance. She just needed one of the soldiers to slip for just a second, laps their concentration just enough that she’d be able to use her body and lunge. They bound her force abilities with the cuffs chewing into her flesh. She cared not about the blood: let it drip onto their floors, let it leave a trail as a reminder.
The chains lowered to the ground making standing hard, until one of the men kicked at the back of her knees, her metal knee plates crashing onto the marble flooring beneath her.
“My King, we captured one of the Togrutan warriors, she was fighting us off when we were able to overwhelm her and bind her Force abilities. She killed a few of our men, among them Alex, Kano, Kal, and Dex.” One of the generals stated Ahsoka only glared at the old man sitting on the throne upon the dais. She noticed one of the sons: one of the twins’ eye’s widened, the one with short blonde hair, and then his own glare hardened at the list of names. Ahsoka rolled her eyes and sneered out a string of curses on Togruti at the human general under her breath. She was met with a shock, bitting out a small scream between brown lips.
“That you did, tell me what is her name?” It was their king speaking
“We don’t know, she hasn’t spoken a word of Basic to us since we captured her, and she’s too dangerous to wipe the paint off to try and get a facial scan, we tried, she almost bit us, stories say they have venom, we don’t want to test the truth of that.” The general spoke, Palpatine descended the few steps and stood in front of the feral woman.
“You shouldn’t need that to tell you who she is.” His tone was even, his expression kind, it threw her off guard, left her already tired mind to play catchup. “Her name is Ahsoka Tano, eldest child of their King,” he took half a step back when she lunged at him with a growl.
“I don’t kneel to you willingly.” she bit out snarling
“Do we prep her for execution?” the General asked and Palpatine shook his head.
“No, she is a prisoner but she needs to be treated humanely and with respect, she is a royal in her own right, we do not disrespect that.” He eyed her again. “Keep the force binders on, call for a medic to address her wounds, servants to help her clean herself.”
“My king, she’s just as dangerous with those bindings.” Palpatine eyed the general and then Ahsoka.
“Princess Ahsoka Tano of Shili, if you behave for my men and my servants, I will ensure no harm comes to you and that you go home to your people and your family.”
“I care not about my own safety, if I die in this war, at your hands, maybe it will bring us one more death closer to peace.”
“Then show me you’re a worthy ruler to discuss peace with, not some animal chained before me, you needn’t be executed to show you’re intentions are for peace.” His voice was firm and her eyes widened a fraction. She nodded and he waved her off, the men pulling her up by the chains once more, she was still wary, still cautious, she didn’t trust them.
She was still put in a cell, though it was decently furnished, there was a privacy screen for the small fresher, a small bed, a table, and a chair. It was warm, clean, Ahsoka was shoved through the doorway, skidding on the ground, before the ray shield activated giving the guard a growl. She sat on the bed, testing the singular metal-binding used to block her force abilities. It gave her a zap in return which she winced, hearing a guard bark a cold laugh at her. An hour or so passed before someone came to the door, opening it and stepping in, the man brought with him a robe in deep blue and a small trunk-like box.
“My name is Kix I’m the royal family’s personal medic and doctor,” He introduced himself professionally
“Ahsoka,”
“I understand you’re actually Princess Ahsoka,” he replied handing her the robe, she took it eyeing him wearily.
“Go to the fresher, take these,” he handed her soaps, “Wash yourself and put the robe on when you’re done so I can look over your wounds, take the time you need, I’m setting up another privacy screen for when I examine you.”
“You’re not scared of me?”
“You’re injured, my duty is to treat those injuries, regardless of how you behave when chained after a battle, you cannot possibly be any worse than the Princes’ when they’re in pain, everyone is scary when they’re injured and trapped like some animal,” he answered her matter of factly, Ahsoka raised an eye marking, before taking the soaps and going into the fresher. The hot water felt better than she expected against her skin, she relished in the time in there, scrubbing off dirt, dried blood, war paint, taking the time to clean her headdress before replacing it on her head again and stepping out, drying herself and slipping on the robe, it was soft against her sore body, and tender areas of skin. She walked back out and as he had said: Kix blocked off the door,
“You’re putting a lot of trust in me…”
“I’m acting as your medic, that it a trusted bond,” he made a motion and she dropped the robe, standing naked in front of him, he addressed her wounds, applying bacta on some, bandaging others, looking over her Lekku and montrals, listening to her breathing, her heart, checking her vitals, her eyes. She was battered and bruised but she would be alright in a few weeks with rest.
