AU Star Wars - Revenge of the Heart

AU set around the time of The Phantom Menace. This story is my own twist on the events and locations. Queen Amidala is not in this version as I personally don't think that she and Maul are suited. Oh and since this is an AU, Jedi are permitted to marry….and anything goes….please bear that in mind - you have been warned!

Darth Maul bowed low before the dark Lord Sidious and he awaited his orders.

"Rise Lord Maul", Sidious said, watching as Maul stood, his golden eyes glinting with anticipation.

"Your eagerness to serve me is commendable my apprentice, but be mindful, this first mission will be your introduction to the Jedi and I wish you to strike fear into their hearts not die trying".

"Yes my master", Maul replied, bowing his horned head in a sign of humbleness.

"Good", Sidious said, sounding pleased and he turned his back on Maul as he continued,

"Ready the Infiltrator, the wedding ritual will begin soon and you must capture the Princess before she marries Obi-Wan Kenobi".

"As you wish", Maul replied leaving Sidious alone with his thoughts.

ooOoo

Princess Freya stood alone on the balcony of her chambers, her head bent as she considered her future with Obi-Wan Kenobi as her husband.

Sighing deeply she turned to look out over the lands of Iridonia, the planet that she ruled over.

She knew that Obi-Wan loved her, knew that he was a good man and a strong Knight of the Jedi. He would protect her and help her rule well, but there was one problem.

Her heart belonged to another. Always had, always would.

Sometimes even Freya herself could not believe that she still longed for the Zabrakian named Khameir Sarin. He had been her first love.

She had only been fourteen, he seventeen, when she had first started to take notice of the trainee Jedi that came and went from the palace grounds. He had taken her eye and it wasn't long before they had fallen in love, or so Freya had thought.

One day, some ten years ago now, Khameir had come to her to tell her that he was leaving to join a man who had promised to show him the ways of the Force in a way that no Jedi Master ever could and then he had gone with no promise of return and she had neither seen nor heard of him since.

She had heard whispers that Khameir had been seduced to the dark side by the evil and corrupt Darth Sidious but she wouldn't allow herself to believe that. In her mind, she had always believed that one day he would return to her but perhaps the day of her wedding to another man was the day that she should lay that dream to rest and get on with her life.

Taking in a deep, calming breath, she smoothed her hands down the white lace of the skirt of her bridal gown and turned to leave the balcony only to find the way blocked by a figure cloaked from head to foot in black, his hood low over his face, revealing only a tight-lipped mouth that appeared to be red and black.

Freya gasped and the figure raised his head slowly to reveal the fact that his entire face was tattooed black and red in a devilish design and his golden eyes stared right through her.

Freya stared at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest and she knew that she should probably scream or try to raise the alarm but she found that she was mesmerized by the stranger and she couldn't drag her eyes away from him.

"You will come with me", the stranger said, trying to keep his mind clear so that he could manipulate hers but he hadn't expected the Princess to be so beautiful or to look so…innocent.

"Who are you?", Freya asked, finally managing to close her eyes. Blocking out his image seemed to enable her to speak.

"Who I am is of no consequence", the stranger replied, his voice seemingly inside of her head and Freya's eyes sprung open and locked with his.

Suddenly a knock came to her chambers' doors and Freya looked away from the stranger and toward them nervously.

"My lady are you ready?", someone called out.

"We are going to walk out of here now", the stranger said quietly, drawing her gaze back to him. He moved toward her and gripped her upper arm with a gloved hand, pulling her along with him.

Using the power of the Force he opened the chamber doors to reveal two robed figures who looked to be priests.

Their faces went white with shock and one said,

"My lady, what is going……", he trailed off though as the stranger raised a hand and cut off the man's air supply without actually touching him and the man clutched at his throat.

The other priest went to run back down the hallway to get help but the stranger used the Force again to push him at great speed into the nearest wall, rendering him unconscious.

Freya found that she wanted to object to what was happening around her but she couldn't and she realised that the stranger must be preventing her from speaking by using mind control.

They moved through the palace, which unfortunately for Freya, was practically deserted due to the fact that almost everyone was gathered in the gardens, waiting for the wedding ceremony to begin.

They were almost at the roof top landing pad where the stranger had left his cloaked ship when a voice called out to them.

"Princess!?".

The stranger spun immediately, unhooking his lightsaber from his belt and Freya also turned to see Qui-Gon Jinn approaching them, his own lightsaber at the ready.

"You will stay with me", the stranger said, his voice piercing Freya's mind and she automatically moved behind him as he pressed the activation buttons and his unusual double-bladed lightsaber burned into life.

"Release the Princess", Qui-Gon said but the stranger merely glared at him and spun his lightsaber in preparation for battle.

They fought hard, the stranger spinning and jumping around in a way that sometimes made it impossible for Freya to stay behind him but he always quickly made sure that he repositioned himself between her and Qui-Gon again.

Qui-Gon realised early on that this stranger was greatly adept with the Force and he also realised that he was going to lose this fight.

The stranger, sensing the Jedi's realisation of defeat, smirked but then recalled his Master's words and he knew that the other man must be left alive to pass on the news that the Sith had returned and that they had the Princess.

Backing up, his eyes never leaving Qui-Gon's, the stranger moved around Freya and pulled her back against his chest and raised one end of his lightsaber to her throat.

Freya pressed herself more firmly against the solid wall of the stranger's chest as she tried to get away from the crackling heat of his lightsaber and she closed her eyes, mortified that she could feel every hard line of his body pressed against her back.

Qui-Gon switched off his lightsaber as he took in the stranger's silent message and he had no option but to watch as the Princess was moved into a cloaked ship and then was gone.

As the ship took off, Qui-Gon was joined by Obi-Wan and Yoda.

"Where is Freya?", Obi-Wan asked, his voice urgent.

"I'm sorry…I did what I could but the stranger was extremely skilled in the dark side of the Force and was much more powerful than I", Qui-Gon replied, placing a hand on one of Obi-Wan's shoulders.

"You think this is the work of the Sith?", Yoda asked and Qui-Gon nodded his head once.

"The Sith", Obi-Wan stated in disbelief, then added, his voice full of distress, "We have to get Freya back and quickly.

"Get her back we will", Yoda said, "But greatly disturbing it is that the Sith have chosen this path to reveal themselves to us".

"Why do you think they have taken the Princess?", Qui-Gon asked and Yoda sighed deeply.

"Guess only can I but I would say they will use her to produce a child".

"No!", Obi-Wan cried and Qui-Gon had to stop him from racing to the nearest ship.

"We will get her back my young Jedi, believe me, but first we need a plan".

Taking a breath, Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon and eventually nodded in agreement. He couldn't bear it if Freya was hurt.

End of Chapter 1