Title: "Shadows of Winter"
Chapter 2 in the "Heart and Soul"
series. (2/5)
(2/?)
Written by: Shawn
Summary: Someone's stalking Anakin and Padme.
Someone deadly.
Rated: NC-17
Category: Angst/Romance/Drama
Pairing: Anakin/Padme
Timeline: Obviously, knowledge of Star Wars:
Episode 1 and 2 is needed. You must also read the story before this one
"The Light and the Dark." This story takes place four months after
that one, just days before Anakin and
Padme's two-year wedding anniversary. Check
'Authors Notes' for more information.
Disclaimer: George Lucas and Lucasfilm owns
everything. I just want to give Padme and Anakin a happy, albeit passionate
ending. Oh, by the way. I loved Episode 3!!!!!!!
Email: DayShawn1974@hotmail.com
Authors Notes 1: In this universe, the Clone
Wars will last three and a half years. It's commonly known that Anakin and
Padme were separated for five months before Episode 3 when Obi-Wan and Anakin
were dealing with the Outer
Rim Sieges. This story picks up one year and
eight months after Star Wars: Episode 2, and will take us through the Clone
Wars and up until Anakin's moment of truth in the Episode 3. From there, I take
things in my own
direction.
Authors Notes 2: While slightly overdramatic
as a couple at times, I also imagine a passionate, playful, deeply loving
relationship between Anakin and Padme. They have so little time together, so
when they have a chance to
steal a moment together, it can go from
intense to sweet to passionate and back again in a heartbeat.
Authors Notes 3: Dorme, Padme's
handmaiden/bodyguard and best friend in this story knows of her marriage to
Anakin. Obi-Wan only suspects more is going on than he knows but, but elects not
to pry.
Authors Notes 4: The official Star Wars
database provided many of the details for this story, though some things are my
original creations.
Extra Special Thanks: To Jennifer and Anne,
my Jedi Masters of good grammar and all around help. Thank you both so much.
~~~~~~
~~~~~~
The
Three miles due West of the City of
The world of Ezcaban, located in the Hoth
System
A glorified scouting expedition wasn't the
typical assignment for a well-known assassin.
Hissing in disgust due to the cold
temperatures he hated with a passion, Xaria dismounted his Quran air speeder
near a cluster of small boulders covered in sheets of ice. Clad in dark
insulated clothing, he shifted the heavy backpack hanging off his shoulder and
retrieved a hand-held holorecorder, then looped the strap around his neck. His
heavy boots dug into the frozen dirt as he trekked forward through a small
clearing near the edge of the woods. Up ahead was his destination.
A clear view of the massive
Word spread quickly, through the ranks of the
bounty hunters, assassins, and the various intergalactic criminal
organizations, concerning a special assignment being offered. Count Dooku felt
it was necessary to prepare
safe-worlds for himself and the other
Separatists leaders as the war raged on. Two years running and with no true
ending in sight, no one place was safe forever. They had to stay on the move
and one step ahead of the Jedi.
Luckily for those working in the
assassination trade, it didn't matter who won the war.
There would always be people who would pay to
have other people killed. Murder for hire predated the Republic, the
Separatists and even the Jedi and the Sith. Xaria would never be out of work,
and he knew it.
Though unusual for him, this assignment paid
far too well to be ignored. While the other four individuals hired scoured the
galaxy searching for possible base sites on strategically placed worlds, Xaria
figured the
perfect base of operations could be found on
a world with a wildly extreme climate. A desolate landscape with the harshest
conditions imaginable. One that you would never, ever expect to find the
sheltered pampered leaders of the Separatists party.
A brutal world that would be as dangerous for
those choosing to stay as any who would attack it.
One might choose a desolate landscape with
the harshest conditions imaginable, where one would never, ever expect to find
the sheltered and pampered leaders of the Separatist Party, a brutal world that
would be as dangerous for those choosing to stay as any who would attack it.
Enter Ezcaban of the Hoth System.
Standing as tall as an adult Wookie, Xaria
was a towering reptilian humanoid and skilled predator. Known for his cunning,
as much as his viciousness, he'd made a name for himself far and wide in the
universe as a man you never
wanted to cross. A fearsome and heavily armed
tracker, he'd dealt in the "death for hire trade" for well over
twenty years now. His legendary resume even boasted the deaths of three Jedi,
among countless others. He knew what
he was doing. He knew how to get things done,
and he didn't mind getting his hands dirty.
The red line beneath his view through the holorecorder
signaled everything was working properly. He filmed the outlying area with a
careful eye for detail, recording the frigid temperatures and the density of
the icy layers
covering the mountain. Yes, he pondered to
himself, this world would make a fine hidden base of operations. Mustafar was
his last destination before reporting back to Count Dooku with his findings.
Miles upon miles of ice no matter how far he
looked into the distance. A small world with an even smaller civilization of
pathetically unintelligent beings who shunned technology. Pushovers. Such an
utterly boring task, but
one he'd be done with in less than a few
hours. Then he'd head back to his hidden ship and be off this ice-rock, on his
way to one Sith of a payday.