“You’re a Force user?” Kix asked as he bandaged the damaged skin on her wrists looking over the binding as he moved around it, she nodded
“I’m a healer too,” she looked at him. “I give Mercy to those fighting, it’s how they captured me.” The statement came out barely above a whisper.
“Doesn’t Mercy leave you defenseless?” Kix asked and she nodded “Your guards were killed?” again: she nodded
“When I came out of it, I was surrounded, I tried to fight but Mercy takes so much energy,” Kix nodded
“I don’t agree with that tactic…” his voice was barely a whisper, his hand pausing on her bandages. “It’s cowardly.” he sighed, handing her back the robe.
“Some servants will be by with food, and clothing soon, I’ll come back tomorrow to check your healing and change bandages,” Kix told her, taking down the screen and leaving.
Servants did come, giving Ahsoka food, and something simple to wear, the size was slightly off, made for someone a little taller than she was, she suspected it was borrowed from someone. Padme handed the servant going to see Princess Ahsoka one of her older outfits that were a little too small, it was simple but it would be better than nothing. She didn’t personally agree with how the woman had been treated, she didn’t need to have that many chains or be shown off in the city like a prized kill.
A few days of the same routine passed, Rex was angry, walking past her cell with a glare, she killed their men, one of them was someone from his Legion, under his command, Kano was his friend, and she simply killed him. Ahsoka for her part would growl lowly at him returning his glare with one of her own.
“Don’t act so high and mighty,” he snapped finally, his silent looks to kill not giving him what he wanted: a release. “You think you’re so special, a Jedi healer,” he scoffed “Your healing got you into this mess,”
“I’m well aware of that, you’re no better than I am.”
“Excuse you?!” He snapped standing in front of the shielded door, she stood in front of him on the other side.
“You’re a murderer, a killer of my people, of the people my family rules over.”
“Like you’re any better! I’ve read about you, you’ve killed our men too.”
“But I heal.” she spat at him “I offset the blood on my hands by saving the blood of others, you only kill.”
“Healing a few of your people doesn’t make you better than me for killing mine.” He snapped “I’d rather see you held up for a ransom, interrogated, or executed for your crimes, instead you get to sit here in comfort while a war goes on, how fortunate for you.”
“I’d rather be on the frontlines than sitting here.”
“I’m sure you would, you’re better off dead like the savage monster you are.” he sneered turning and leaving her to stand there.
Days turned to a few weeks, Ahsoka scared most of the servants and most of the guards, Kix was the only one unaffected by her growls as she healed. Rex, for his part, didn’t understand why she wasn’t being questioned about their enemy, why she was being kept in relative comfort, and when he brought it up to his father he was met with harsh words about respecting his wishes and orders. His brother Anakin agreed with Rex, while Obi-wan and Cody aligned with their father. Obi-wan had gone to visit the woman a few times, one force healer to another Rex supposed. They would talk between a ray shield, at first, Obi-wan took to making her tea, giving her books. Being kind. Rex didn’t see the need for any kindness. They would sit together for hours, talking, reading, sharing things they each knew about their shared tasks.
“Ah Kix, how was the Princess?” Palpatine asked waving the man in as he, his sons, and Padme ate lunch.
“She’s healing up very well, I suspect she usually heals herself, her body might not be used to having to do the work itself. Her sprains are healing up and the swelling in her Lekku is gone now.”
“Good,”
“I have one thing I’d like to bring up my King, if I may.”
“Of course, always, sit, eat, talk.”
“As I’m sure you’re aware, Princess Ahsoka is a force user, she’s a healer, your soldiers caught her because she was giving Mercy to a fallen man, but the report states that there were three Non-humans guarding her, and 15 who attacked,” he paused “the report on her capture was finally filed today.”
“And?”
“There was a 16th man found, a human, also dead, but he was dead at the center near where Princess Ahsoka was captured, the report notes that of the dead there were five, but eleven came back from the capture, the photos from the capture report show that he was lying peacefully, his eyes were closed, he seemed relaxed.” Kix paused pulling out his datapad and showing the images taken of the scene. “It doesn’t seem like it fits given the chaos of the rest of the battleground, it almost seems as though she fought to keep the battle away from the man who was dead… but why do that unless she had a reason?”
