In the City that never sleeps 9

In difference to Cati’s advice I did not put rosebuds in my hair. While the idea sounded lovely it was a little too cute for my tastes. I tied it up with a set of bone Zenji sticks, nice and simple, with ringlets to frame my face. I studied my reflection in the full length mirror in the hall. I had told Cati that if she wanted to make me a pink dress, it couldn’t be strapless, it needed to be comfortable and above all it needed to be something I could kick someone’s teeth in while wearing it, if I had to. The last pink dress I had worn had been a hindrance in a situation where teeth kicking would have been useful. I sighed at the reflection of the person in the mirror. There were days when I didn’t recognize myself any more.

“That was a terribly big sigh.” Thrawn said as he walked out of the bedroom.

“Just thinking.” I said as I moved aside to let him use the mirror.

“About?” He straightened his jacket and brushed off some non existent dust from his left arm.

“The girl I used to be and the one I am now.”

He glanced at me as I leaned against the wall. “Are the two so very different?” He asked moving aside.

“Yes, maybe, I don’t know. Some days it feels as though I only just arrived here from Tatooine and other days it is as if my life there almost never happened.” I just shrugged and went back to standing in front of the mirror so that I could put on my necklace. “And I was just thinking that if this stupid reception wasn’t considered mandatory I’d be curled up in my favourite chair reading a book.”

“If this reception was not mandatory I would be whisking you away to a dark corner, no reading just conversation.” Thrawn purred in my ear as he stood behind me. “We have not yet had a chance to …talk since my return.”

On any other night his teasing would have been enjoyable but right now it was just annoying. “You can steal me away afterwards.” I told him tartly, getting frustrated as I fussed with the pendant I was trying clasp around my neck.

“Here, allow me.” He took the pendant from my fingers. I had decided to wear the very first one he had given me, the tiny delicate one. It matched the dress better and I figured no one would ask questions about it. He kissed the nape of my neck when he was finished, and despite my mood, goose bumps prickle up and down my arms.

“You look lovely, my dear. That dress suits you very well.” He brushed the backs of his fingers along the sides of my bare arms.

“Cati does work miracles.” I said with a shiver.

He nuzzled the side of my neck, “Your perfume is intoxicating.”

“Of course it is, you bought it for me.” I told him moving away from his affectionate play.

I felt him smile. “I thought it would suit you.” He whispered in my ear. “And I was right.” My heart thumped painfully in my chest. While my mind wasn’t on seduction, my body sure was. I sighed again.

“If you keep that up I’ll be late and you will have to explain to Lord Vader why.”

“It could be worth it.” He said, enjoying the game he was playing. He knew I wasn’t really in the mood for his seduction but sometimes he liked to push anyway.

I turned around to face him. His dress uniform had been pristinely cleaned and pressed, his hair had been recently cut and he also smelled wonderful. “I seem to recall you saying something about me not ending up in a med lab.” I told him. “Something about having plans? But if you tick Lord Vader off I will be the one who suffers for it, so behave!” I poked him in the chest to let him know I wasn’t kidding.

He arched an eyebrow and caught my hand in his before I could jab at him again. “Why are you so cross? Usually you enjoy these functions.”

I made a face. “Usually I am not expected to play human lie detector for Imperial officers.” I snapped.

There was a flash of anger in his eyes. “Ah, Lord Vader is requiring you to be pleasant to a certain Grand Admiral again?”

“In a manner of speaking, he thinks Zaarin is up to something, or better to say lying about his work.” I said.

“Everyone in the Empire lies about their work, it comes with the territory.” Thrawn said coolly.

“Well, Lord Vader doesn’t seem to trust Zaarin any more. I don’t trust him either but for completely different reasons.”

“Understandable, my dear, I would prefer you not engage in spy games with Zaarin, the Empire has people trained for this job but I suppose simply trying to sift out truth from lie while conversing with the man at a public event could not hurt.”

“No, probably not but if he tries to hurt me, or touch me again I’ll hurt him, I swear it.”

That comment made Thrawn clench his jaw. “That would not be an advisable action. Zaarin still has the Emperor’s favour and is a valued member of the Imperial Navy. Do not get yourself into something you cannot get out of. Please be careful.” I wasn’t sure what irked him more, the thought of Zaarin putting his hands on me or me putting mine around Zaarin’s neck.

“I’m always careful.”

He shook his head and smiled. “No you are not, what you are is lucky. There is a difference.”

“Puh!” was the only thing I could think of in reply. He smiled at that and caressed my face gently.

“Stop worrying so much about things you have no control over. Zaarin is not your concern.” He said.

“Lord Vader makes it my concern. Zaarin’s attentions make him my concern.” I shot back.

“If you are not careful I shall start to worry about this other man you spend so much time obsessing over.” He said.

“Jealous?” I asked.

“Cautious.” He countered.

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll suddenly run off with the Grand Admiral?”

“Is that something you feel you are likely to do, sj’iu tekari?” His fingers moved from my face to stroke the back of my neck. I glared at him, doing my best to mask the desire that he was creating. The look he gave me in return was pointed and intense. The massive seismic charge which exploded in my gut made me drop my gaze from his. I just sighed and shook my head.

“No. The thought of him anywhere near me is repulsive.” I shot back.

He gave me a grin. “That is good to know.” He said. “I should hate to think I could be replaced.”

“I haven’t had time to find anyone else.” I shot back. “Besides I rather enjoy your company, when you are around.”

“We do have some catching up to do, don’t we.” He smiled.

“I thought that’s what we were doing now?”

He gave a small shake of his head. “Right now I am doing my best to dissuade you from doing something foolish.” He said. I made a spitey face but he continued speaking before I could say anything to counter this statement, “I would much prefer our intimate conversation not include thoughts over this other man whom neither of us particularly likes.”