Taking a few steps forward, he suddenly lost
his footing on a patch of frozen dirt, nearly falling before catching himself
against a trunk of a tree. He inhaled a deep breath of the cold air, steadied
himself, and lifted
the holorecorder once more to his eyes. Only
this time he wasn't staring at the mountain. One hundred yards away he found a
couple of humanoid looking beings talking to one another while a Norian Boar
grazed nearby. They were
nothing of interest at all. Probably
townsfolk out for the evening. They meant nothing.
And yet... and he didn't know why he did
this... he refocused the holorecorder at them just to see their faces. It was a
spur of the moment decision to be sure, but fate often acted that way.
What he saw at first caused his vision to
squint for a closer look and then a second. He instantly recognized their
faces, but that didn't register right away... HoloNet broadcasts were watched
by nearly everyone in the
galaxy... then slowly, as if observing an
early morning sunrise, his mind remembered. His thoughts became clear as the
couple drew closer into a long, passionate kiss. Rumblings of understanding
collided in his mind.
Possibilities.
If he was not mistaken, and for a man in his
profession a good pair of eyes was a necessity, he was watching the acclaimed
Senator Padme Amidala from Naboo and the legendary Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker
kissing and holding
each other in a way no Jedi was supposed to
be with a woman. Controversy... Scandal... He began filming them as they sat
down in the snow, the Senator lying in the Jedi's arms, and knew that this
footage was worth ten times
what Count Dooku was paying him for his
assignment. HoloNet news stations, gossip hungry broadcasters, and political
enemies on Coruscant would pay any fee asked for to have proof of this affair.
And what of the good Count Dooku? What might
this information be worth to him? And in what way?
******
Two Hours Later
******
Anakin and Padme's cabin
Located on the far side of the
The world of Ezcaban, located in the Hoth
System
"
"I assure you, I am not. And what is
wrong with spending some time at
"It's a corrupt city of electronically
fixed gambling, fight-to-the-death underground facilities, half-dressed women
dancing for money, illegal importing and exporting of stolen goods, starship
theft..."
"Anakin," laughed Obi-Wan, who
clearly recognized the mischievous smile on his former Padawan's face. "A
Jedi shall not know anger, nor fear, nor love," he quoted for what must
have been the one-hundredth time, coinciding
with Anakin's eyes rolling at him. "But
the Code never said anything about gambling as long as I play with the chips
freely given to me at the door and don't keep any winnings I might amass. In
addition, watching the legal sport
of alien brawling isn't an act of debauchery,
nor would enjoying the skilled dancing of a woman who chooses to perform
wearing less clothing than you or I feel was appropriate."
Having built the fire up to a point where the
cabin was more than comfortable, Anakin stared back at his Master's mocking of
a serious expression. "Somewhere in the ethereal of the Force, Qui Gon is
smiling."
"I sincerely hope so," a wide grin
of his own spread across Obi-Wan's face, fondly remembering the man that shaped
both of their lives. "And I seem to remember no less than a month ago you
told me you wanted to visit
"For a city whose motto is 'What happens
in
Padme was upstairs taking a bath, so he chose
this time to contact his Master. "I'm just surprised you picked that city
for your time off."
"Well, I could always leave here early
if I'm not enjoying myself and travel to Naboo," Obi-Wan reasoned with his
back to R-4's holocam as he pulled his boots on. He didn't trust his face
saying those words while looking into
Anakin's. "I was told that my good
friend, Senator Amidala, returned home for a few days. I haven't seen her in
months and a day or two spent on Naboo wouldn't be too bad a thing, now would
it?"
Equal parts fear and curiosity... and maybe
even a small spark of jealousy swelled within him. "Naboo is a paradise,
that's for sure. I'm sure she would welcome a visit if you decided to go. And
if you decide to, please tell her I said hello." Calm and assured, Anakin
managed to impress even himself. He always did.
"I'll be sure to keep that in
mind." Obi-Wan assured him with a partially mysterious chuckle, then stood
to his feet, facing R-4 again. "Now why don't you explain to me why you
chose to spend your free time on one of the
coldest worlds in all the galaxy?"
"The hiking is fantastic here. Plus, I
like the quiet."
"It's downright frigid there, and you're
from Tatooine, a planet with multiple suns. It just doesn't make sense. I know
for a fact you don't like the cold. On Aries-5 you complained endlessly."
That had more to do with having not seen his
wife in two months than the cold temperatures. "Ezcaban is far away from
Coruscant and the war and everything else. There are no HoloNet crews hounding
me for interviews or people running up to me asking if I can levitate something
for them just to see the Force in action. Like I said, it's very quiet here.
It's peaceful. That's what I needed most of all."
Loving Anakin like a brother didn't include
believing every single thing that he said. It meant understanding what he
didn't say at all. Using the force to call for his Jedi robe from its hanging
place, Obi-Wan nodded, his face wearing an understanding expression. He had
little doubt that whatever troubled his former Padawan's restless soul could be
conquered by what, or more likely who, was on Ezcaban.
"I'll take your word for it. Just
remember that if you get bored you can always come and visit me here."
"The same to you, Master."
'Three's a crowd,' Obi-Wan considered to
himself, and with a minor note of envy that surprised even him. "The
sentiment is very appreciated." Anakin nodded. "Good. Now please stay
out of trouble."
