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Anakin was told that she was born during the worst sandstorm Tatooine had experienced in decades, she was told it made her lucky, but Anakin doesn’t feel lucky, not when she and her mother were owned by another. Both her and her mother were owned by Watto, she knew he was considered a ‘good’ slave owner, he fed them, clothed them, and rarely beat them but she didn’t think that made him a good person. He was a gambler, he had the tendency to wager things he didn’t want to lose, and when he did he would take it out on her and her mother.
That was how they had gotten into this situation, Watto had gambled away money he hadn’t had, because of this Anakin and Shmi had to move into communal slave quarters. Anakin did not like their new home, it was dirty, smelly and loud. Anakin could never hear silence here, there was always someone screaming or crying, child or adult, Anakin didn’t understand why they would waste water on tears, tears would change nothing.
Worst of all Anakin and her mother were never alone, she didn’t like sleeping near sentients she couldn’t trust, and here she could only trust her mother. On top of all this Anakin had seen things, things her mother tried to hide from her, the last time they had been kept with others was when they had been owned by Gardulla, Watto had won them in a bet when Anakin had been three, so it had been a long time, and she didn’t use to be as observant as she is now.
Anakin had seen many people with injuries, a lot looked serious, her mother had told her to stay close, so she did, mother would offer to help them, sometimes they accepted but a lot of the times mother was declined.
- - - -
Anakin didn’t know how long they had been living in the communal home, she knew it was more days than she could count and she could barely remember what it was like to be alone. Since moving here Anakin had seen things, she had seen things she did not want to see, they had been living in a women and children home but on occasion she had seen men come in and harm women, rape wasn’t a new concept to her even at eight she knew about rape, everyone who grew up on Tatooine did, but she had never seen the after effects before. Anakin had never been in the room where the woman was crying afterwards, she had never seen a woman end her life before moving here.
- - -
Anakin had met a girl, a girl a couple years older than herself, a lot of slaves didn’t know how old they actually were, Zara was no different, she was around twelve or thirteen. Anakin had taken a liking to Zara quickly, Anakin was able to know if people were good or not, she didn’t know how it worked but she knew Zara was safe, and it was nice to know someone closer to her age. Zara had also taken a quick liking to Anakin, when in the home they were almost always together, Shmi had been skeptical originally but had come around and now the three cared for each other.
While both Anakin and Zara were both kept very busy and worked hard, once they were done for the night the two would gravitate towards each other. They would talk a lot, about everything and anything. Anakin would talk about her dreams and how she wanted to go to every planet in the galaxy, and how she wants to become a pilot. Zara didn’t have the same grand dreams, but she did dream about becoming free, and finding her mother again. Anakin couldn’t explain why but she always had the feeling that Zara would never find her mother, not that she would ever say anything.
- - -
Anakin knew that Zara’s owner was not as nice as Watto, Anakin could see that Zara was injured, Anakin knew that it was bad, she knew this because when Zara got back at the end of the day she went straight to her bunk and laid down. Anakin knew when she was hurt, or wasn’t feeling well she would want her mom and if she was like Zara and didn’t have a mom then she would want a friend.
So Anakin got off of her bunk grabbed some rags so she could wrap the snaking wounds her friends owner had a habit of making, after she grabbed them she began hustling over to Zara’s bunk, once she got to Zara’s bunk she started to climb up but she could feel the strong mix of negative emotions Zara was feeling, Anakin knew that combination the hate, pain, suffering, fear, anguish, Anakin knew what those feelings meant for slaves.
Anakin climbed onto Zara’s bunk slowly moving closer to her older friend, Anakin could hear her whimpering and could feel the pain in between her friend's legs. Anakin wasn’t sure how to comfort her in this situation, so she just talked about her day, about the engine she repaired, anything and everything.
- - -
It had been a couple of months since Zara was raped, she hadn’t been doing well since, she hadn’t been herself since before. Mother had become concerned, Anakin was too, a slave who couldn’t work was a dead slave, Zara wasn’t working, not really, she was only going through the motions, it was like she had given up. Mother knew something that Anakin didn't like not knowing, but mother had been trying to keep Anakin away from Zara.
It didn’t take Anakin long to find out what Mother knew, Anakin was good at finding things out, but this time Anakin didn’t like knowing. Zara who was only a couple of years older than herself was with child, Zara didn’t like it, Anakin could sense the hatred she held. Anakin wouldn’t want a baby either. Neither of them had told Anakin but she had found out that they had tried to disrupt the baby’s growth, but it hadn’t worked.
- - -
As the months had passed Watto had gotten the money for Anakin and Shmi to have their own home, one without all the strangers. While Anakin couldn’t have been more glad to have her own home all to herself and her mom again, she missed Zara. Zara couldn’t come with them and had to stay in the crowded woman's home. Zara was doing worse than she had been, as time progressed so did the babe in her belly, with the time her belly had visibly become bigger, and she was moving less. Zara also was barely eating, Anakin was getting worried, food was strength. If Zara wouldn’t eat she wouldn’t be strong, Anakin could see the bones sticking out of her skin, besides her belly she was looking a lot like a skeleton.
- - -
It had been a long day, both Anakin and Shmi had gotten to Watto’s shop before the sun rose, and Watto hadn’t released them until the sun was setting, so Anakin was tired, but when Shmi said they were going to go see Zara and bring some food Anakin put up no protest. As they got closer to the home Anakin’s sense of dread only grew, she had no idea why.
By the time they had gotten to their destination the sun had completely set, the sky was completely dark.They were outside the home and they could both tell something was happening inside, Anakin could sense that her mother was becoming worried. Entering they saw a small crowd of women around Zara’s bed, Anakin could also hear screaming, Shmi grabbed Anakin’s hand tightly and held Anakin close to her side. The duo walked over to her bunk, as they got closer the first thing Anakin noticed was the blood, there was so much blood.
Zara was laying on her bunk crying out in pain, there were some older women with her. Anakin could sense her pain, she didn’t like it. As Shmi and Anakin got to the side of her bunk Shmi let go of her hand, Shmi walked to some of the gathered women talking quietly, too quietly for Anakin to overhear.
Anakin walked to Zara’s side, “Zara” when she didn’t react Anakin spoke again, louder this time “Zara” this time she did react, Zara slowly looked at Anakin. “Ani” Zara said softly, she then gestured for Anakin to come closer, Anakin did. Anakin climbed onto her bunk, she looked at Zara, really looked at her and Anakin realized she did not look good, she was pale, her skin sweaty, she looked truly and deeply exhausted.
“Be strong Ani” that was the last thing that Zara ever said. Zara died shortly after, Mother said that the baby had come too soon, Zara’s body hadn’t been strong enough to bring it into the world.
Shmi had to drag Anakin away from her friend's body. Once they were outside Shmi cleaned the blood off Anakin’s hands using her robes as rags, that was the moment Anakin knew she would never have children. Anakin couldn’t sleep that night, not with everything going through her head, not with everything she now knew, she now knew how lucky she was.