It was a whirlwind of images. A string of words, flashes of light and darkness. It felt like I was falling endlessly into an abyss filled with memories. Only, these memories weren't mine, nor were they in the past.

A misty cave filled with anger. A warm desert with two suns shining down mercilessly. A city with gigantic ships looming over it. The black, machine like man looming over me, his hard breathing sounding through my ears. I had seen those images before but now they were distorted, hazy and foggy, as if they were being sped through.

Soon the visions lapped over each other, forming one blur of colours and shapes that I couldn't in any way try to comprehend. My head was aching and I couldn't think clearly, not until my vision cleared and I was once again standing amidst an abandoned Eagle's Fall.

Ever since the war had ended I had been having the same dream. Over and over till I could remember every single detail, every body that lay on the ground there, unmoving. Their Valerian armor was covered with blood and dirt, their wounds gaping in the cold air of the night.

Every time it was the same. That dark figure flying over, blocking the sun from my view and leaving me blinded. No matter how hard I tried I never could figure out who or what it was, all I knew was that that thing had done this. He or she or it had laid waste to the city and killed everyone in it.

"Beware the darkness of power," An unknown voice rang through my head as I ran after the figure, jumping over the cold bodies, desperately trying to reach the stranger and finally figure out the mystery I had been meddling with for months. "Beware the stalker of dreams.."

The marketplace was littered with dead bodies and blood covered the once unspotted pavement. "Beware the corrupted once trusted, - " The air was thick, ashes falling from the skies that were darkened by grey clouds. "Beware one who is not who he seems."

"Crimson eyes shall ... " The moment the figure had disappeared from my sight the light of the sun blinded my eyes. With that, the voice too started to fade away. I strained to fight the urge, yet they soon focused back on my hands as they tried to shield me from the sun, only to confront me with something far worse. "Streets stained..."

Blood. Deep, red blood flowing down as if from a waterfall, unending and cruel to the eye. My eyes seemed locked on the image like a deer caught in the headlights but before they could truly understand what they were seeing, a flash of light blinded my vision and ripped everything apart.

Like always I jumped wide awake, sitting up straight and hearing multiple objects clatter to the ground. To pull me from the ocean of sleep I blinked several times, trying to get back to the realm of the living. That damned dream. The same vision came to me before Obi-Wan and I entered the caves. Then, I feared that it would've been the outcome of the war. Now, after all this time, it still plagued me relentlessly.

Groaning loudly, I leaned forward, roughly rubbing my eyes to try and get the images out of my head. "Crimson eyes shall..." Soft whispers fell off my lips as I leaned my head into my hands. Breath was drawn through gritted teeth, eyes pressing closed. "Streets stained, with what?"

I tried finishing the prophecy that had lingered in my head, but the words were lost. I only got fragments each time as if they were scattered between dreams like crumbs. Something, or someone was trying to tell me something, warn me of an inevitable future. I just couldn't put the pieces back together no matter how hard I tried. I finally found the strength to sit up straight, glancing around the room and trying to calm my now erratic breathing.

Always the same, never altering. I wish I knew what it meant, those images, those words. I wish I knew if it even meant something at all. I had left the war behind but the fear seemed to follow me everywhere I went. Everyone had moved on except for me. I was still there, standing amidst Eagle's Fall, watching as Ragnarök came down upon us. Arthas Blackwing was locked up in time and it seemed he had taken me with him.

Maybe this was the prize I had to pay. The price that Anduin warned me off before he watched me venture back to the land of the living. A price that I now, as I lived through the nightmare over and over, became to see as one that was heavy on the heart. At least, as long as I had to bear it alone.

When I had somewhat collected my thoughts, my eyes searched the room for the objects I had thrown off the moment I'd woken up, finding my notes and datapad on the ground. The initial plan was to distract myself during the voyage, to keep my mind off those images, to keep my mind off him. Nerves wrecked my body the moment I wasn't concentrating on something, butterflies flying through my stomach each time I realized I was about to see him again.

I felt like a giggling schoolgirl and it irritated me beyond believe. I didn't want those feelings; I didn't want the nerves wrecking my body each time I realized the moment was coming closer. I was the queen of Valeria, for gods' sakes, how could a single man disrupt me this way? Yet I couldn't deny that his ocean eyes had occupied my thoughts each waking moment ever since he left.

With a loud sigh I strained to pick up the objects littered on the ground, papers ruffling as I once again read the words written across the pages. Master Plo Koon had been kind enough the lend me some of the scientific literature on the Republic's advanced health care during our voyage to their grand city. For days now I had buried myself in the books, learning things I had never dreamed of knowing. Their technology was far more advanced than I had ever dared to hope.

However, I did find some errors in their facts that I might need to correct them on later after my visit to the senate. "Your majesty, - " My commlink soon beeped, the light flickering and obliterating the last few remnants of sleep from my eyes. "your presence is requested in the cockpit." Stefan continued, his voice softening the rough edges of the nightmare.

"I'll be right there, commander." I answered, quickly getting back on my feet and making my way through the halls, my eyes still focused on the datapad. Some clone troopers met me in the hallway, muttering soft 'your majesty's' or saluting at me with respect. One thing I had learned was that rumours spread fast between the clones, which led to most of them knowing of their brothers' adventures on my planet.