"Don't I always?"
"Is that a joke?"
Anakin tried his very best to look hurt.
"How can you say such a thing?"
"It would take hours to detail all of
your unruly transgressions."
"I am deeply offended, Master."
"You've crashed nine starships."
"Not my fault. We were being fired on
each time, and we are alive, I might
add."
"You've lost eight lightsabers."
"All replaceable."
"Your frequent late-night disappearances
from the
"Sometimes I just need a little air.
That place is quite old, you know. And the Younglings are constantly hounding
me for stories. The food's not exactly good either."
"Your ill-timed jokes about Master
Windu's bald head."
"It's as shiny as a Jarkar Orb, and we
both know it. You even said so."
"Yes, well..."
"Besides, Master Yoda has taken you to
task from time to time as well. Do I need to remind you of that time on Kelois
when that HoloNet crew caught you stumbling from that tavern?"
"That... that was a one time
offense," Obi-Wan replied somewhat embarrassed. Anakin's smirk didn't help
matters at all.
"I made sure that footage was never
broadcast for your sake, Master."
"And I have thanked you many times for
doing so. You know I usually only have a drink once in a while."
"That night you had..." Suddenly,
the ability to speak... to even process a coherent thought fled Anakin
Skywalker in a rush of exhaled air. His widening eyes lifted, finding the only
true paradise he had ever known
standing at the top of the staircase.
"Master, your signal seems to be breaking up. We'll talk later."
"It is? I can see you just fine. R4,
check the signal relay..." With one motion of his hand, Anakin conveyed to
R2-D2 to cut the signal. The droid did as he was told. With a chirp and a beep,
R2-D2 rolled away.
Anakin's undivided attention was required
elsewhere.
Staring down at him from on high was the
single most beautiful woman in the galaxy, clad in his dark Jedi robe... and
nothing else. As naked as the glorious day she was born, Padme watched him
watch her with such hunger. A lesser woman would have been intimidated by the
savage gleam glittering in his blue eyes. She knew that she should find such
violent emotion frightening. But knowing that Anakin would never hurt her,
knowing the fullness of his heart and soul, she was finding it thrilling.
Padme was a vision of all that he had ever
wanted, needed, or desired in life. Her lush curly brunette tresses hung low
off her shoulders, as a Goddess would wear it. But the sheer magnitude of what
he felt as his eyes
drank in the sight of her exquisite form
draped in his voluminous Jedi robe and nothing else... Force be damned, she was
far more striking and powerful than any Jedi he had ever known.
Or any Sith. Anything, anyone, anywhere,
anytime, ever. Padme was the alpha and the omega. She was his. She had been
made, shaped, sculpted, designed... she'd been destined for him alone.
And she was slowly, methodically, carefully,
for as much as not to trip as to add to her slow seduction, descending the
stairs. Sweet hints of her sensual curves dipped and swayed with every step,
revealing, then snatching
away just as fast as her every charm.
He filled her line of vision as surely as her
entire heart. The flames lit his beautiful upper body. Bronzed skin, lean
muscles awaited her in a tantalizing display of light and shadows. The war had
hardened him deliciously. He was big; he was gorgeous, and everything he had,
from the sexy curve of his smile to his long lean legs were hers forever.
Including, she thought breathlessly, all the equipment between.
Goodnight, Senator Amidala, she thought with
an inward smile. Good evening, Mrs. Skywalker. Your husband waits.
"A serious crime has been
committed," she said softly, her voice so husky it sounded like a purr.
When he attempted to rise from the chair she gently forced him back down, palms
braced at his shoulders. Then she calmly
straddled him low and deep, with his robe
parted just so between her breasts. Her arms slithered around his neck, her
fingers softly grazing the hair on the back of his head.
"What sort of crime do you speak
of?" His heart beat a wicked drum inside his chest. Her smooth skin, so
soft against his own, scented to perfection. She smelled good enough to eat,
teasing him with hunger pains.
Padme enjoyed the predatory glint in her
husband's eyes. His lips made her so aware she was a woman. "Reckless
endangerment committed by the man I love against himself."
The asteroid field fiasco. He had honestly
forgotten about it, nearly forgot his own name just staring at her. She wasn't
letting his actions go without proper acknowledgement. He also knew she could
feel his hard arousal thicken
beneath her. She settled over it on purpose,
never breaking their gaze. Such a temptress when she wanted to be. She took his
breath away. "I'm sorry."
"You're guilty."
Taking her small hand from around his neck,
he pulled it between them, and then kissed the soft, delicate flesh at the
center of her palm. He then ran the back of his gloved hand down the side of
her face in a slow, warming
sweep.
"By all means, my love," he quietly
chanted warmth onto her chest, "Punish me."
A rush of heat flooded through her so deep
and hot she was amazed that steam wasn't rising from her skin. One wet
open-mouthed kiss between her breasts led to another and another, until his
tongue trailed right and encircled a small-pebbled nipple, causing her to sigh
in appreciation. His tender suckling left her lightheaded, her hand now
clutched behind his head, holding him to her while he inhaled her in the heat
of his mouth. And when his arms curled around her slender waist inside the robe
she began a seductive roll of her hips. He released her, panting onto her heart.