“You’re saying she gave Mercy to one of our men?” Anakin spoke realization dawing on him
“She was captured for giving Mercy to one of us, her enemy, and we ambushed her for it…” Padme was next to speak, the shock giving way to anger.
“She healed one of our own, and our men took the opportunity to capture her for it, for being kind… for living up to the oath she took to heal all…” Obi-wan sounded the angriest, his hand clenching.
“I thought you should know my King,” Kix said taking time to eat.
“Thank you for telling me, I hadn’t known that, I haven’t read the report yet,” Palpatine said and Rex didn’t hide the shock on his expression as he looked over the report and the images. He knew the man in the center: it was Kano. Rex got up leaving the room Cody looking at him ready to follow when Kix put a hand on his shoulder.
“He’s going to need a bit of time on his own,”
When Obi-wan finished eating he went out to the training grounds seeing Rex sparring against the practice dummies there. He sighed walking over to his younger sibling.
“Rex,” he started watching the other use his twin blasters to shoot the target, he didn’t seem to notice, “Rex!” he called again, louder, Rex rounded on him with an enraged expression.
“What?! Have you come to gloat?! Tell us all you told us so, that you knew better all along she wasn’t some heartless savage I’d spat at her that she was?!” He yelled at the auburn-haired man. “Come to tell me you were right that she’s not a monster! We’re all monsters really but that she is in fact better than I am!” His fists clenched.
“I’m not going to tell you anything of the sort, that will in no way help anything,” Obi-wan replied calmly. “The only thing I would ask is that you apologize and explain yourself,” the elder advised.
“She already hates me what would be the point?”
“She hates your actions, she didn’t like me either, but I’ve gotten to know her, she’s a remarkable healer, she abilities are as good as my own. She’s an incredible fighter, we are all in the wrong here: we captured her based off a cowardly ambush.”
“I wanted her dead because I thought she killed Kano!” Rex snapped
“I know that Rex!”
“I thought she had blood on her hands from killing him, and now it was probably from trying to save him…” he looked at the ground. “And you believe she’ll forgive me if I ask for it?!”
“I’m saying make amends before there’s too much damage and hate to be repaired.” Obi-wan clasped him on the shoulder “Finish blowing off some steam, but do, at least try to talk to her.”
It was night when someone came again, this time, it was the King, with a servant holding a platter of food for them both.
“May I join you?” He asked Ahsoka gave a wary nod, he entered the cell, the servant following, laying out food on the table, another bringing in a second chair, Palpatine sat first, ushering Ahsoka to take the other chair.
“My medic tells me you’re just about healed,” he started eating watching as Ahsoka followed his lead with a soft nod.
“He also told me your capture report was filed today and believes you were giving Mercy to a fallen soldier” he started looking at her. “You didn’t tell him that the man you gave Mercy to was one of ours, were you just content to let that stay in your own head?”
“It wasn’t worth telling, it makes no difference in the outcome, Mercy isn’t exclusive to one side or another, I took a vow to heal all with my abilities,” she looked at him. “Humans are not excluded from that oath, Prince Obi-wan will tell you that,” Ahsoka paused “Your medic called the capture cowardly, your eldest son thinks it barbaric.”
“I agree with their statements, this isn’t acceptable, I’ll be looking into it more.” He assured her and took a breath. “I was also told that you and my youngest Rex got into a verbal fight,” she nodded, “He thought you killed a close friend of his Kano, he didn’t know, none of us did until now, that you’d tried to save him.”
“I did, but there was nothing that could have been done, I knew they were close, I saw Kano’s memories,”
They continued eating Palpatine asking questions, about how her, if she had a mate, or a husband, to which she replied that she didn’t, never finding anyone she truly liked, at least not yet. Palpatine asked about her father how he was doing, Ahsoka told him he was doing alright, though she was worried about the toll that the stress of war was taking on him. Her mother was doing fine, keeping them all together, shielding her youngest siblings. Her eldest brother, though still younger than she was, was courting a girl he liked, though the entire process was overly awkward to watch and yet: rather adorable.
They finished eating and Palpatine left, promising to talk with her again in the morning, the man had half a mind to release her out of the cell, but he could deal with that in the morning as well. He went into his office, reading the report again when Obi-wan and Anakin walked in.
“I take it you’ve both read it?”
“They make no mention of the man she was giving Mercy to being one of ours.” Obi-wan started “Mercy is a rare technique but not unheard of, the signs are easy to spot especially in combat.”
