For All Eternity - Part 1

Maaike

Ratings: NC-17
Warnings: Maul/original female character. Romance in the old tradition.
Disclaimer: Lord Maul, Lord Sidious, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Star Wars Universe belong to George Lucas. No profit made, no copyright infringements intended. However, Aicha is mine.
Summary: Lord Maul is betrothed to Princess Aicha by order of his Master. Both must come to terms with the reality of the situation.
Feedback: Sithlordess@planet.nl
Acknowledgement: May I thank MaulMaus for her beta-reading of my sometimes funny English. You are my friend and encouragement. And to Dark Lady, who is my inspiration and has such a lovely way with words.

For All Eternity - Part 1

It was winter on the planet of Thebae. That meant very short, dark days, extremely cold nights where temperatures would fall far below freezing, with winds howling around the towns. In midwinter snow would fall almost continuously and people would hide inside their homes as much as they could.

And there was turmoil on Thebae. King Daemon was plagued by illness, he was no longer a young man and his heart had given him cause for concern. There had been occasions when he rose from his chair, he felt the room sway, his heart pounded erratically and he had to sit down again quickly.

The King was no longer able to withstand pressure from outside worlds, of greedy hands reaching out, intent on taking over wealthy Thebae, for the planet was rich in natural resources and precious stones, things much valued throughout the Galaxy.

Two years earlier there had been an invasion from the neighbouring planet of Syltvar. Fortunately the Thebaean army had been able to defeat the invasion army, but it had come at the cost of many lives and the destruction of many homes and farmland, for when the Syltvarians retreated they had burnt down every single house and laid waste every acre of farmland in their path. Even now Thebae was still recovering from the loss of life and the scars from war were still visible on the land.

Then a year after the war tragedy struck again when Queen Samira had suddenly died, leaving the Royal family deprived and devastated.

Even more recent there had been a series of attacks by Togorian pirates, which made King Daemon decide he needed a strong ally in his battle to protect his people.

There was also the strategic location of Thebae playing a part in all this. The planet held a position where many trade routes in the star system converged.

King Daemon had always been able to sort out disputes between traders, or conflicts between rival groups of merchants, because he was a wise and just man, always trying to dissolve crises with wisdom and justice, so there had never been an unsolvable dispute over rights of passage. Until now'

Syltvar had once again gathered an invasion army and this time King Daemon's spies had informed him that the Syltvar army was stronger than ever before. This time the army of Thebae would not be able to defeat the Syltvarians and the planet would not escape occupation and domination by Syltvar and its dictatorial leader Terao.

The King had spent many sleepless nights in his office, trying to find a way to avoid war and maybe even occupation by Syltvar. But then a few weeks ago, the King received a communication from Sith Lord Darth Sidious, offering him a solution to the problem. The Sith would take control of Thebae, using the riches of the planet for their own purpose, yet leave the people their culture and even their Royal family in tact, if in name only.

King Daemon had only heard of the Sith in legends and those legends had been enough for him to realize they were an evil, ruthless order, and he wondered that if in taking their offer of control Thebae would not be worse off than giving it to Syltvar. But it had been the Sith Lord's promise that the people and culture of Thebae would be spared, that had swayed his decision

However, there had been one additional demand from the Sith Lord, one assuring King Daemon's absolute loyalty.

It was still early in the day when the King's personal secretary knocked softly on the door of Princess Aicha's private apartments. When a Lady in Waiting opened the door, the secretary entered, bowed respectfully and looked at the Princess with affection.

The secretary had been in the service of King Daemon for many years and he liked and respected the Princess for her constant concern for the people of Thebae.

On Thebae, Princess Aicha was considered extremely beautiful.

She was tall, voluptuous; she had large, liquid, dark-brown eyes and long dark hair, which flowed around her shoulders like a curtain.

In her soft, voice she greeted her father's secretary and waited to hear what he had to say to her.

"His Majesty asks Your Highness to come to his chambers on a most urgent matter," the secretary said respectfully.

Princess Aicha raised a brow in surprise. It was not like her father to ask for her presence in such a formal manner. "Is the King feeling worse? Has something happened?" she asked anxiously.

"His Majesty is well today, but he has an urgent matter to discuss with Your Highness," the secretary repeated.

Aicha nodded and quickly followed the secretary to her father's chambers. She felt something dark was lying in wait, ready to strike at her and she hurried along the corridors to meet the King.

Upon entering the King's office, she found her father sitting behind his large, beautifully carved wooden desk, a deep furrow between his brows, but his face brightened upon seeing his daughter.

It had been a cause of deep sorrow for the Royal couple when Queen Samira miscarried twice after giving birth to Aicha, leaving her an only child. When the Queen died, Princess Aicha was all he had left and he loved her dearly.

The Princess bowed in the manner required by custom and then with a sweet smile on her face rushed to her father's side and kissed his cheek.

"Father! You look well. Are you feeling a little better today?"

"Yes, my daughter. I am feeling stronger. Come sit with me, I have a matter of grave importance to discuss with you." The King gave a deep sigh and his fingers brushed Aicha's cheek in a loving gesture. He knew what he was going to say would destroy his daughter's chance of happiness and he still worried if it was all going to be worth it.

When Aicha sat down on a chair beside him, he spoke in a low voice. "Aicha. You know I love you, so very, very much. I had hoped that when the time came you would find a man you would fall in love with as your mother and I were in love. I wanted you to know equal happiness'" the King's voice faltered and his hands made a desperate motion.

"Father! What is it? What has happened? Tell me!" Aicha felt her heart beating frantically while millions of thoughts started racing in her mind.

"My beloved daughter, the situation is very serious. I am too weak to withstand the attacks on our planet, our army is not strong enough to fight off Syltvar and the Togorian pirates and I fear for the future of our people, our culture, our heritage." The King paused, looked at his daughter and dreaded what he had to tell her next.

"The Sith have approached me'"

Aicha gasped and grabbed her father's hands. "The Sith!! I thought they only existed in legends. Do you seriously suggest they really exist? And why should they be interested in Thebae? Father, they are said to be evil! Surely if anyone will destroy our planet and our way of life, it would be them!" Aicha raised her hands in an astonished gesture. "Father how can you even consider allying with them! You too know everything that is said about the Sith!"

"Wait my daughter! You have not heard all of what I have to say. I can assure you the Sith are very real indeed. Lord Sidious has offered us protection. Once the Sith control our planet, no one will dare attack us again, not even the pirates, because the Sith will see that their property is protected. Lord Sidious has given his oath that our way of life, our culture will be preserved."

Aicha knelt in front of the King's chair, still holding his hands in hers. "Surely, father you do not expect him to keep his word? The Sith are treacherous!"

"He will keep his word Aicha." the King remarked softly and sadly. "You are to become the consort to a Sith Lord. It was Lord Sidious's one demand. He wishes for you and Lord Maul to be bonded and in this way he will be assured of our loyalty. Once you are bonded to Lord Maul, you become consort to a Sith Lord, be protected by the Sith Code and he will see to it that you will in time become Queen of Thebae."

Aicha was now trembling violently, her heart was racing, her eyes filled with tears and she clutched her father's hands in despair. "Father, you will see me sacrificed to become the property of the Sith? Is there no other way to insure the safety of our world?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"My daughter, I have tortured my mind to find a way out, even more so since Lord Sidious contacted me, but I could think of no other way. You are a Princess; in time you will be Queen. I must ask this sacrifice of you, however much it goes against my wishes and believe me when I say it is the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I had hoped to spare you this fate, but I cannot." The King sank his head on his chest and Aicha saw a tear run down his cheek.