"No punishments will be given tonight. Tomorrow, however. That's another
story."
He could watch her wearing his robe for all
his days and never tire of the vision. He needed pictures. Wanted paintings of
her that only he would ever see. She possessed a timeless beauty. Holding her
so close to him, flush
against his chest, he sighed. "Then what
of tonight?"
"Tonight..." Her shaky laugh was
half seduction, half promise. Her hand rose to brush over the burn scar high
over his cheek. She felt the warm leather of the black glove over his
mechanized arm. Constant reminders of his
sacrifices. His war wounds. "Tonight is
all about you."
"Me?" She slowly nodded.
"Why?"
"Ani, you and I are each fighting to end
this terrible war in our own way. But you fight it physically on the front
lines. You've been fighting it there for two whole years from one end of the
galaxy to the other. You've
witnessed death up close and personal on a
horrific scale. You've slept outside on the hard ground, eaten anything to fill
your stomach, and have fought while bloodied and bruised. You've told me all of
your stories, and I
hate them."
"Jedi are keepers of the peace.
Sometimes that peace doesn't come easily, or without sacrifice. You know
this."
"Yes, I do. But I don't have to like
it." Her hands gently framed his handsome face, her fingertips smoothing
over his features, admiring him through touch. "I love you with the
fullness of my being, Ani, and I tell you that as often as I can. But I also
possess a great respect for you. I'm so proud of you as a Jedi, as a man and as
my husband. I am overwhelmed by the pride I take in being your wife. I know
that you often tire of my explanations why we should keep our marriage a
secret, but I sincerely hope you never doubt my devotion. It is without
end."
"Doubting you is something I am utterly
incapable of," he replied softly, ducking his head. "Your words
humble me."
She smiled, tipping his chin with her finger
to face her once more. "Sometimes you need humbling."
"That I do." He then added,
"Love, I may not be a fan of politics, or even understand it the way that
I should, but I know that the work you do isn't easy either. I respect your
efforts, your beliefs, and your abilities. I'm overwhelmed
that you chose me to spend your life with.
You're my gift to be cherished every waking moment. Being your husband fulfills
me completely. Everything else is window dressing."
Captivated by his beautiful words, on the
verge of tears, she held herself together. "Thank you, but when it comes
to our jobs, I enjoy simple comforts you do not. When you are fighting for your
life and the lives of others, I'm
debating in climate-controlled meetings or at
my spacious apartment. I'm safe and surrounded by the comforts of home while
you are surviving any way that you can."
"I survive it so that I can come home to
you."
A fact she never doubted. It only made her
love him more. "While we're here on this trip I intend to take such good
care of you so that you forget there is a war raging." Padme slowly
brought her head down and her mouth covered
his, hungrily. At the first touch of his
lips, she felt this pure, elemental sensation fall over her. She pulled back,
smiling when his lips chased after hers. "You will experience the sweetest
affection, and have your every whim
catered too, Mr. Skywalker." Bending
down, she pressed a series of soft kisses along the left side of his neck,
nipping his pulse with her teeth. "I'm going to pleasure you until you
can't take it anymore. I'm going to
make you beg. And do you know why?" she
whispered into his ear.
He peered into her lovely brown eyes and fell
in love with her all over again. "Tell me."
"Because you deserve it."
Spoken so simply. And with such sincerity. If
Anakin Skywalker knew one thing for sure, he knew this, he could never live
without this woman. Never. The day he lost her would surely be the day his life
ended. "I don't ever
want to be without you."
"Then never go to a place I cannot
follow."
With a smoothly effortless movement, he
scooped his hands under her backside and lifted her at the same time his mouth
came crashing down. He stood, holding her so close as their kiss deepened and
made his way to the stairs.
His ascended them with a purposeful stride,
all the while plundering her lusciously ripe mouth.
They kissed passionately as he carried her
down the short hall without releasing his grip on her. Padme wrapped her legs
around his waist as his mouth devoured hers, and he carried her like that into
their bedroom.
"Anakin, I want you now." The plea
in her voice was urgently erotic.
The beast within him roared. Forgoing the
bed, he pressed her against the nearest wall. She sucked his tongue as he
shoved it into her mouth and wouldn't allow her to shrug off his robe just yet.
They consumed each other
with deep kisses. They were caught in the
unrelenting grip of something powerful and ageless and primal.
Her nimble hands shoved at his pants
frantically. He lifted her up again so that her legs wrapped higher around his
waist, and he pressed the weeping tip of his shaft against her tenderness and
thrust inside her, slamming her back
against the wall as she cried out in acute
pleasure. He lifted her almost completely off and then entered her again, and
her hips moved to meet his in a decadent dance. Her hair was in his eyes, and
he bit his lower lip as
she tightened around him.
"Yes," she whimpered dazedly,
gasping as he filled her. She rose and fell, impaled by his thick manhood. The
sensation of fullness sent her into rapture, as did the sound of their bodies
slapping, moving together. It was
as if her body had waited all her life for
this man to become a part of her. He took her furiously, grinding her against
the wall; the robe protecting her back while her arms tightened around his
neck.