“Anakin-”
“Send for the General and his Commander? They’re on their way.” Anakin smirked
When the men arrived Anakin and Obi-wan stood behind their father.
“I wanted to get a personal retelling of the ambush you planned on Princess Ahsoka and her allies, I want to know how you got the upper hand with such a skilled opponent, the report just doesn’t seem to do it justice.” Palpatine started
“She was resting with her squad, or what was left, we took the time to surround them and come in all at once.”
“You had 15 total correct?”
“Yes Sir,”
“Then why was a 16th human soldier found unaccounted for…?” Palpatine raised a brow his hands folding in front of his mouth.
“We must have misremembered, apologies my King, it won’t happen again, I’ll adjust the report.” The general stated embarrassment flashing across his features.
“Before you do, I have a few other adjustments I’d like to offer.”
“My King?”
“Add in that you found Princess Ahsoka who was giving Mercy to one of our soldiers dying on the ground, her guards were protecting her as she was defenseless, you ambushed them, killed off the guards and waited until she came out of that state, then you attacked. You didn’t know who she was, that’s fair I can understand that, but I doubt you didn’t realize she was giving Mercy to someone, and that someone was one of our own.” He kept his voice low, firm, a hidden danger.
“In the future, if another such careless error is made to cover up a cowardly ‘war prize’ capture there will be more severe consequences to your actions.” Palpatine warned “Until then both of you and your squadron will be left on mandatory leave with disciplinary action to follow, I will discuss a suitable punishment with my sons and talk to you, and the rest of your men later. Leave,” he ordered and the two bowed leaving the room.
“What now? She’s our prisoner because our men took advantage of her being kind to one of our men?” Obi-wan started and Palpatine sighed
“We’re going to release her in the morning, she doesn’t need to be a prisoner, we’ll arrange for her to go back to her people, I’d like to see if she is willing to discuss a peace treaty.”
Ahsoka was sleeping in her cell, content to rest,
“Leave us, we have questions for the prisoner.” The words bounced around in her montrals, a low danger in their tone, retreating steps, the sound of the ray shield being deactivated, steps coming in, heavy, men, soldiers, Ahsoka didn’t move, she skilled her breathing, fear creeping up her spine: this wasn’t right, something screamed danger.
One of the men growled low yanking her out of the bed and onto the floor, by her rear lekku, she couldn’t help the scream of pain that erupted from her throat as they threw her onto the ground. There were five of them standing before her, around her, their faces obscured in the darkness.
“You little bitch,” one snarled at her, still gripping her by her lekku, her nerve endings firing off pain signals, no way for her to stop it, no way for her to dampen the pain without the force, tears slipped from the corner of her eyes.
“Let me go!” she snarled at them glaring at the face as he came closer, licking a stripe up her lekku.
“How dare you even think you’re worthy enough of any respect,” he shoved her hard against the ground, cheek meeting cold tile with a smack, “That you somehow deserve rights, peace,” she growled low bracing her arms to begin a fight, she started to turn, ready to rise up towards them, angle herself better. She didn’t like their intentions, she didn’t like their words, her mind fired off warnings and red flags, screaming to her to fight, to run, to get out. A boot pressed hard in the middle of her back keeping her pressed against the ground, pain shooting through her shoulders as she struggled to try and get up and move, the angle was wrong, she had no leverage, straining muscles giving out under the heavier opponent.
“I don’t want your respect,” she spat back at him
“You’re not even worth the air you breathe,” the boot let up, only to kick her into one of the cell walls. Their blows started soon after, a barrage of kicks to her stomach and torso causing her to cry out, every attempt to move was met with another blow. One of them pulled her up to face him, grabbing her by her left lekku now, she felt another set of hands grabbing at her breasts, pulling at fabric as she tried moving away.
“You’re worth nothing, no one will care if you die in this cell, your death will mean nothing.” A fist collided with her face
“What do we do with her?” One snarled, running a hand down her lekku,
“Anything we want.” Another commented, “No one’s coming for her.”
Rex had read the report Kix mentioned, he saw the images, the man they found dead, the 16th man, Kano, had been under his command, had been close to him, the very man he was hating this woman over killing: she’d actually tried to save, Mercy was the last resort, Obi-wan had told him once, and he had felt such intense hatred for a woman who tried to save his friend. Rex’s guilt of leaving him on a battlefield to go back later had been eating him from the inside, knowing he didn’t spend his final moments in pain, he owed her a thank you, and most importantly an apology.