"Father, if you have tried to find another way and you could not, it means that it must be done. I know the responsibility of my position as Princess and I accept it." Aicha kissed her father's cheek and felt his arms close around her.

In her mind thoughts were whirling, she had no wish to be wed to a man she did not love, and she certainly shrank from the thought of bonding with a Sith Lord. If the legends were true she would live a life starved of love or even compassion. But Aicha knew she would comply. She had always told herself she would make any sacrifice necessary in the service of her people and it seemed the time had now come to do just that.

"I had hoped to find another way out. I only wanted your happiness, but I could not,.. my daughter, I could not. I only hope and pray that the Gods and your mother forgive me for what I ask of you." King Daemon suddenly felt very old and very weary. It was at times like these, he wished he had been born a lowly fisherman instead of a King, yet he, like his daughter he knew that being born into Royalty could very often be a heavy burden.

"When am I to be wed?" Aicha asked, hoping silently that it would be well in the future.

"Next month, after the celebrations in honour of the Mother Goddess. Lord Sidious wants control of the planet as soon as possible.

"Is Lord Sidious coming here?" Aicha asked.

"No. No one is to know that the Sith will become the real power behind the Throne. The people will have no idea as to the identity of your consort. He will be introduced as a Prince from a planet on the outer rim and no one will know who he really is. It will be made known that his planet is a very wealthy, very powerful, yet a dictatorial state and this will allow the Sith to remain concealed. Because our family is still in mourning after the death of your mother the ceremony will be a quiet affair, which is also what the Sith Lord wishes."

The King stared out of the window with unseeing eyes for a moment before he continued.

"There is not much time to prepare yourself. It will only give us enough time to arrange the ceremony. Lord Sidious wants the bonding to take place as quietly as possible, only with the necessary witnesses present. The ceremony will be short. But then you and I know there is not much reason for celebration, so maybe it is all for the best."

"Father, do you know Lord Maul? What does he look like? Is he old or young? Is he even human? Is there anything you know about him? Am I to meet him before the ceremony?" Aicha asked, trying to keep her voice steady and strong.

"No. I do not know Lord Maul. You will only meet him the day of the wedding," the King sighed again and pulled Aicha closer to him.

It stayed poignantly quiet for a few minutes, before Aicha sighed and got up. "I must begin making the arrangements for the wedding and prepare myself." She bowed slightly, took her father's hand, kissed it, and raised it to her forehead in the ritual parting and left the room.

Back in her own apartments, Aicha sat down on her sofa and wept bitter tears. Ever since she was a little girl, she dreamed about the man she would one day meet and marry. In her dreams there had always been a lovely wedding-gown, a beautiful ceremony and by her side the man she loved with all her heart and who loved her with all his heart. Now there would be no beautiful wedding, no smiling guests wishing her well, nor even a man she loved and who loved her.

Aicha was convinced the Sith Lord did not want her any more than she did him. She was very strong with the Force and realized they were both forced into something neither desired.

Slowly Aicha sat up again and began wondering about the man who was to become her consort. What would he be like? Would he have any gentleness, any feelings for her at all? And what did this Lord Maul look like? A Sith Lord, that was all her father had told her. He could be an old man for all she knew! The King had not even been able to tell her if he was human!

But Aicha knew that no matter what she feared or worried about personally she had to perform her duties and responsibilities as a Princess. She had to be proud, strong, and make her behaviour an example. And deep down in her heart her pride forbade her to let the Sith Lord see his consort behaving like a simpering coward.

Aicha sighed, wiped her tears away and rang for her Lady in Waiting and confidante Cassandra. When Cassandra entered, Aicha asked her to sit down and began telling her of what had happened. Every now and then she wiped away the tears that would not stop falling and sometimes Cassandra had to strain to hear her voice when sobs choked her.

Aicha's Lady in Waiting was also a young woman who realized what the Princess must be going through. She shuddered at the idea of having to marry a man she had never even seen, and she took the cold, trembling hands of Princess Aicha in hers.

"Your Highness! Perhaps there is yet a way out of this!" She bit her lower lip in dismay. "A Sith!! They have only been spoken of in legends!"

"I assure you this is no legend and is no other way. I must do this." Aicha shook her head in despair; "But I will have to sleep with him on our wedding night! What if he is not human, what if he is cruel, what if'. " her voice trailed off.

Cassandra pressed Aicha's hands; "Your Highness, the future will not change by worrying about it. Maybe you will find a way towards each other. No one knows what the Goddess has in store for us. Sometimes we do not understand why things happen, but instead we must do as She wishes and fulfil our destiny, no matter how hard it may be."

Aicha nodded and lifted her chin with newfound determination. "And make the best of things. Yes, Cassandra, I know and I try to find strength." She sighed again and continued: "Now I want you to call my dressmaker. I shall need a dress in which to be wed." Aicha was still pale, but she was determined to make the best of the situation.

Cassandra bowed, pressed Aicha's hands and hurried out to summon the dressmaker as requested.

The days hurried by for Princess Aicha, and all too soon the day arrived for her to wed the Sith Lord.

She was tired. No one knew how many long hours she had restlessly paced her apartments, or stood at her windows, looking out with unseeing eyes into the cold, snow-covered palace-gardens. Feelings of anger toward her father for sacrificing her fought with her sense of duty toward her people. She felt rage at the Sith Lords who blackmailed their way into controlling Thebae. But most of all she grieved for the loss of all her childhood hopes and dreams.

There had also been long, serious talks with the King, fittings for her wedding-gown, and numerous arrangements to be made.

She had been told Lord Maul had arrived at the Palace the night before, having flown in on his own ship. He had not made any attempt to see her and Aicha felt oddly disappointed by this. She had hoped against better knowledge that the Sith Lord would want to meet her before they wed.

As was custom in Thebae's ancient culture, Aicha went to the temple the night before her wedding to pray. Women usually prayed for happiness and many healthy children, but Aicha could think only of a prayer for strength to face her future life as the consort of Lord Maul.

The priest was waiting for her as she entered the temple and when Aicha saw the friendly eyes of the old man resting on her face, she burst into tears and fell to her knees. The priest had known her since she was born. He had performed the ceremony of her first offering of flowers to the Goddess during a ceremony when she was twelve years old.

The old man let her cry for a few moments before he put a gentle hand on her shoulder and spoke to her in his soft, soothing voice: "Rise daughter and prepare yourself."

"My heart is heavy with fear, Father. I am to become the consort of a man who does not want me. Yet I must do this to ensure the safety of our people and this planet."

"Go to the altar, my daughter and meditate. The future will unfold as it should. Clear your mind and find out what the Goddess wishes from you. But be assured She will guide you as She has always done," the priest said before turning to kneel at the altar where he started his chanting.

Aicha did as she was told, knelt before the altar and closed her eyes. As her breathing slowed, she smelled the incense and the flowers and she felt the turmoil in her mind begin to quiet down. The soft light in the Temple embraced her and she relaxed. She opened her eyes, looking up pleadingly at the

round, large breasted figure of the Mother Goddess and let the soft light from the candles soothe her.

The atmosphere in the Temple was serene and the chants of the priest carried her away.

As her meditative trance deepened, Aicha became one with the light and the incense. The sound of the priest chanting came from very far away, while the old painted characters on the walls seemed to come alive, whirling around her, until suddenly she saw the figure of a man. She could not make out his features, but his body was strong and agile and his movements were graceful.