With his hands squeezing the curved swell of
her backside, holding her up, every thrust banged her lower back against the
wall. He surged into her faster, taking her with a ravenous hunger he feared
could never be quenched.
She was beside herself in pleasure, her arms
clinging around his shoulders and legs wrapped tightly about his hips to keep
her up. Moaning wildly as he invaded her quick and hard, she clenched tightly
around his thrusting shaft,
loving the way he filled her utterly. The
pain of it was beautiful as they gave in to each other, her nipples and breasts
burning as they brushed his chest. The sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex
of her sex pressing
against his groin with every thrust, and she
was quickly climaxing powerfully as the roughness of it shattered her in a most
satisfying way. Anakin followed suit, crying out her name as every muscle in
his body strained through his release.
Lost in a fit of giggles as Anakin somehow
balanced her while kicking away his pants, he stumbled towards the bed until at
last he lost his vaunted footing and fell, with her sprawled on top of him. The
giggles were endless
now. Oh the passion they shared. The carefree
desire. Guiltless and beautiful and all their own. "Are you alright?"
Winded and a bit embarrassed, Anakin kept his
eyes shut. "I'm great."
For tonight she'd allow his ego more than a
little stroking. "You," she kissed his left temple, "are,"
she kissed his right temple, "better than great."
"You were pretty incredible
yourself."
"Only incredible?"
"My vocabulary isn't nearly as extensive
as yours, milady. I'm but a simpleton in the way of words."
"Hardly. You're just lazy, that's
all."
His hands settled warm over her slim hips,
holding her as they recovered. "I'm not lazy."
"You use the Force to hold your
toothbrush when you brush your teeth."
"It saves time. I'm often in a
rush."
"You make the bed using the Force,"
she accused affectionately. He could only smile at her. He had no
defense. "You rearranged my furniture
using the Force."
"Your couches are heavy."
"You use my deodorant. I caught you at
least three times. It's disturbing," she laughed.
"I can't have my own deodorant,
remember. No possessions. What am I supposed
to do?"
"Okay, I'll grant you that one."
"Thank you." He was hard and
aroused again, and the movement of her hips against his aching groin created a
building pressure that made him feel lightheaded. "Padme, you are
insatiable," he taunted her seductively.
He didn't even know. The blazing lovemaking
they had just shared left her wanting more. "Well, we do have a lot of
time to make up for." Her hand slipped down between them, taking hold of
his hardness and squeezing it
while she stared into his eyes. "I love
you." She kissed him again, for a long, glorious, heart-swelling time.
Never breaking the kiss, Anakin finally
shoved his robe from her shoulders, and tossed it clear across the room.
"I would do anything for you."
"You don't have to."
"But I would."
"I know." Her hot breath is on his
face and her lips are brushing his. Her hair fell around her face and his as
she moaned in anticipation of being filled once more by him. And then she
lifted and was settling slowly over him. She pushed herself upright, on her
knees, straddling his body, and after gathering her breath, began to raise and
lower herself, whispering seductively and breathily into his ear. "I need
you, Ani."
"Padme..."
With that she began riding up and down in a
slow steady rhythm, savoring the power and hardness of his manhood. She moaned
in response, rolling her hips on his lap, impaling herself forcefully on each
downward thrust. Then her pace became even more urgent and her moans become one
continuous wail of pleasure.
"You're magnificent," Anakin
declared breathily between soft passionate kisses as he held onto her hips.
"So are you." Soft panting sounds
passed Padme's lips and with erotic determination she drove herself firmly
backward, taking him with her. She began riding him in a grinding motion,
sitting up as his mouth devoured her nipple, biting it gently as she cooed and
bucked on top of him. Her brown curls swayed as he suckled her powerfully.
Pulling his face up from her heaving, marked chest she caressed his face in her
hands as they kissed, his hips moving powerfully beneath her. Their tongues met
as they rocked as one.
Suddenly, violently, a pulsing orgasm swept
over her... through her completely. The climax spread from her center to every
fiber and nerve ending in her body. She felt as though she was about to fall
off the edge of the universe, as if the shuddering storm that overtaken her
would sweep her into a mindless, bodiless state of ecstasy. Sweating and
panting she held tightly to him while her body tremors tore through her.
He felt her grab his arms and steady herself.
She cried out and thrust her hips into his, willing every inch of him inside
her. She held her breath, shuddering around him. The rest was incoherent
mumbling and whimpering. She lay on top of him twitching and quivering from her
climax for an age and a time long after that. He felt god-like and
all-powerful. And needy, ready to chase his own little death. "Are you
alright, my love?"
Before she could reply, he had her again. She
was flipped over, now on her back, and could only hang on for dear life as her
husband's need for her took total control. His lack of restraint thrilled her
to no end. That she
could render a man... a Jedi nonetheless to
his base animal essence made her feel alive, more so than she ever had before.
Lost in his never-ending desire for her,
Anakin thrust himself deeply, then faster into her quivering tight
passage. Her body moved in rhythm with his,
her legs wrapping themselves around his waist. She raked her nails down his
sweat slicked back, her womanhood clenching around him.