I glanced up at him. “Well, if you’d let me deal with him then I wouldn’t have to think about him.” I drew a finger across my neck.

He smirked. “Yes, and that would present you with a whole other set of new problems. While Zaarin maybe distasteful to you he is still a valued member of the Imperial Navy not some renegade turned rebel.” His fingertips played up and down the nape of my neck. “Let Palpatine deal with the Grand Admiral and allow me to deal with you.” He leaned in and murmured in my ear. His breath was warm. I closed my eyes, drawing a deep breath to take in his scent of soap, spice and something I could never define but made me shivery and achy.

“Well, don’t start something you can’t finish now.” I grumbled, my palms flat against his chest.

He lifted my chin upwards with the tip of his forefinger. His smile was charming. His kiss was teasing, slow, and made my knees tremble. When he pulled away from me I was both cross and aroused.

“That was so not fair.” I said when I found my voice.

“Of course not, but tactically it was the best way to distract you.” He brushed his cheek against mine, “A little reminder of my prowess in the art of non verbal warfare.” He murmured. His skin felt cool against the blush of my own.

“I can hurt you, you know, with my hands not my tongue.” I told him without any real conviction.

He smiled slowly, “Promises, promises,” he said, which earned him a smack on the arm.

“I have to get ready; the driver will be here soon.” I said. “This little extra curricular activity you may or may not be a part of after the public reception better not tire you out too much!” As soon as the words were out of my mouth the mood between us changed from playful to serious.

He lifted an eyebrow and gave me a cool look. “It would be wise not to even think about mentioning that outside of this flat, tekari.” He said. “You are not supposed to know about this.”

“This is a really big deal isn’t it?” I asked.

His answer was taciturn. “Yes.”

“Then why so hush-hush?” I asked.

“Because I am the Emperor’s dirty secret.” He said stepping back from me.

I looked at him in puzzlement. Sometimes the games that went on in Palpatine’s inner circle were utterly perplexing. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He drew a deep breath and made that face I had come to associate with lengthy and unsatisfying answers. “It is a very complicated real life game of dejarik. There are a lot of things going on right now, none of which I am at liberty to talk about and none which I want you involved in. I don’t want you to be any more of a target than you already have been.” He caressed my face with his fingertips. The teasing tone from earlier had vanished.

I cocked my head to one side, put my hands on my hips and stepped back from his touch. “Do you think I am too stupid to understand the complicated game of internal intrigue?” I couldn’t keep the annoyance I felt out of my voice. I was tired of being kept at arm’s length when it came to his political affairs, especially when they somehow managed to involve me.

His jaw tightened. “On the contrary,” He said coldly, “I keep you out of this side of my business because if I have to worry about you, on top of everything else, I may lose my concentration. You are the one element in my life I cannot seem to predict. You make things chaotic. This is a very dangerous game I am playing and I need to know you are not in the line of fire.” He played with one of the strands of hair which curled by my cheek. “Leave this alone. Tonight just play along and be pretty palace decoration because while I know what you are capable of, know how strong you are and how dangerous you can be when pushed in the right direction, most of the people who have power out there don’t. At the moment you are not a threat to any of the major players. I would prefer it stays that way. Zaarin happens to be one of those players and believe me when I say this; he is far more dangerous than you like to think. As with so many others in this Empire he plays his role to perfection. He may come off as a lecherous bastard but I am certain this is just a ruse for something else, something bigger and not pleasant.”

“So he’s not actually interested in me?” I asked, not bothering to keep the bite of sarcasm out of my voice, “and all his attentions are just for show?”

Thrawn smiled slowly. “Oh, tekari I have no doubts that he would bed you in a heartbeat if you gave him the slightest chance but there is more to his advances than meets the eye. It is not like him to be so persistent in his pursuit of a woman who clearly does not want him. In all my time in the Empire and for as long as I have known him, he has never been so single minded about a female before. This leads me to conclude there is more to his desire to have you than simply satisfying his lust. You are, after all, the one person, aside from the Emperor who knows Lord Vader better than anyone else. Such knowledge would be invaluable to a man like Zaarin.”

“You make it sound so sinister.” I said with a scowl.

“That would be because it is sinister, my dear. Zaarin is intelligent, powerful and dangerous. He has tried to kill me and he has tried to kill you. He is not what he appears to be and Vader should know better than to place you in the middle of it all.” He said sharply. He stared at me making sure I got he message he was trying to send. When I didn’t answer, he sighed. “A’myshk’a, the very last thing I planned for was having someone I truly cared for in my life, you know this. Yet here you are, exactly the distraction I don’t need while I am engaged in these political campaigns. Eventually you will know everything, so please back down; this isn’t a contest of wills between you and me, don’t turn it into one just because you don’t get your own way.” He spoke earnestly; the concern in his voice outweighed the frustration of arguing with me. I knew two things for sure. He wasn’t lying and he was a little worried, the latter was very unsettling. For a moment we just stared at each other and then I gave way.

“If you insist.” I said giving him a slight, tight smile.

“I do.” He replied. He cupped my face with both hands, making me look up at him.

“Okay, for you I’ll do the palace fluff thing tonight but you’ll owe me for it.” I didn’t bother to hide my annoyance and frustration. I was getting tired of these games.

His smile turned wolf like. “That is a debt I am certain I will enjoy repaying then.”

I just rolled my eyes. The door chime rang letting me know the driver was here. “I have to go.”

“Best not to keep Lord Vader waiting then, he’s not the most patient man in the galaxy.” He nodded, handing me my wrap.

I planted a quick kiss on his cheek, grabbed my purse and left. He would not be far behind me and although we would not be attending this event as a couple, I took a lot of solace in knowing he would be there.