In a way, it was good. They trusted me the instant I came aboard their ship and showed me more respect than I probably deserved. Some even thanked me for aiding their brothers after the attacks. Even master Plo Koon was more than interested in the stories of our civilization, in the mysteries of the seidr or as they call it, the force.

"Stefan, did you know they can replace an entire limb without losing a single motoric function?" I muttered in amazement; my eyes stuck to the article I was reading on the datapad as I entered the cockpit. "They found a way to attach every single nerve to the prosthetic with no signs of deterioration over the years, it's utterly remarkable."

"I think you will find this even more remarkable, my queen." Stefan's soft voice soon made me glance up from the blue screen, finding a bright golden light soon shining directly into my pupils. Blinded for a few seconds I strained to see the horizon and was left breathless consequently.

Tall buildings, shining like gold in the sun, reaching till far above and bringing shame to even the tallest of mountains. Numerous vehicles flying through the occupied sky, like a swarm of birds, with sounds of chatter and arguing filling the atmosphere. Everywhere I looked I saw a living being, humans, twi-leks, other species I had yet to be acquainted with. I had never seen so many people in one place.

The city was teeming with life but it was also devoid of any. The metal encasings were a stark contrast to the overgrown nature on my own planet, leaving me dumbfounded, staring at the image with wide open eyes. The whole planet was a city.

"Queen Fireheart, - " Master Plo Koon's voice disrupted the silence as he navigated the ship towards one of the landing platforms. "welcome to Coruscant."

A soft scoff escaped my lips as I stared. All those people cramped onto one planet. I nudged Stefan's side, making him turn towards me in a moment's notice and watch the amused smile play on my lips. "I wouldn't want to be here during a pandemic."

~

"There she is." Anakin commented dryly, a smug grin plastered on his face as the wind waved through his dark hair. "The queen of Valeria, on our doorstep at last." His eyes were focused on her distant figure, on the black armor she was wearing and the signature red cape hanging over her shoulder.

In his eyes she hadn't changed a bit. Unlike most senators or politicians, she wore her armor proudly and had her hand clasped around her sword the moment she descended off the ramp. In a way, it seemed like she was going off to war. Maybe, in her mind, she was. She wouldn't need any jedi escorts unlike some senators that first arrived in their grand city.

Anakin glanced aside, watching his former master as he stroked his beard in thought. The sun cast golden tones all over his face and hair, giving him a warm glow as his eyes deepened in concentration. Anakin could sense the disturbance in his friend's mind, a cloud hanging around him like a storm.

"Hasn't aged a day." The younger jedi continued with a snicker and watched as the queen was greeted by senator Amidala. His heart warmed and his shoulders relaxed, watching the pleasant exchange of greetings unfold.

"Mmh." Obi-Wan softly hummed, his eyebrows knotting together. They were watching from a distance, keeping a low profile and remaining out of sight of the new arrival.

His eyes softened the moment he saw her eyes from afar, awakening old feelings he had buried long ago. Her signature red hair glowed in the sun, her ivory skin pale in the light. Even from this distance he could see the blush covering her cheeks and the playful smile on her lips, the freckles that danced on her face in the light of the sun. He couldn't see them, but he was sure her green eyes sparked with life, much like the dense rainforests on her planet.

Obi-Wan wasn't ready. He had dived back into his former life the moment he left Valeria, leaving his feelings behind in the warm bed he had left so reluctantly. The moment even a notion of a thought of her crossed his mind he resisted with his every might. He was a general, leading the grand army of the Republic against the forces of Count Dooku. He couldn't afford a single distraction, especially not one as tempting as her.

"Wouldn't you like to go and see her?" Anakin glanced back towards him, folding his arms before his chest.

"No, she has a meeting with the Chancellor, Anakin. There are more important matters at hand for the both of us than a simple reunion." Obi-Wan blurted, sighing deeply after.

"A simple reunion?" Anakin laughed loudly, patting the shoulder of his friend after he had somewhat collected his breath, earning an irritated glare. "I have a feeling she might disagree, master."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes but then concentrated, focussing on the force that played feverishly around her. How familiar she felt, even after all those months. Eyes closed, focussing on the force, he found the signature fiery force that played around her. It was almost as he remembered, warm, inviting, loving, passionate. He almost got lost in her being until he felt a sinister presence on the brink. It was looming over her, casting shadows over her otherwise colourful nature as if prowling through the mists and readying for an attack.

Dark, malicious, cunning. It was there, yet it hid from his sight all the same. "Something is... off, Anakin." Obi-Wan said, trying to delve deeper. "Something is..." He sighed deeply when he couldn't find it anymore.

"Master?" Anakin glanced at him worriedly.

"Anakin, -" Blue eyes met his as he stroked his beard in thought. "I need you to pick her up from the Chancellor's office."

"I thought that was your job." His dark eyebrows furrowed; Anakin watched as the older man turned away from his concerning gaze. "Obi-Wan, what is wrong?"

"There is a dark presence within her, Anakin. It was there before, but now..." Obi-Wan drifted off, his mind wandering to places he would rather not visit. "I need to talk to the council."

"But, Obi-Wan?! Hey!" Anakin watched helplessly as his friend took off, grasping a speeder bike and dashing away without any further explanation. He sighed deeply, turning his gaze back towards the two women as they travelled to their next transport. "Well, this is going to be fun."