He felt her legs wrap firmly around his hips
as she gripped his heaving body tightly. His body quickly fell back into the
old rhythms as he took her feverishly. She was breathing too heavily, almost
hyperventilating, so he
leaned down, taking her tongue into his
mouth, locking his lips to hers, and exchanging his very breath with her. Her
long moans and sighs deteriorated into quick gasps at his every lunging
invasion.
He felt the incredible softness of her inner
thighs grasping his waist. With a strength that was incredible, she arched her
back again, and pulled him into her with her legs. He slammed into her, pulled
out, and then shoved
deeply into her grasping, tight wetness over
and over again. As he lost control and his body began to throb deeply into hers
he began delving faster and faster. Her hips thrust up off the bed; she almost
levitated at the
intense rush of heat that surged through her
like a bolt of electricity. Her hands were now clutching at the sheets
underneath her, fingers grasping.
Rolling all over the bed they made love, him
on top, her on top, throaty cries and gasps of pleasure filling the room.
Writhing and crying out until at last Anakin felt a wave rising up from deep
within him, faster and faster. He came inside her in a rush of savage
ejaculations, moaning loudly, his hips moving up and back. She held him as he
came down from his own high and caressed him as his body shook with utter
satisfaction.
He was lying on top of her, their legs
tangled, their hearts still beating in unison. Sated. Together. And deeply in
love.
"I am so hungry."
Anakin nearly burst out laughing, his heart
overflowing with love for his angel. "It's a good thing I am the cook in
this family."
"That's a very good thing. My
experiences in food preparation haven't gone so well over the years."
He felt he needed to tease her, "I would
rather make out with Jar Jar than ever eat your Bethel stew again."
"Oh hush. The only thing that was wrong
with my Bethel stew was that I over-seasoned it."
"You have no proper knowledge of
seasoning. Your true talents lay in the political arena where your mind is your
greatest asset," he leaned down for another kiss, "And the bedroom,
obviously." She blushed. "But your Bethel stew would have gone over
very well on Kashyyk. Wookies aren't picky about what they eat."
"Neither are you," she accused in a
biting tone.
"I'm blinded by love."
"That's not exactly what I meant,
Ani."
"Fine." Gently pulled from her, he
rolled over beside her onto his back, gazing up at the ceiling. "You can
make your own food then."
"Don't you dare try to get mad at me.
You know you can't."
"You're so lucky I love you."
"I tell myself that every day."
******
The Next Morning
******
As Dormé nursed a steaming cup of delicious
Cilian tea, she closely observed her very best friend performing a task she'd
never seen her do before. Carefully picking apart her every nuance, from the
normally regal set of her slender shoulders to their currently relaxed pose,
the sheer lack of her authoritarian persona as she hummed a tune, no doubt from
her youth and the way her seemingly liquid-like movements, fluid, sure, and
methodical, spoke of a woman deeply cared for and hopelessly in love.
Padmé was glowing, you see.
As the bright rays of a new day cascaded
through a window in the kitchen area, Padmé simply exuded a higher class of
sensuality this morning... an inner peace of self and life. There was a new air
about her, fresh, pure, and altogether joyful. Having spent so many long days
and nights with her, watching her work diligently while harboring such fear and
loneliness, Dormé couldn't help but to smile at her present good mood. If ever
a more selfless, hard working, relentlessly focused on doing what was 'right
and just for the people' sort of woman deserved this, it was Padmé Skywalker.
From her chair at the oval Krysian-wood
table, Dormé listened to her best friend humming softly to herself as she
washed the dishes at the sink. Anakin had prepared a far better tasting
breakfast than Dormé had ever expected a man, much less a young man, was
capable of. And since the cabin came with virtually no amenities, Padmé chose
to handle the clean up. And she had ulterior motives.
That window near the sink, which brought
forth such lovely sunlight as they ate breakfast not so long ago, opened in to
the backyard clearing where Anakin was cutting tree logs with his lightsaber.
Ever the manly-man, he went out sans his thick cloak or even a glove for his flesh
and blood hand. No, it seemed he wanted to appear as rugged and wild in the
cold as possible. From time to time Padmé secretly peered out of the window at
her husband, all the while nibbling her bottom lip as she wore a very
un-Padmé-like expression on her face. One that Dormé could only categorize as
downright wicked.
"Was he that spectacular?"
Looking up, and then over her shoulder, Padmé
worked at fighting off a blush. Her lips curled into a knowing smirk,
nonetheless. "A lady never tells."
"Oh, I doubt you were a lady last night,
Mrs. Skywalker," Dormé insisted with an arched brow. "A vixen would
probably better suit you."
As a gentle flood of warmth came over her,
Padmé considered the title for a long moment, smiling
confidently. "Perhaps," she said.
Saying no more, she went back to her task,
wiping three plates dry that she'd just washed.
Dormé drank another sip of her favorite tea
and then set the cup down on the table. "He brings out such a vibrant side
to you."
Padmé took it as a compliment coming from a
good friend who knew her so well. "I've never felt comfortable with a man
unless it related to my career or duty as a Senator," she explained.
"I had become used to a life of doing my very best to represent the people
of Naboo, and to a greater extent the galaxy, in the most peacefully democratic
ways possible.
"That life, while fulfilling in many
areas, left no room for a social life, much less a personal one. And that was
fine for me, seeing as I never really had one to begin with."