It was the middle of the night, he had tried sleeping for hours to no avail, he was too restless, getting up from his bed in his rooms, he went to the kitchen, grabbing a tray and some items to make tea with a pot of hot water and descended to the cells. Rex wondered if she was having issues finding sleep in this foreign place. He owed her what little he could give after all his hatred and anger, picturing her being executed for crimes. Hating her, picturing her dead on the battlefield at his feet.
The men grabbed at her, gripping her Lekku in their hands, their hot breath tickling skin, Ahsoka swallowed trying to keep away their satisfaction of knowing how terrified she was, how much she was shaking, it only kind of worked, they laughed at her coldly, hands grabbing at skin, tearing her clothing leaving her exposed. One of them twisting her arms tightly behind her back taking away her leverage to struggle.
“Look at this, the little dangerous warrior reduced to tears,” he gripped her face in his hand, pressing his thumb into her mouth, and back to open her jaw. Ahsoka opened her eyes glaring before biting down, hard, she tasted the metallic tinge of blood and kept going, feeling a crack and a pop between her clenched jaws the man screamed out in pain, punching his other hand, while one gripped onto her neck until her vision blurred and she let go of the digit.
“Bind the bitch.” he bit out taking some cloth and wrapping it around his injured thumb. Ahsoka knew it was broken, hoped she would cause an infection. Togruta weren’t venomous, their venom was more like adrenalin or an aphrodisiac unless you were allergic, then it was deadly, Ahsoka bitterly hoped he was.
Rex heard the yell out of pain, he paused his walking listening, he could hear men talking fabric tearing, muffled struggles and cursed out words in Togruti, he paused his mind processing before his eyes widened, he was looking down the hall he came from, there were no guards here, further down passed her cell: still no guards. He should have noticed that as he walked down, but he’d been so wrapped up in what he was going to tell Ahsoka. Rex stiffened, placing the tray down as silently as he could, he didn’t want to alert them, he crept down the rest of the hall peering into her cell, five men had her pinned down, hands wrapped in cloth behind her back, the strips trailing up her arms keeping them bound tight to her back, Even in the dim light, she was injured, she was crying, fighting but scared. Rex’s mind reeled, they were tieing her down to the bed, using the frame to keep her from struggling as she tried kicking against them, she was strong, but against five of them, she was being overwhelmed. They tore at her clothing leaving the rest of her exposed to them and their eyes. He backed down the hall again, out of direct earshot, pressing a button on his comlink, the button acted as a panic switch, using his location to send guards to him within minutes.
Anakin got the com from Rex’s panic system first, shooting up out of bed to check it.
“Ani?” Padme asked waking
“Rex is in trouble… in the… cells?”
“You should see what’s wrong, Obi-wan told me he was talking to Rex earlier, about Ahsoka…” Padme told him but Anakin was already getting up out of bed dressing and leaving their rooms.
Rex waited, it wouldn’t be too long, he went back to look in the cell, he wanted to wait until he had more men to back him up.
“Been a while since I’ve had a nice fuck, that’s all you’re really good for now anyway, tight cunt for my cock.” One commented and Rex saw red. He deactivated the ray shield, the sound causing everyone to freeze and slowly turn.
“Prince Rex,” one started sounding scared, Rex hid his rage, he would be outnumbered too, he had to think through the problem.
“I’m offended you started without me.” he decided hoping he sounded convincing and walked towards the group.
“Our apologies we weren’t aware you wanted to join,”
“That was your first mistake,” he thought about their others they’d made over the course of the last few weeks but that number grew in the last hour. He looked Ahsoka over she was bleeding, he couldn’t even tell from where her eyes were wild and dangerous as she gave him a low growl and a menacing glare. Her top was torn exposing her chest, her skirt was as well, torn up to the waistband almost exposing her womanhood, he tried not to stare, white markings making him curious, his eyes trailed up her slender form seeing muscles flex under skin against the strain of the fabric. Rex tried to show her somehow, he was on her side, but he didn’t think it worked.
“Careful of her mouth, she bites.”
“Noted,” he said eyeing her again. “You’re sure those bindings will hold?”
“She’s weak, no Force to rely on now.”
“Good.” he sent a pleading thought towards his brother Anakin, his elder brothers would often hear his projected thoughts in times of need.