Aicha strained to see his face, wondering who he was, but before she could see him clearly, the trance faded and she found herself in the Temple again, kneeling before the Goddess with the priest smiling down on her.

"Father, I saw a man. He seemed familiar somehow, but I could not see his face. What does it mean?" Aicha asked.

"I do not know, my daughter. Perhaps it is the Goddess telling you that the man you are about to marry, is also the one the Force meant for you to marry. And that you should have faith." The priest then bowed to the Princess before leaving her alone deep in thoughts, pondering the experience she had just had.

Aicha remained in the Temple until the early hours of the morning, praying and meditating, before she rose to her feet and slowly walked back to her apartments to try to rest before the long day ahead of her. She lay down on her bed but even though she was very tired, she could not sleep.

Too soon the hour came in which Princess Aicha had to dress and prepare herself. The wedding-gown, made of a beautiful shimmering golden silk, was covered with sparkling diamante. It was long and flowing, hugging her sweet curves, with a low, boat-shaped neckline, and a long, wide train. A matching long, shimmering veil came with the gown, hiding her face almost completely from view. Aicha's long, dark hair was dressed in soft waves and then tied into the traditional bun at the nape of her neck and she wore the heavy, silver tribal jewellery that all Thebae's brides wore as part of their dowry.

And then the hour she dreaded most arrived. The Ladies in Waiting, with a worried looking Cassandra in front, opened the door of her dressing room and Aicha slowly walked out into the long corridor and down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs King Daemon awaited her and when she reached his side, she saw how pale he looked, there were dark circles under his eyes and his mouth was pressed in a tight line. In spite of her own fears, Aicha felt compassion for him overflowing her heart. She knew the pain he suffered because he had had to ask this great sacrifice of her and lifting her veil she kissed him warmly.

The King nodded gravely, then gave her a slight, rather forced smile, put her hand on his arm and led her towards the Shrine-room where Lord Maul awaited them both.

As soon as Princess Aicha entered the Shrine-room, she felt the dark presence of the Sith. She sensed a ripple of the dark side and shivered. King Daemon led her to where Lord Maul was waiting and together they stood before the magistrate and the priest.

The Sith Lord made no move when she stood beside him but continued to look straight ahead, almost ignoring her presence.

The priest recited a short prayer, before taking the hand of Princess Aicha away from the King's arm, placing it on the waiting hand of Lord Maul. He made the old sacred sign of eternal bonding over their joined hands and recited another prayer, asking the Goddess to bless them all through their lives together.

Aicha nearly cringed as her hand touched his, sensing his darkness, anger and hatred. She avoided looking at him, only noticing that he was dressed completely in black and that the skin of the hand under hers was black with small red tattoos on the knuckles.

She hardly noticed the ceremony as it went on, hearing the words spoken by the magistrate but they made no impression at all. She listened to the ancient chants and prayers absentmindedly until the moment came when the vows had to be taken.

The magistrate asked Lord Maul to make his vows first and Aicha heard his voice for the first time.

It was soft and low and a little breathy and surprisingly he spoke in Aicha's native language. He made the official vows as ordained by Thebaean law, but then he continued speaking: "I, Darth Maul take you, Princess Aicha of Thebae to be my consort. I vow to honour and protect you. Not even death shall part what is forged here today, for even in the Afterlife I shall watch over you and long for your presence."

It was custom on Thebae that after the official vows were made, the bride and groom made their own personal vows to each other, but Aicha had not expected Lord Maul to honour this custom. Whatever she had expected, if was not what she had heard him say just now.

The magistrate bowed to her and she began her own vows in a clear, strong voice. When she reached the moment where her personal vows had to be said, she felt the Force surging around her and it was as if she heard her voice speaking words that were not her own: "I, Aicha of Thebae, take you, Darth Maul to be my consort, I vow to honour and obey you until our days in this life have ended and I join you again in the Afterlife."

Then the magistrate took a gold chain and wound it around their wrists, signifying their eternal bond. Taking a gold cup filled with spiced wine, he presented it to Lord Maul and then Princess Aicha to each take a sip. The final blessings were pronounced and Princess Aicha became the consort of Lord Maul.

Now at last she could no longer delay looking at the Sith Lord. Taking his hand, she kissed it and put it to her forehead in her first ritual greeting of him'.. and then she looked into a pair of unblinking, yellow eyes, burning fiercely in a black face with red warrior tattoos, and she saw his head was crowned with sharp horns.

The Sith's mouth was set in an angry line and again Aicha felt the dark side surging around him.

For a moment she felt her heart stop beating and she cringed, but Lord Maul put her hand on his arm and led her towards the banquet-hall, where the wedding-dinner was to be held for them.

Trembling, Aicha walked beside him, taking her place by his side.

They listened to a short speech at the end of which the King lifted his glass of champagne to wish them health and good fortune. "Aicha, Lord Maul, the circumstances in which fate has brought you together have been difficult, but I pray to the Goddess you will find peace and harmony together."

Aicha looked at her father, her eyes filling with tears, knowing how much he wanted her happiness, while Lord Maul merely nodded in reply.

As was the custom with her people, Aicha had fasted from the day before her wedding until after the ceremony, but she felt the food would choke her if she ate. Her stomach felt like a tight ball inside her body and she noticed that Lord Maul also ate very sparingly, not touching the wines, keeping himself only to water.

Finally the wedding-dinner came to an end for the bridal couple. Princess Aicha rose, bowed to King Daemon and kissed his hand in the ritual way, then proceeded to her apartments, while it was expected that Lord Maul waited with the wedding guests until it was considered enough time had passed for the bride to be prepared by her maids and awaited him in their bedroom.

In her private apartments Princess Aicha found her maids waiting for her helping to undress her and get her ready for her wedding-night. After dressing her in a soft nightgown of ivory-coloured silk and brushing her long hair, Aicha quickly dismissed them and awaited Lord Maul with a thumping heart.

In her culture a marriage must be consummated during the wedding-night and she remembered the teachings of her mother when she was still a young girl.

"Remember Aicha, a woman must never refuse her husband. You may become consort to a man you have never met before, or even dislike, yet it is your duty to submit to him. Your husband must make you his on your wedding-night. If he refuses you and you are sent back to your parents, it will mean disgrace, and no other man will have you."

Aicha groaned inwardly. It may be part of her culture, but she hated it and had no wish to be submissive. It was the right of her consort to take her and her duty to obey him, but she was afraid of this fearsome Sith Lord who would soon join her.

The door of the bedroom opened and he was there. Aicha rose steadily to her feet but could not prevent her hands from shaking.

Lord Maul wore a long, black velvet robe tied loosely around his body and he slowly walked towards her, looking at her with his fierce, yellow eyes. "My Lady," his soft voice said as he stood before her.

"My Lord." Aicha replied, bowing her head slightly for him, noticing for the first time that even his teeth were dark, flecked with black. "May I speak with you in my own language?"

"Of course. I speak many languages. My Master deemed it important for me to be fluent in most languages of the Republic."

He stood before her with narrowed eyes, making Aicha take an involuntary step back.

"Why did you choose me? I will of course fulfil my duty towards you. I will submit to you and bear your children, but why me?" Aicha asked coldly. She did not quite know what she hoped he would answer and she was already sorry she had brought up the question.

"I did not choose you. My Master wishes control of this planet and you were a necessary part of obtaining that." The Sith Lord gave her a dark stare. "Your culture demands that I make you mine right now and I shall do so. But let me make it quite clear, my Lady, that although you will obey me at all times, I will honour you as my consort."