Turning around, she leaned back against the
sink. "When I'm with Anakin, I can still be the woman I have always been,
as well as the woman I never knew I was capable of being. He's opened my eyes
to a world I could never have imagined.”
It was a strange feeling for a slightly older
woman to feel such envy for a younger one, especially when that envy wasn't of
vanity, wealth, or stature but simply fulfillment of the heart. Dormé pondered;
had any man ever left her with such a breathtakingly luminous morning glow.
"You mean the world to him too. I can see it in his eyes every single time
he looks at you."
"I know," Padmé agreed immediately,
if a bit shyly all of a sudden. How had she, a woman with so little experience
with men, it even shook her legendary confidence at times, ever captured
Anakin's heart so completely? Then again, some gifts in life were not to be
taken apart, but simply enjoyed to the fullest. "I was once the Queen of
Naboo and yet have never felt I was truly treated like a Queen until Anakin
came into my life. I've lived the life of a powerful, influential woman, but
had never truly felt as powerful or influential over one person as I do with my
Ani." She laughed to herself, softly and took a deep breath. "I must
sound silly."
Love forces you to lose yourself, Dormé
thought fondly. "You sound very much in love."
"It's because I am."
"Is that not the best feeling in all the
galaxy?"
"It is, until the very moment you dread
ever losing the person you love with all your heart. And then you wonder if it
was even worth it at all."
Seven years ago Padmé would never have said
such a thing. Age and maturity were one factor, and a sliver of Anakin's darker
side had crept into his wife. She was no less optimistic or hopeful. It was just
that she now knew what she feared most, because now she had something to lose
that mattered most.
"It's better to enjoy and give love for
however long any of us are blessed with it, then to live without it,"
Dormé added a bit of wisdom.
"I could not agree more."
"Good," Dormé smiled. "Now
point me to another sexy, handsome, reckless Jedi who's ready to break all the
rules with a wanton woman from Naboo. Surely, you can pick them out by
now."
Dormé was always such a wonderful presence in
her life. No one could make Padmé laugh so hard. "I doubt I would be of
any help to you. I think that I was very lucky in finding Anakin. He pursued
me."
"And yet you gave off no signals that
his pursuit would lead to success?" Dormé challenged Padmé, who was forced
to duck away for a moment.
"I remember that before you left
Coruscant when he was assigned as your bodyguard, you packed that backless
dress, that went nearly all the way down to your backside." Dormé
continued, "Now I am fully aware of how nice the weather is on
Naboo, but such clothing would surely tempt any young man."
"Are you saying I set out to seduce
Ani?"
"I'm saying you wanted him to want you.
You subconsciously gave him a reason to believe he had a chance with you. That
dress was downright sinful," Dormé said.
"That dress was..." Padmé paused
upon catching the fixed expression of 'don't even try it' Dormé focused her
way. An impish grin clouded the Senator's face. "Perhaps on some
unconscious level I wore that dress to incite him. I had never provoked a man
on purpose before. I didn't even know that I could." Suddenly, she was
taken back to that beautiful day on Naboo, just after they'd taken a boat to
the Lake Country. The weather was perfect, as were the sparkling clear waters,
and the undeniable chemistry she shared with Anakin. "He kissed me for the
very first time while we were overlooking the lake."
"Can you describe it?" Dormé asked
what her inner romantic requested to know.
Padmé took more than a moment as she tried to
come up with the words to describe one of the single most profound moments in
her entire life. "I knew Anakin wanted me. I just didn't know what to do
with the knowledge of that want, or how much I liked it. I knew he was going to
kiss me the moment we were alone. As he drew closer, I knew each and every
reason why we shouldn't do this, and why we'd regret it for the rest of our
lives. They were memorized and on the very tip of my tongue. Then his lips
caressed mine and
I forgot everything I had ever learned or
experienced, save his name. And then the strangest thing happened."
"And that was?"
"I tasted passion for the very first
time on his lips, and it scared me to death. I pulled away so fast I might have
hurt his feelings. What lasted mere seconds felt like it lasted a
lifetime."
"Then what happened?"
Before Padmé could reply, provided she even
had one after such a lecherous claim, the sound of Anakin shouting a word she'd
heard him yell once or twenty times before when he dropped something caught her
attention.
She was sure it wasn't one suitable for
Younglings. She peeked outside again and caught sight of him losing his
footing, falling backward with an armful of logs as he fell on his butt in the
snow. Apparently, he slipped on a patch of ice. Her laughter came loud and
unashamed, as did the ridiculous urge to run out to him and play in the snow.
How did she ever live before he came into her life, she wondered? "The
Chosen One can't even keep his proper footing in snow, it seems," Padmé
said.
"Never forget that he is still a
man," Dormé joked, coming from around the table to stand beside her best
friend. "A handsome, powerful, Jedi Master-to-be of a man, but still a
man, nonetheless. And when a grown man falls down we must laugh at him, or we are
not doing our part as women."
Dormé had the most interestingly charming way
of dealing with the male species.