“Five men, Princess Ahsoka’s cell, ambush them, hurry.” He only hoped his brother heard.
“She’s good for nothing else, she’s just a savage,” he growled lowly at her. “She doesn’t deserve kindness.” There was a dangerous wildness in her eyes that made him swallow, an intent to kill him if she got a chance to. At this moment, she had every right to, and he wouldn’t even blame her for it. It drew him in though made him curious about her in a new fashion.
Anakin had heard Rex’s pleas, feeling the panic and intense anger radiating off him through the force, he was leading the small party down to the cells, he stopped pausing to concentrate.
“As quiet as you can men,” Anakin ordered and they made their way down.
“Two minutes, stall,” Anakin sent back
Rex ran a hand down one of Ahsoka’s front lekku and she growled at him lowly. Spitting something at him in Togruti as she moved away from his hand. The wildness in her eyes, behind the fear, she looked feral, one move and she’d try to kill him, he knew that and he couldn’t blame her, it still made his mouth dry. He wanted to kill every man standing in this room, regardless of what she had done of who she was, no one deserved to be gang-raped,
“Well then, let’s get started shall we.” he gave her cloth bindings a testing tug aware of how fixed her eyes were on him. He moved to crowd over her, his hands trailing gently down exposed skin, trying to cover her from their eyes, he pressed his lips against her montrals, if she was connected with the force he’d just send through a feeling of comfort, but she wouldn’t feel it. He tried mouthing words against them, as subtly as he could without the others notice, his fingers trailing patterns of words.
“Burn in hell,” she spat at him in basic and he looked at her, one of the men hit her again, his hand wrapping around her neck like a vice, Rex moved to grab the other’s forearm as her eyes started to flutter closed.
“Enough!” Anakin’s voice rang out, the grip on her neck gone as she sputtered for breath coughing.
“Prince,” one started and the man walked into the cell, igniting his saber the blue glow casting over the room,
“All of you, kneel, now,” Anakin’s voice was low, dangerous, even Rex swallowed, he almost knelt, but he stood tall, getting off of Ahsoka who stared wide-eyed at the blonde. Anakin tossed Rex a pair of binders and he placed them on the one who chocked the Princess. Ahsoka’s glare was gone turning into confusion as she eyed Rex. The men were all arrested, other guards coming to grab them.
“Separate cells, I will go tell my father,” Anakin ordered watching over that process, Rex cut the cloth, helping the woman sit up slowly, they’d sent for Kix already. She backed away from him as soon as she was free, moving into the corner of her bed looking at him, her hands balled into fists ready to strike him, to keep fighting.
“I’m not going to hurt you, I promise,” he put his hands up in front of him
“You seemed pretty damn sure like you were.” She kept her expression schooled.
“I was trying to stall until Anakin could get here with the guards, I didn’t want them to do anything else to you,” he undid the cloth wrapped bindings around her ankles, wrapping her up in the blanket from the bed. She relaxed taking deep heavy breaths, pulling her knees up to her chest trying to control the trembling her body was doing.
“Thank you,” her voice was barely a whisper, he sat next to her, she was still shaking, Rex wrapped an arm around her keeping her pressed into his side.
“I tried to let you know, I couldn’t figure out a way to let you know, I was mouthing things into your montrals, and tracing letters on your skin… I’m so sorry…”
“You came, and that’s what matters,” she didn’t look at him again until Kix showed,
“I can’t treat her here, I have to run scans,”
“Then we go run scans,” Rex said his tone absolute “Princess,” he addressed her standing, “can you walk?” She shook her head
“I don’t know.” Rex held out a hand, which she took as he supported her weight as she got to her feet, one step turned into two, as she winced stumbling back towards the bed. Rex caught her by her elbows looking at Kix
“I can get a stretcher, but I’m worried about internal bleeding,”
“I’ll carry her,” he looked at the woman “I’m not trying to hurt you.” He lifted her into his arms bridal style as she turned, hiding her swelling face against his chest. This was far different from the woman he saw in the throne room, that woman was ready to fight her way out of everything, talk back to a King with no fear, the one in his arms now: they were different people, he wanted the other one back.
“Rex?” Anakin asked as Rex carried her out of the cell following Kix
“She needs scans, she may have internal bleeding.” Rex started and Anakin only nodded following
“I’ll go get father,” he said as they left the cell block, running in another direction.