Before Aicha could answer him, Lord Maul had taken her into his arms and pulled her close. She felt his hot breath on her lips while simultaneously she sensed how he probed her mind. An eager hand tore away her nightgown and covered her naked breast.

She gasped and felt her body go rigid as Lord Maul forced her slowly back towards the bed, gesturing for her to lie down before removing his own robe.

Princess Aicha got her first look at his powerful body. She saw the strong muscles ripple under his black and red tattooed skin with every move he made. She blushed upon seeing his manhood, already aroused by her nakedness.

Lord Maul covered her body with his and his tongue moved over her nipples, making her gasp. Before she knew what was really happening, he had positioned himself between her legs and his hardness entered her. He began making fierce thrusts and she winced in pain. Another deeper thrust brought Lord Maul to the delicate resistance inside of her and with a strong move of his hips he made her his woman.

Aicha heard his breaths coming faster and a groan welled up in his throat. She saw the clouded yellow eyes close to her face and turned her head away, no longer wanting to look at him.

Lord Maul's thrusts came faster and faster and he pushed his face against her neck, giving her a small bite.

For the first time she felt how he tasted her skin, breathed in her scent, groaning softly while he licked her soft breasts again hungrily. His arms went around her body, pulling her even closer to him. He had not wanted her, yet now he was obviously aroused by her and desired her. With a loud groan and a last fierce thrust he let his juices flow inside of her.

Lord Maul let his body rest on Aicha's until after a moment he left her body and lay down beside her.

Aicha felt his seed mingled with her blood sticky between her legs. She lay on her back, trembling never having thought her first time with a man would be like this. It had been very quick and very painful. She had endured his invasion of her body as was her duty, but it had hurt.

Lord Maul's soft voice came beside her: "Once I put my seed inside of you, you became mine. You can never escape me now, nor belong to another. I now own your body and your soul, my Lady. You belong to me until the end of time. From now on you shall be known as the Lady Aicha. Your rank as consort to a Sith Lord outranks that of princess."

With that Lord Maul turned over on his side, his back to her and a little later his even breathing told Aicha that he had gone to sleep.

Princess Aicha must have fallen asleep herself, for when she woke up, the darkness outside the large windows of her bedroom was beginning to give way to early dawn.

As she looked beside her, she saw Lord Maul had already woken up and left the room without making a sound. Aicha stretched her body and found it still sore from the night before. She sighed heavily and got up, wrapping a soft robe around her naked body and went into the breakfast-room, where to her surprise, she found Darth Maul sipping a cup of tea.

She gave him a slight nod and sat down to have some coffee. "My Lord," she said stiffly, fighting the urge to pick up a plate and throw it at him even though she knew it was unreasonable to be angry. He had taken his right as her consort as she had expected him to do. Yet she was angry and bewildered because she also realized he had already firmly lodged himself inside her mind. She had sensed how he invaded her mind when he took her, taking her body as well as her soul into his keeping.

"My Lady," was his soft answer.

"You are angry," he continued and looked at her with a slight smile. I can feel your anger. That is good. Use it and draw strength from it."

Aicha merely glared at him angrily for mocking her and decided not to answer to his taunts.

While drinking her coffee, she looked at Lord Maul from under her eyelashes from time to time and each time found his golden eyes on her.

Aicha secretly had to admit to herself that he had a certain savage beauty, with his fierce yellow eyes, his well-shaped, well-trained body and the lissom way in which he moved.

A smile still played on the Sith Lord's face. Darth Maul sensed her emotions very clearly and he was no longer so displeased with the fact that Lord Sidious had ordered him to bond with this woman. He remembered clearly the night when he had been summoned to Lord Sidious's quarters, where his Master had informed him of his plans for Thebae.

Darth Sidious had summoned his apprentice late one evening and when he entered his quarters and went down on one knee before his Master, Lord Sidious spoke with apparent satisfaction.

"This will be another step on the road to total control of the galaxy, my young apprentice!" Darth Sidious said and then laughed softly. "I have forced King Daemon to give his daughter, Princess Aicha, to you as part of the treaty. I know her to be strong with the Force." Lord Sidious made an impatient move with his hand as he sensed Lord Maul wanted to speak.

"No need for you to know how I found out about her. It is sufficient for you that I deem her worthy to become the consort to a Sith Lord and the mother of his children. In time your sons will become faithful ambassadors to my Empire. Oh yes! She can conceive your children! I have made sure of that too. Otherwise she would not have been chosen."

"If it please my Master, I have no wish for a consort. My only aim in life is to serve you and be the one to destroy the Jedi and their Order," Lord Maul's low voice said, only to be given a look by his Master that made a wave of pain sear through his body. Darth Maul knew better than to resist his Master. He did not wince, but merely bowed his head. "Yes, my Master, it shall be as you wish."

Now Lord Maul had met the woman Lord Sidious had chosen for him and thought that maybe it was the Will of the Force that she should be his. Again it was a sign of his Master's superior wisdom. While he, Maul, knew only devotion to his Master and the Sith Code, Lord Sidious saw the whole universe unfold before him. He never missed an opportunity and Maul could again only acknowledge his vision.

A little later he put down his empty cup, gave Aicha a short nod and went to a secluded part of the Palace gardens where he began the rigorous daily exercises he did wherever he went. There were the push-ups, the stretching, the somersaults, the high kicks, running, and the usual routine with his double bladed lightsaber, all the endless exercises that were a part of his everyday life.

After finishing her breakfast, Aicha had gone back to her dressing room to be dressed in a gown of red velvet. It was clinging to her soft breasts and round hips and she knew she was looking lovely and inviting, while at the same time she wondered why she bothered to look beautiful for a man she did not want.

She left her apartments to see her father and when the secretary closed the door behind her, she rushed to her father. King Daemon put his arms around her and closed his eyes. He knew his daughter was distressed and hurt and he let her cry against his chest.

"Father! He does not want me; he took me because our customs demanded it of him! Because his Master had ordered him! He had no feelings about it at all! What am I to do? How can I live like this?"

"My child, you must obey him. For the sake of our people you must obey him. You must make the best of all this. Learn to live with him. Maybe in time he will come to appreciate the sweet, wonderful person you are." King Daemon stopped talking for a moment, feeling he sounded insincere. He had seen Lord Maul and wondered if the Sith Lord could have any feelings at all.

"Remember now, you are a Princess! Behave accordingly. Arranged weddings have always been a part of being of Royal blood. Your mother and I were lucky, we were in love. However there have been marriages of convenience before you and there will be again. In this case I am afraid there is nothing to be done, except to make the best of it. And you know as well as I do that had Lord Maul not made you his, it would have been very bad indeed."

"Yes father, I know! Disgrace! Women have to endure the attentions of their husbands, whether they like it or not! Mother told me all about my duties as a wife. But it is a terrible custom and I feel it is time we did something about it." Aicha spoke passionately and angrily.

"Hush daughter! I have spoken about that matter with some of the more progressive members of the council when I considered modernizing our society and I will deal with it in due course. But not now. Now is not the right time for this." King Daemon said severely.

When Aicha lifted her head and wanted to protest he silenced her by putting his fingers against her lips. "I know daughter! What I have asked you to do is hard, very hard. But it is done and nothing can change it now, not anymore. Now, go back to your rooms and wait for Lord Maul." King Daemon's voice was stern and Aicha straightened her shoulders, kissed her father and left his office with a heavy heart. She knew her father was right, of course he was right, she had not asked for this task, but she had taken it and she knew she must now fulfil her destiny.

