Sobbing despite herself, she gathered him into her arms and cradled his head to her chest. “Oh Maul..Maul, how could they have done this to you...” she sobbed, rocking gently back and forth. His once strong arms hung listless at his sides, his lovely yellow eyes forever shut to the world. Choking on her tears, she lifted a hand to caress his face. “Open your eyes, open your eyes..!” she urged. Her own eyes closed as she rested her forehead against his. Concentrating fully on her task at hand, she let her Force flow into Maul’s still form, allowing him to feed from her anger at his death.
Opening her eyes, she stared at his lower half then drew it back to his middle. She laid him gently on his back and held her hands over his body. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as she concentrated on reconstructing him so he could live once more. A faint red light circled Maul’s body, licking over his strong form like flames. The light focused on his severed middle, drawing it together and forcing blood to flow once more through his veins. Dirae knew this was far beyond her power but her desperation pushed her Force to the limit. The limit seemed enough.
The air crackled with her Force as she poured her very self into him, willing him to live. Suddenly, he moaned in pain. Dirae knew better than to stop until she knew everything was right again. The sound from his throat made her push herself harder. Finally, his body reformed itself and his skin meshed together but not without leaving a perfectly straight scar all around his midsection.
Exhausted, Dirae fell forward against his chest. The sound of his heart beating made her smile through her weariness. She felt his hand move to her back.
“Dirae..” he whispered hoarsely. “ I was...dead.” Dirae lifted her head so she could look into his face. His yellow eyes met with her green ones.
“Yes, you were. Three years almost,” she replied in a similarily hoarse tone. “I came back for you, I brought you back. I’ve tried to kill the Jedi who did this to you, but he sensed my doubt. I have failed in my revenge, my lord.” She lowered her head to his chest in shame. Maul lifted his hand from her back to her brown braid. He pressed his fingers against the back of her neck gently, as if reassuring her it wasn’t her fault. A certain unusual softness was in his voice when he spoke again.
“You haven’t failed; you’ve succeeded.”
Dirae clutched at his free arm as she bit back more tears. “No, my lord, I have failed in more ways than one. Our master knows nothing of this. I was returning to the ship after another failed attempt at killing Kenobi and I realized I had to have you back. One night was not enough. It will never be enough. But,” here she looked into his eyes again and spoke with more determination, “we must go back to Lord Sidious. He will be pleased to know his apprentice has returned from the dead.”
Maul pressed her to him. “You will have to kill me again, Dirae, in order to remain his apprentice. He is not allowed two if you recall.”
“Then we will kill him, my lord,” Dirae whispered softly. “You will be master and I your apprentice. Sidious is old and foolish. The Sith need a new leader.”
Maul seemed to consider her words before speaking again. “He will kill us before we can kill him. He’s more powerful than you give him credit for.” Dirae heard the old respect for Sidious in his voice. “Either one or both will die; which would you rather have it? You dead after I have been brought back or him dead and we left to find and train more Sith?”
It was Dirae’s turn to think his words over. She nodded. “He will die or I will die trying. Quickly,” she sat up and helped him to his feet. Long unused limbs buckled under his weight and he nearly tumbled forward. She held him to her, supporting his weight on her own. “My ship is waiting in the woods beyond the palace. We have to leave by the drainage tunnel to avoid the Jedi and their guards. I will keep you safe, my lord.” Maul looked at her with genuine gratitude and allowed himself to be led on towards the tunnel.
* * *
Once on the ship, Dirae immediately put him to rest with a medical droid nearby to watch over his recovery. “Rest, my lord. I will pilot the ship,” she soothed, gliding one hand over his forehead then grazing his horns lovingly. He closed his eyes gratefully and was soon sleeping. She stood there watching his chest rise and fall, more to assure herself her lived again than anything else. She turned to the medical droid.
“If there are any problems, alert me,” she order. The droid bowed it’s cone-shaped head and turned back to the bed. Dirae walked out of the chamber, but not before looking back at her Sith lover. Despite their control over the darker side of the Fore, passion could still rule them. After all, love knew no sides.
Hours later, Maul was sitting up in the bed, his legs draped over the side as the droid fussed over him. The check-up complete, the droid allowed him to leave the medical ward. Maul didn’t bother to retrieve his tunic and walked into the cockpit of the ship. Dirae was seated in the pilot’s chair, pushing buttons on the panel. She didn’t hear Maul walk in, something he used to his advantage.
He bent forward close to her ear and traced his tongue over her twin horns on the side of her head. Dirae ducked her head at the sudden touch and turned around in her chair. Maul wore a deliciously evil smile as he looked down at her. Without a word he sat down in the opposite chair and looked out of the viewscreen.
“Are you well, my lord?” Dirae finally asked, breaking the silence in the cockpit. Maul nodded in response and gestured towards the panel.
“You’re set for a pretty low speed, Dirae. Is there any reason?” he inquired. Dirae almost shrugged.
“I wanted to take it easy, my lord. You still have to recover fully before we face Sidious.”
“Going against my master isn’t something I look forward to, Dirae,” Maul said seriously. “He was the one to teach me the ways of the Dark Side. He allowed my anger, hatred, and driving need to put fear into the hearts of the Jedi to blossom and grow. The Jedi may find themselves attached to their idiot masters in the more emotional sense, but we Sith have respect for our masters. Until they are unfit to be a master.”
“You are saying he is unfit?” Dirae asked softly. Maul stared into her eyes, allowing his answer to shine in the fiery depths. Dirae nodded slowly then turned back to her panel. “I see. If he is judged unfit in your eyes then you will kill him, yes?” He nodded.