The girl in the cell, however, was not as loyal to the Emperor as her parents had been. She could feel the girl's anger at her parents' betrayal of her, not realizing that what they had done would result in her becoming stronger than she could ever dream. It was no matter... anger was a good start, even if it was misplaced. Xarkun had taught her that much.
Lady Sera walked into the cell, never taking her eyes off the girl. She had been deprived of food and water for at least three days, and was definitely showing the effects.
Her name was Nadia, and she was hungry, and thirsty, her head felt as though it was constantly being beat with a sledge hammer, her skin was clammy, and she knew she was dehydrated. She looked up at the girl who entered, who was she... Nadia remembered when her parents watched the HoloNet news, she’d seen the face of the Emperor Xarkun many times, she thought he looked mean, but she also remembered seeing the face of this girl too… what was her name? Lady Sera… perhaps if she told Lady Sera she’d seen some of her exploits (which would be a complete lie) and respected them she’d get some food and water, and maybe be allowed to talk to her friends.
A wave of anger towards her parents washed through her as she glanced up at Lady Sera, how dare her parents hand her over to the Empire!
“I know you,” Nadia said. “you’re Lady Sera.”
Her stomach growled, she needed to kiss up fast and get a meal.
Lady Sera raised an eyebrow. Seeing that the door closed securely behind her, she walked over to where the girl was sitting, and sat on the floor across from her. She smiled. "That's right. And, what is your name?" she asked.
“My name?” asked Nadia a little confused, this Lady who deprived her of food and water wanted to know her name? That almost seemed a bit polite… well, maybe if she humored her she’d get something. “My name is Nadia.”
Suddenly, it felt as though a fist had clenched around her stomach, which was already hurting from hunger. She held her stomach, gasping at the pain.
"I'm sorry, that's not the correct answer. Tell me again, what is your name?" Lady Sera asked cooly, not even getting up as the girl squirmed on the ground before her.
“My name is Nadia!” the girl bit back firmly. What was going on?! She answered the question, why was she being punished?
The pain in her stomach increased, and soon the girl was screaming at the pain, curled up on the floor. Lady Sera merely shook her head, and scooted up next to the girl, stroking her black hair just like her mother used to when she had a bad dream.
"No, my dear, that is not your name. Your parents told you that was your name, so they'd have something to call you, but it isn't really your name. Right now, your name is nothing," she said to the girl, who was now crying uncontrollably, her head in Lady Sera's lap. "You must be strong, or you will remain nothing, forever," she cooed softly to the girl. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion," she recited, but was interrupted by the girl's cries.
"“Why are you doing this?” Nadia cried. “What have I done wrong?!” She was still unable to move, and her head was still in Lady Sera's lap. Her chest heaved with her sobbing, as her stomach burned with pain.
Lady Sera gently wiped the tears from the girl's face. "You are here, because you are special," she said softly, and the girl whimpered at the pain in her stomach. "Your parents knew you were special, that's why they brought you to Lord Xarkun. They are good people... they are loyal to our Emperor. For their loyalty, they have been rewarded. They live comfortably in an apartment in a higher level of the Palace, in the same building we are now in. They have everything they could ever need... food, water, a comfortable bed, holovision, even an indoor spa. They rest and eat and laugh to each other, knowing that their daughter will one day do great things in service to the Emperor. You see? They want you to be here, to learn to be strong. Don't you want to be strong?"
“No they don’t! If they knew what you were doing to me they’d never leave me here! You’re killing me Lady Sera, you’re insane!” Nadia sobbed as she lay on the floor. “I bet if Emperor Xarkun knew you were doing this, he’d kill you, or fire you right away. You’re a bad person.”
Lady Sera simply sighed tolerantly, like a parent with a child who is having a temper tantrum, even though they were the same age. "Do you want to see your parents? If you are good, and learn your lessons, you will be reunited with them. But, do you really think they would be proud of you, acting like this?" she asked disdainfully. The pain in the girl's stomach increased, and she screamed. "As for Emperor Xarkun, he is my Master. Not only did he train me, nothing goes on in his Palace without him knowing about it. Nothing. He knows you are here, he knows that you suffer. He has ordered me to train you, to make you strong, to make you powerful. And, if you will not be trained... he has ordered me to destroy you," she said ominously, her words punctuated by a tightening around the girl's throat. She gasped for breath for a moment, her eyes wide with the knowledge that she could very easily die right here, before Lady Sera released her, leaving her only with the burning pain in her stomach. The girl gulped in air before she spoke again.
Tears streamed down the girl's face. “I want out! Just let me go!” Nadia begged. Begging was her only way out… it was the only thing she could do. She didn’t care if Lady Sera thought it made her weak.
Lady Sera sighed. "I can do nothing with such a weak, whiney little girl. Come on, then, we will get you something to drink," she said, and Lady Sera stood up, dragging the girl to her feet, then led her out of her cell and down the corridor. As they walked, the air got more moist, and more putrid. Once Nadia figured out where they were going, she stopped, turned on her heel, and bolted the other way, trying to escape. In her weakened condition, she did not get far, however, as Lady Sera quickly caught up with her and slammed the girl up against the wall. The girl fought to get out of her grasp, but could not move. Using the Force to hold her against the wall, Lady Sera calmly drew a small knife from her belt, and slowly traced the symbol of the Empire into the girl's right cheek as she screamed. "You belong to the Empire. Let no one tell you otherwise. You belong to Emperor Xarkun... you are his property. There is no escape. He can see you, wherever you are. He will know, he will find you... just like he found you this time," she said, and then licked the oozing blood from the girl's face, causing the wound to burn like fire. In what seemed like an instant, the girl was inside a cage, the door was closed, and the cage was being lowered into the sewer. "You can stay there until you learn better manners," she said dismissively, and began to walk away.
Nadia tried as hard as she could to keep her head away from the dirty water. She tried once to wash away the blood dripping down her face, but contact with the filthy water made it burn with pain. So she was forced to sit there, and bleed, she cried for a long time, and once fell asleep, but awoke promptly when her face exploded in pain. What if the cut was infected? What if she got sick? Would Sera leave her to fight it, would she die? Anything would be better than this… and the space below the water where there was no air began to look friendly. What if she did it? What if she drowned herself… but she couldn’t, she knew she couldn’t, not now. She had to try and escape quickly, and get away from Sera. So she sat there, tears streaming down her face and into her cut which burned even more, but she couldn’t help it, she tried to ignore it, she had to wait.
________________________________________________________________________
Lord Xarkun sat in his throne, watching the image of the soon to be nameless little girl, nearly submerged in the filth of the sewers. He could sense her thoughts, and how small plans began to form in her mind of escape, plans that would do her no good whatsoever, but still…. She’d make a wonderful candidate, oh yes, there was something special about this one…. The Sith Lord pressed a long, chalk white finger to a crimson switch on his chair, and a holograph of Lady Sera sprang up.
“This… Nadia is a promising candidate, she has the plotting mind. Already she is scheming for an escape. Break her, double your efforts, see to it that she becomes the most elite of Jedi hunters possible, turn her into my right hand Force Wraith Lady Sera.”
Lady Sera bowed. "Yes, my Master," she replied, and the hologram switched off.
Lady Sera smiled to herself as she deactivated the holographic imager on her wrist. Indeed, the girl had great potential. She had an iron will, and would prove to be quite a challenge to break. Which, of course, would make her all the more loyal to the Emperor once she was finally broken. This girl would truly be a formidable foe, and a plague upon the Jedi. She would see to it personally.
Next Chapter?
Imperial Palace, Chapter 2
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