The rest of the day Aicha tried to concentrate on her normal duties. There were always people wanting an audition with her, there were papers to sign, tasks to perform, which she had taken over when King Daemon became ill. However, no matter how she tried to listen patiently to the people visiting her, a pair of golden eyes and a soft voice whispering to her kept invading her thoughts.

Finally, late in the afternoon when the last audition was over, she got up and left her office to go back to her drawing room where tea was waiting for her. She went to the large windows and stared out into the darkness. The lights from the Palace-windows threw a soft, yellow light on the snow-covered lawns and an icy wind had risen blowing snow against the windows.

And suddenly Aicha had a vision. She had had these flashes of knowledge before, but this time it came to her clearer and stronger than ever before. She saw herself standing before Lord Maul and as she looked into the fierce, yellow eyes, she heard a voice inside of her head say: "Two souls become one." And Aicha knew she had found her destiny. However impossible it seemed the Force had brought her and Lord Maul together, she knew that now, and even though they hardly knew each other, eventually they would find the way to share their life as the Force had meant it to be.

Aicha shivered and hugged her body. She had learned to trust her instincts and relied on them at all times. She gave a deep, troubled sigh and went to the fireplace where a warm fire was burning.

Lord Maul had not yet returned and Aicha sat down in front of the fire with a cup of tea, deep in thought.

When she looked up, she saw Lord Maul standing in the room and she jumped; "My Lord! You startled me! I had not heard you come in."

Lord Maul smiled slightly; "No one hears me unless I want them to."

"May I pour you a cup of tea, my Lord?" Aicha asked after she had given him the ritual greeting.

And when Lord Maul nodded, she poured him some fragrant, hot tea and watched as he sat down beside her on the floor cross-legged.

"My Lord, what is it you want from me? You said you honour me and yet you used me for your Master's purposes. I do not understand all this. My father said I had to bond with you because of an alliance with the Sith. But now that I belong to the Sith what is expected of me? Will you leave me here on Thebae when you leave or will you take me with you?"

Aicha did not know if Lord Maul would answer her, but she had to ask.

"My Master wanted control of this planet and the absolute loyalty of King Daemon. Lord Sidious knows you are very strong with the Force. Therefore, he wanted me to bond with you and conceive children strong in the Force. When you became my consort, you became property of the Sith, in addition you and your planet are now under the protection of the Sith. And as to your last question, you are my consort, where else should you be, but at my side?"

"So, you took me only because Lord Sidious wanted you to. You do not want me and yet you say I will belong to your for all time." Aicha said angrily.

"How do you know I do not want you, my Lady?" Lord Maul said looking at her with his fierce, golden eyes.

Aicha stared at him stunned into silence. Could he read her every thought? Was he aware of the vision she had? And at that moment it seemed as if something passed between them, there was a sudden magnetism and she dropped her gaze before the unblinking, golden stare, unable to look at him any longer.

Then Lord Maul smiled mysteriously and continued: "I said I would honour you and I do. Your own customs demanded that I made you mine on our wedding night. If I had been any other man chosen to be your consort, you would have had to endure the same. It would have been no different."

Darth Maul took a sip of his tea. "Tomorrow I must address the King and after that I intend to take you to Coruscant to present you to Lord Sidious," he said shortly. "But until then we have the night before us, my Lady."

"My Lord, is that how our life together is going to be? Am I to be taken without any feelings and at your convenience?" Aicha felt her anger rise again.

"You underestimate yourself. You have a delectable body and I enjoy having you. I suggest, my Lady, you learn to enjoy my body as well. It will be less painful for you if you do." He gave her a mocking, little smile, jumped effortlessly to his feet and left the room, leaving Princess Aicha speechless.

After her consort left her, Aicha poured herself another cup of tea and pondered what he had said. He was so strong with the Force, maybe he knew what lay ahead. She no longer sensed his anger towards her as she had felt it when they were wed. Instead she felt a certain understanding, a bond forming between them. She shook her head, got up and slowly went to the dining room where dinner was to be served for the two of them.

He joined her a little later and she noticed how good he looked in his black tunic. He nodded to her and sat down opposite her.

During their dinner together Aicha noticed again how sparingly he ate and how his eyes met hers every time she looked up. However, he hardly spoke to her in the presence of the servants and she herself felt oddly shy of him.

After they had dined, Lord Maul and Aicha went to the drawing room to have coffee and when she sat down on the comfortable sofa, the silence between them became oppressive and she decided to try and engage the Sith Lord into some conversation.

"Are you cold, my Lord?" she asked.

"No, I am not." was the short answer.

Aicha was uncertain what to say to him next. She sensed his presence very strongly in the room as well as inside her mind.

"Come here." Lord Maul commanded her suddenly.

"My Lord?" Aicha was baffled.

"I said, come here!"

"Am I a dog to give commands to?" Aicha's anger flared again.

Lord Maul raised his head slightly and she felt the anger and the power of the dark side surge around the room. "I have told you to obey me at all times, my Lady. I honour you, but I shall be your Master!

I am a Sith. Do not expect me to kiss the hem of your gown. I will not warn you again. Now, come here!"

Aicha rose to her feet and went to his side. "I will obey you, my Lord, as I vowed I would. But I will have your respect as well, as is my right as your consort. I will take your seed and bear your sons, that is my duty according to my culture, but I will never be your submissive slave," her eyes looked steadily and defiantly into his and after a while to her surprise he grinned.

"Well done my Lady. Not many dare stand up to a Sith. You were well chosen," and before Aicha could answer, Lord Maul pulled her close to him and she felt his mouth and tongue run over her neck.

She gasped when she felt him remove the shoulder strap of her dress and his hand slowly pushed it down, revealing a large, soft breast.

"Now, obey me and undress!" Lord Maul ordered, his voice soft and breathy, and Aicha obeyed, taking off her red, velvet dress.

He pushed her down onto the soft hearth rug, and his hands were all over her body, his nails trailing teasingly over her shoulders, stroking her arms, as he sucked and licked at her breasts and nipples, running his strong fingers over her flanks and caressing her round hips and soft stomach.

His breath came very quickly from between his lips when he sat up and hurriedly removed his tunic and pants, revealing his body to her once again.

Lord Maul guided Aicha's hands to his rigid manhood and she caressed the hardness, noticing ironically how soft his skin was.

Lord Maul parted her legs with his knee and began touching her soft intimate places. Aicha gasped as she felt her body respond to his touch, allowing herself to be carried away by the waves of sheer physical pleasure.

"Yes, learn to enjoy my touch, my Lady. I will give you much pleasure." Lord Maul breathed in her ear. And while he kissed and nibbled her neck, he moved his body into position between her legs and for the second time Aicha felt his large, rigid length enter her.

She moaned softly as he chafed her still sore body, but gradually he seemed to move with much more ease. Her body was hot and wet under him and she felt her senses begin to reel.

Lord Maul thrusts were very fierce and deep and his sighs became soft groans, until with a soft cry he let his juices flow inside of her.

Aicha noticed how he stayed inside of her and bit her lip as sensations she had never felt before ran through her entire body. She arched her back and groaned as she felt her own juices mingle with his.

Lord Maul slid out of Aicha slowly and sat up, watching her with a smile. She saw how the flames cast shadows on his face, giving him again that odd, savage beauty. She reached out for her dress, still lying on the floor next to her and put it on quickly when she a chill hit her after he pulled away from her.

"Who are you, my Lord? I am your consort and I know nothing about you. Are we to be intimate like this and still remain strangers? If I am to give birth to your children, surely I have the right to know you?" she asked softly.

"We are not strangers. But you know that too, don't you? You have sensed it, as I have." His smile was mysterious. "We shall talk soon, my Lady, but not tonight. I suggest we get some sleep now, for tomorrow we have a long day ahead of us."

With that Lord Maul rose to his feet and went to take a shower, leaving Aicha with her arms wrapped around her knees, wondering what had happened. After a long time, she too got up and went to the bedroom, where she found Lord Maul already resting on the bed. She quickly changed into her silk nightgown and lay down beside him.

Sometime during the night she half awoke from a nightmare. But, before she became fully awake, she was conscious of a sensation of safety and warmth, and she heard a heart beating against her. She gave a soft murmur and slept on, only to wake up the next morning to find her consort cradling her in his arms while she had been sleeping against his chest.

Aicha remembered her dream and carefully shifted her head to look at him, curious for his reaction.

She met his eyes and noticed that when he smiled there were sweet wrinkles under them, giving his otherwise severe face a certain softness.

"I dreamed..." Aicha started.

Lord Maul put a finger against her lips. "I suggest you go and dress, my Lady. I will talk with your father first and then we must be on our way."

Princess Aicha nodded and quickly got up, bathed and dressed in a travelling-gown of black velvet that flowed softly around her body.

There was only time for a quick cup of coffee before she accompanied Lord Maul to the King's Chambers where her father was waiting. Aicha went to her father's side and kissed his hand in the ritual way, then took her place at his side, while Lord Maul stood before them.

She noticed with a little surprise that he did not kneel before the King as all other beings did when they came before him and understood Lord Maul felt he outranked everyone including King Daemon.

"Your Majesty, a treaty has been signed between the Sith and you. From now on, as you agreed, the Sith shall be the real power behind the Throne. Let there be no misunderstanding about this. If I find there is any sort of treason against the Sith, there will be severe repercussions. And I hope I do not have to explain to you that said repercussions will be very harsh. Indeed, harsh for the entire planet."

"You have been warned and it is the only warning you will receive. No resistance will be tolerated. I am leaving shortly with my consort, but make no mistake, I shall know everything that happens here on this planet." Lord Maul's face was cold as his voice and he made only the slightest bow to the King.

"I will adhere to the treaty my Lord. But do you intend to take Princess Aicha with you?" Aicha turned to look at her father in surprise when he suddenly spoke those words.

"She is my consort, her place is at my side."

"Lord Maul, Princess Aicha cannot be spared on this planet, she is loved by our people and I am a very sick man, I need her help and support. You must allow her to stay here." King Daemon pleaded almost in despair.

"Father! Your request is illogical! You knew when I became Lord Maul's consort, I would leave with him." Aicha said, wondering at the King's sudden and strange reaction.

"Your Majesty, the Lady Aicha will accompany me." Lord Maul held out his hand to Aicha and she slowly rose from her seat and put her hand on his arm.

The King sighed deeply and then nodded. "My Lord. So be it. I will come down to the hangar to make my official farewells to my daughter before she leaves my House to join yours."

Lord Maul and Princess Aicha took their leave of the King and went to the hangar where the Infiltrator was waiting. Once they were outside the King's Chambers, Lord Maul suddenly spoke. "There is something wrong here. I sense a disturbance in the dark side. Your father's mind is clouded by fear. Maybe he fears for your safety or ... a member of his Council has knowledge of this treaty and is planning to defy me."

"But surely my father would not dishonour the treaty he helped arrange?" Aicha felt her heart beating anxiously as she followed Lord Maul to the hangar where his Infiltrator was parked, her mind racing, trying to figure out what the truth was behind all this. Why had her father insisted on her staying on Thebae? Surely he must have known that she would leave with Lord Maul after the wedding. Yet Aicha could not imagine her father doing anything dishonourable.

When they entered the hangar Lord Maul immediately boarded the Infiltrator to make final checks and preparations before take-off while Aicha waited for the King to arrive to say his farewells.

King Daemon soon entered and walked up to her, an expression of worry on his tired face. "My daughter, please stay here on the planet with me. It is dangerous to travel, there are pirates around and I will not know where you are. Please reconsider and stay here, where it is safe."

King Daemon sighed and continued urgently: "Daughter, I am afraid you will never return once you leave with Lord Maul! He may never allow you to return and I cannot bear never to see you again."

"Father, you made this treaty, not I. You knew he would take me with him after the wedding." Aicha made a small gesture with her hand, touching her father's arm. "I had no wish to be bonded to a Sith Lord, yet now I have accepted my fate and I shall go with my consort. Wherever that may lead me."

She looked into his eyes. "You and mother taught me to do my duty always. I must do so now."

"Of course, my daughter, you are right. I knew all this. But as your father I had secretly hoped he would be your consort in name only. But of course you must go with him, you are his consort. Forgive me my weakness, daughter, but after your mother died you were all I had left and I had hoped you would stay here with me. It was not to be so." The King ran a tired hand over his face and the smiled faintly at his daughter.

Aicha looked deeply into her father's eyes and saw the unshed tears and the despair. The King nodded silently and put both hands on his daughter's head and whispered the traditional words of farewell: "May the Goddess accompany you on your journey through life. May She bring you peace and prosperity every day and may She shield you from harm, now and forever."

Aicha embraced him warmly, then turned quickly to join Lord Maul in the Infiltrator. As soon as she was on board, the ramp closed behind her and the fast ship took off.

Lord Maul sat in the pilot's seat, his body tense, as he expertly took the ship into space while Aicha sat down on the seat beside him.

She noticed his scowl as he turned to face her: "Your father has betrayed me. I sensed it. I will cloak the ship as soon as I clear the system."

"My father would never do that my Lord, he would betray me as well." Aicha answered in her father's defense, but she remembered how intent her father had been on her staying behind and she felt her throat constrict.

"My Lady, you must expect betrayal from anyone, even from someone you love." Lord Maul replied coldly.

They had not travelled far when suddenly four spaceships decloaked, blocking their way in every direction, firing their guns at them.

Lord Maul snarled and armed the weapon systems. "Togorian pirates. Your father must have told them when we left be and promised them a handsome reward for killing me."

"I cannot believe it! Then he has condemned me as well!" Aicha was shattered and gave a soft gasp when she heard a thud on the hull of the Infiltrator when it was hit.

"Hold on my Lady, I must try to evade them, they hit the cloaking device!" Immediately Lord Maul started twisting and turning the agile Infiltrator, trying to lose the pirates.

However they were outnumbered and Aicha feared escape would be impossible even for the experienced Sith Lord.

Lord Maul made another sudden course change, moving his ship behind one of the pirate ships and fired his weapons. The ship was hit and exploded into a cloud of fire and debris.

But a second ship was already closing in on them. Another tight turn followed by dipping the nose brought the Infiltrator on the tail of another pirate ship and Lord Maul destroyed it as well with ease.

He started a steep looping manoeuvre, trying to outrun one of the remaining ships, while positioning himself behind the fourth and last. He made another sudden change of direction, dipped the nose of the Infiltrator again and Aicha saw the third pirate ship explode as the Sith Lord fired his weapons.

At the same instant though the Infiltrator shuddered violently and a shower of sparks flew from the main console and the ship started spinning wildly out of control. Maul had to use all his strength to bring it out of the spin and back on a straight course.

He bared his teeth in a rage, diving into the atmosphere of Thebae, hoping the captain of the last ship would think his prey was going to crash and not follow them down.

"I don't know if I can land the ship safely. Brace yourself for impact!" Lord Maul shouted at Aicha.

The Infiltrator shuddered again and with great difficulty he managed to get her under minimal control again. Lord Maul finally managed to straighten the ship and head for a clearing between the high mountains.

The Infiltrator bounced a couple of times on the snow-covered ground, as it dived into the thick layers of snow and finally coming to a standstill. Aicha was thrown forward in her seat, she screamed as she hit her head on a console, and then the world went black.

By the time Aicha regained consciousness, it was already dark and a storm was howling outside the Infiltrator. She was shivering uncontrollably and could hardly move her body from the extreme cold. She tried to sit up and gave a soft cry as a stab of pain hit her. Touching her head she found she was bleeding. The world spun around her and she fought a wave of nausea.

Slowly, breathing deeply she got to her knees. She knew her wound was only superficial and she felt no fractures or pains other than the pain in her head. To her infinite relief a single light inside the ship was still burning and Aicha started looking for her consort.

"Maul?" There was not a sound to be heard and Aicha started crawling around frantically, searching for him. And then she found him lying on the floor motionless, caught under a console that had come loose in the crash. Now she had to get the heavy console away from his body and with all her strength began lifting it. Finally, with a scream of frustration she managed to shift the heavy console away from him and knelt beside him.

As far as she could establish he was not breathing. Frantically she put her mouth over his and tried to resuscitate him.

"Breathe!! Come on, breathe!!" She yelled at him, again breathing into his mouth.

Princess Aicha for a horrible moment believed he was dead, but when she searched for life signs again, she felt a pulse in his neck and he took a groaning intake of breath.

He was still unconscious and she feared he was bleeding internally. She looked around the Infiltrator for blankets and medical supplies and saw a cover on the narrow sleep-couch. Hurriedly she got the blanket, covered him with it and searched again for a med kit. It took her little time to find it in one of the multitude of compartments.

Using a med scan over his body, Aicha's fears were confirmed. Not only had the console opened a nasty wound in his side, it had also caused him to bleed internally.

Aicha had received some medical training because she never wanted to be a useless figurehead living at the Palace. In fact she and her Ladies in Waiting had all worked at one of the local hospitals during the war, nursing wounded soldiers. She had never been happier for her training than right now.

She used a fuser to close the open wound and then applied bacta to it, bandaging it carefully. There was still some minor internal bleeding, the med scan had shown that, but she hoped it would stop by itself soon.

Finally she began an ancient healing technique of her people. Her soft fingers made the secret healing signs on his body while she recited the healing mantras softly.

The wind outside the Infiltrator howled and the temperature inside dropped even more. Aicha trembled from cold and lay down beside Lord Maul, trying to share body warmth.

Huddled as closely to the Sith as she could without hurting him, Aicha wondered whether anyone at flight controls had seen them coming down and if so, would they come for them.

Many hours later she felt Maul stir beside her and when he tried to move, he moaned softly in pain.

"Careful my Lord, you must lie very still. I managed to fuse your wounds and stop the internal bleeding, but you need time to regenerate. Try to get some sleep."

"Aicha. You must go and save yourself. You will die from cold if you stay here." Lord Maul whispered.

"And leave you here to die alone? No my Lord, it was my father who got us into this. I will not leave you. Not even death can part us, remember? Maybe it was a good thing I am with you. They obviously did not expect me to accompany you. My father will come for me, I am sure of it." Aicha said softly, vainly trying to comfort the Sith.

He made another soft groan and his hand gripped hers tightly. She immediately pulled him closer to her and gently caressed his cold hand.

"Aicha, you must lie close to me. We must share our body-warmth or we will freeze to death." Lord Maul whispered and she slid her arm under his neck and held him against her, sharing her warmth and her energy with him, noticing he was now using her first name.

All through that unending night Aicha held him close to her. He was drifting in and out of consciousness and every now and then groaned or gave soft moans.

When dawn finally broke, Lord Maul was half awake but his body was still very cold and he was trembling. He had tried to regenerate his body using the tremendous healing powers of the Sith, but he had been unable to stay conscious long enough.

The brief moments he was awake, he had felt Aicha's arms around him and felt her warmth. He had also felt her fingers caressing his cheek, while her soft voice talking to him had made him feel safe for the first time in his life.

Aicha had waited until it was light outside before she gently pulled her arm from under his neck, causing him to give a soft, disappointed moan. She got up, stretched her sore body and with a little difficulty managed to open the door of the Infiltrator.

The icy wind struck her when she stepped outside, the driving snow stung her face. She saw only bleak, icy fields and high, snow-covered mountains as far as the eye could see. They had obviously come down in a very remote part of the planet where few, if any people lived.

Realizing she must find shelter, Princess Aicha used the electro-binoculars she had found on the Infiltrator to search the landscape until she spotted what looked like a small log cabin in the distance.

It did not seem too far away, and in the cabin there should be wood to make a fire and hopefully a bed where he could rest. Time to walk to the cabin and check was lacking, for already the light was beginning to fade on the short winter days, and she knew Lord Maul would not survive another night inside the cold Infiltrator, and probably neither would she.

Aicha hurried back inside the Infiltrator and saw her consort was awake and she breathed a sigh of relief.

He had regained consciousness and felt intensely cold and empty when he found Aicha was not holding him, something he had never experienced before. All night he had felt her nearness and it had nurtured him, now her absence made him feel unusually lonely.

Since he met Aicha he had begun to appreciate her. He wanted her presence and longed for the feel of her hands touching his body. She was nothing like the cowering palace-girl he had expected to find waiting for him on his wedding-day.

Instead he found a woman who was intelligent and who stood up to him without flinching. Lord Maul groaned softly in despair when he realized he loved her.

He heard the words his Master had told him over and over again: "Maul, remember, I will not allow you to have any feelings for another being. Love can destroy you. Those feelings will make you weak and can be exploited, used against you. Use other beings for your own purpose and never let them get close to you!"

Yet, Lord Sidious had ordered him to bond with Princess Aicha. He had been enraged when his Master had ordered him to take a mate to suit his plans, but when his powerful mind touched Aicha's on their wedding day, he recognized her as the one who had always been with him, the one who was his destiny and he needed her now.

Kneeling down beside him, Aicha gently took his cold fingers between hers, kissed them and brought them to her forehead.

"My Lord, we must leave this ship. Life-support is down and there is another storm coming. There is a cabin about a mile away. I think we should go there. Do you have any sort of ground transport onboard?"

"There is an antigrav sled in the hold and enough emergency rations to last us a month," Lord Maul's soft voice said.

"Do you think you can make it to the cabin?" Aicha asked worriedly, only to be rewarded with a slight smile.

"I am Sith. I have endured more pain in my life than you could ever imagine," he replied.

Aicha nodded, hurried to the hold to get the antigrav sled out and packed all the emergency rations she could find. As carefully and gently as she could she aided Lord Maul to the sled. He made no sound despite the pain he must be suffering when he moved, although every now and then, he grimaced. Slowly, they made their way to the sled where he lay down and she covered him with blankets and his own warm cloak.

Moving as quickly as she could, she pushed the sled toward the log cabin in the distance. The winds had picked up and it began to snow again and Aicha bit her lip, fighting her way through the deep snow on the ground. It seemed she would never reach the cabin; she was afraid darkness would fall and she would lose her way before reaching it. It took every last bit of strength from her and she began to feel tears of despair coming to her eyes, but finally she reached the cabin. Gratefully she opened the door and went inside. For a moment she closed her eyes and leaned against the door, thanking the Goddess for allowing her to find shelter and safety for her consort and herself.

It turned out to be a cabin used during the short summer months by people wanting to climb the nearby scenic mountains and it was well equipped. In the fading light she could see it was comfortably furnished with some rustic chairs, a table and a large couch. By the fireplace she found enough wood to last them a long time, and she even saw candles and a small oil lamp.

In an adjacent, smaller room stood a large sleep-couch with warm, soft covers on it and beside it another oil lamp and more candles.

Aicha hurried back outside again and started helping Lord Maul inside. By now he was barely conscious and leaned heavily on her shoulders. She managed to get him to the sleep-couch, where she undressed him, wrapped him in the soft blankets and went to start a fire in the huge fireplace.

First she lit the oil lamp and some candles and in no time had the fire going. She gratefully stretched her hands out to it and felt a heavy drowsiness come over her, while at the same time her head began to throb violently again.

She needed to rest too and rose to her feet, blew out the candles and went to the sleep-couch where Lord Maul was already asleep. Aicha lay down closely beside him, sharing his warmth, and before her head touched the pillow, she was asleep.

Many hours later Lord Maul woke up. His body was burning with fever, pain seared through him and he suppressed a cry, but he was also keenly aware of a soft, comforting body beside him. He reached out and touched her cheek against his shoulder.

Aicha murmured softly and opened her eyes. "Maul! You are awake. Are you very much in pain? Do you need anything?" she asked softly.

"Yes. I need you," was the Sith's soft answer and he pulled her closer to him. "My body is healing. I am in pain now, but in a few days I will be fine and then we must talk."

"You need to sleep. Just rest. I am here beside you." Aicha caressed the soft skin under her hand, listening to the howling winds outside and feeling very safe and warm in this bed with Lord Maul.

In fact she knew that there was nowhere else she would rather be than right here with him. She sensed him inside her mind very clearly now, occupying the place where he had always been throughout all their previous lives together. And Aicha also realized to her astonishment she had fallen in love with Lord Maul. She had never expected this to happen and yet it had.

Snuggling closely to him she fell asleep again, listening to his familiar, steady heartbeat, until a few hours later dawn broke and she awoke to find herself extremely hungry. Quietly she got up and went into the small kitchen. Opening the cupboard she took the coffee and tea stored there and with some soup from the emergency rations she strangely felt very content.

"So here you are, Aicha. Stranded in a log cabin with some soup and coffee. Outside a storm is raging and you feel happier than ever before at the Palace. How easily life can change." Aicha smiled and taking some her coffee with her, went to see if her consort was awake.

His yellow eyes looked at her the moment she stepped in, but she could see how tired and feverish he still was. He reached out his hand to her and she put down her cup on the small table beside the bed, sat down and kissed his hand

"I have made some coffee, would you like some? Or would you rather have some tea or water?" she asked.

"Water, I am very thirsty," he replied and she quickly got some water from the kitchen, sliding her arm under his neck to let him drink. When he had drunk he rested back on the pillow again and watched Aicha as sat next to him and sipped her fragrant coffee.

Without any words being spoken, the bond between became stronger, almost as if invisible tendrils of the Force tied them together. Maul looked at her beautiful face, sensing her warmth and light in his heart. She caught his eyes and suddenly something passed between them and neither one was able to look away.

Maul felt her love and read her every thought. "Yes my Lady, I can feel your love as you can feel mine."

He saw how she blushed, suddenly shy of him and smiled when she dropped her eyes before his.

To hide her shyness, Aicha finished her coffee and got busy applying new bacta to the wounds and bandaging them anew.

And again her hands made the old, familiar healing signs over his body.

Lord Maul felt her hands on his hot skin and he sensed the energy flowing from her into his body. He felt her power and her love and nodded when she put her hands tenderly on his wounds. The pain slipped away and he relaxed under her care, until he could let go and his body went into a healing trance.

Thinking the Sith would not wake up soon, Aicha snuggled up close to him, enjoying the feel of his soft, warm skin against her. Still tired herself, she felt her body ache and relished the thought of going to sleep again.

Hours later, Lord Maul came through layers and layers of sleep and reached for the already familiar presence of his consort. His strong hand caressed her shoulder and went over her breast. He breathed in her sweet scent and made a soft sound of pleasure.

Aicha stirred when she felt his hand on her body and looked at him. Lord Maul's eyes were clearer and less tired and he smiled at her. She moved to get up to change his bandages and to make him some soup, but his strong arms held her to him.

"Not yet, I need to hold you a little longer," the soft, breathy voice said and his lips came down on her hair.

With a deep sigh she put her head against him again and, trailing the red tattoos on his chest said, "I can sense you are better. One day, soon, I am going to kiss every tattoo on your body My Lord."

In spite of the fact that he was far from recovered, Lord Maul felt his body begin to respond to her and laughed softly. "May the Force hasten that day."

Aicha gave a delighted giggle and disengaged herself from his arms.

"I am going to make you some soup and tea. And before long you will feel as strong as ever."

In no time she had brought him his soup and tea. Sitting down beside him on the edge of the sleep-couch, Aicha helped him to sit up. He leaned against her and slowly sipped his soup and tea.

"I must change the bacta and bandages again." Aicha said when he handed her the empty cup.

When she ran the med scan over his wounds again, she gasped, astonished by what she saw. "This cannot be right! Your internal wounds are almost healed. I have never seen anything like this! The readings must be wrong!" she exclaimed.

Lord Maul smiled wryly. "No, they are correct. The Sith have great healing powers. I need another healing trance and tomorrow I will be all right." He rested back on the pillow again and closed his eyes. The last thing he felt before he slipped back into his healing trance were the soft fingers of his consort on his body, giving him energy.

Once Maul was asleep, Aicha sat in front of the fire and let her thoughts free, going over everything that had happened. Why would her father betray Lord Maul and even her? If Lord Maul had died, the consequences would have been terrible she was sure of that. If she had stayed behind at the Palace the planet would still have belonged to the Sith and punishment would have come from Lord Sidious.

And if the King did not want Sith control of the planet, why had he agreed to her bonding with Lord Maul in the first place?

Aicha sighed and shook her head. She could not find any logical answer to her questions.

Unless'. unless her father had no idea what had happened. King Daemon was an old man and he was ill. He must have thought he would die before Lord Maul ever let her return again to Thebae and therefore never see her again. He had expressed those fears when he took leave of her. That would explain his eagerness for her to stay on Thebae. What if the King had tried to do the best thing for Thebae and her people, but others had thought this was the opportunity they had been waiting for to get rid of King Daemon and take control themselves.

Because they had no idea they were up against the Sith, or that this would result in total destruction of the planet, the people and the culture, they would believe they would have the power as well as Thebae's wealth.

It was a diabolical plot that could only end in disaster for the people of Thebae.

Aicha put her hands to her pounding heart. She longed to speak with Lord Maul, to express her suspicions and fears, hoping he could bring clarity into all this.

The hours of the night came and went but Aicha could find no rest. She sat in a chair by the fire, trembling, and waiting for the moment when Lord Maul would wake up from his healing trance.

But even on her haunted mind the shock of the last days was taking its toll and she dozed off.

END of part 1