"I tend to agree the older I
become," Padmé smiled, looking on as her husband swiped snow from his
backside, then shot a deeply embarrassed look her way. Now he knew she saw it
all. Good, she thought to herself. Humility was something he could always use
more of. And if it brought with it that wildly carefree smile to his handsome
face, like the one he wore now, then it was worth it. "If he dies in this
war it will kill me."
And with those somber words, the mood shifted
immensely.
"He won't," Dormé assured her
in the way one might her beloved younger sister. "War scars us all in
different ways. This one will scar him in the way it scars all good men who
fight it on the front lines, but it will not break him. And he will not die. He
lives for you and you alone. Death simply cannot have him."
Sighing, as a dark swell of emotions faded,
Padmé caught her breath again. She knew that if her Ani died, he wouldn't die
alone. Not without her...
Such thoughts had no place here. Not on the
heels of their wedding anniversary. That alone reawakened her smile and good
cheer. "Do you know what's funny?"
"That the Jedi Temple has the largest
contingent of adult virgins in all the galaxy?"
"Besides that," Padmé laughed with
her. "What I meant was," as she pointed toward her husband, whose
back was to them now. "He split his pants."
They laughed so hard at him, and for such a
long time.
******
2 Hours Later
******
"The Halo-1"
Xaria's starship
Located on the far side of Gramorum Mountain
The world of Ezcaban, located in the Hoth
System
As advanced spy technology went, the Bolerian
Syndicate created the best in the entire galaxy. Unobtrusive, small, and vastly
undetectable, their devices were hotly sought after and came highly
recommended, used by
organizations on hundreds of worlds, both
political and criminal. It was also the most expensive. Quality wasn't cheap,
and in Xaria's line of work, quality was a must.
One couldn't hunt what one didn't understand.
True understanding only came from observing one's target.
Seated behind a 50' inch tri-screen control
panel in the rusted bowels of his aged starship, Xaria carefully monitored the
video being broadcast via Bolerian spy-birds tracking Anakin Skywalker and
Padmé Amidala through the streets of Dysines. The couple, accompanied by two
droids and a yet unidentified female companion, toured the city at a leisurely
pace.
Smaller than the size of a normal humanoids
hand, the Bolerian spy-birds each came with individual cloaking devices for the
utmost ability to remain undetected while performing their task. Sleek, swift,
and extremely
adaptable to their surroundings, they were
built with the most advanced, long-range digital camera embedded in their
beaks, and were capable of transmitting crystal clear video and audio from half
a city block away.
Perfect for an assassin hunting his prey.
Entering in the command for one of the birds
to focus in on the unidentified woman traveling with Anakin and Padmé, Xaria
pulled up a still-photo of her face on the center monitor.
"Computer, analyze facial structure and
cross-match with known aides, handmaidens, and security personal for the office
of Senator Padmé Amidala from the planet Naboo."
'Searching,' came an electronically
high-pitched voice from the command console. 'A possible match has been found,
with a likelihood of 98.9 percent. The facial structure of the photo provided
closely matches a female
named Dorme. She was one of Senator Amidala's
former handmaidens when she served as Queen of Naboo. Dorme is currently the
Senators chief aide. She was well-trained by the Naboo military and even served
in its covert
operations ranks for a short time, before
being promoted to the high-security detail that protected the Queen of Naboo.
She has been photographed with the Senator on many occasions and accompanies
her almost everywhere she goes.'
"A close friend..." Xaria
considered. As the spy-birds tracked the five individuals through the
snow-swept city streets, he leaned in for a closer look when they stopped
suddenly, and then Dorme walked off with the droids,
while Anakin and Padmé continued onward
alone.
The wheels of his keen mind began to turn. If
he had not discovered Dorme was with them last night, then his prey could have
other companions, however unlikely. While his gut told him this was a secret
getaway for an affair's
sake, he still refused to rule out this
having something to do with a mission. Perhaps a secret one for the Supreme
Chancellor himself. Both held well-known ties to his office. The possibilities
were endless, at least for the moment.
Add in the even greater danger that General
Obi-Wan Kenobi could be on this planet, seeing as how it wasn't often he and
Anakin were apart, could create even more problems.
Time and patience.
Xaria had a feeling this trip to Ezcaban
wasn't a one-day journey, and so he felt that time and patience were his best
ally. When dealing with a Jedi, getting too close could be a problem. When
dealing with Anakin Skywalker, it
could be deadly. It would be. He didn't have
the restraint many Jedi possessed. Few ever survived an encounter with the
so-called 'Hero Without Fear.' Dealing with him under normal circumstance would
be far tougher than here, when his mind was clearly elsewhere.
Suddenly, a beeping chime signaled he had a
new holo-message. Last night he sent an anonymous hypothetical question out to
those who he knew worked closely with Count Dooku. What would the capture of
Padmé Amidala and or Anakin Skywalker be worth to the Separatists?
The reply was simple. Name your price.
His reptilian features curled into what could
be considered a smile, albeit a sinister one. His fingers typed with speed and
purpose, instructing one of the spy-birds to stay with Anakin and Padmé, while
another focused on Dorme and the droids, and yet another sought out Obi-Wan
Kenobi. Just in case.
The hunt had begun.
******
One Hour Later
******
Dysines City
The world of Ezcaban, located in the Hoth
System
Ever in awe of his beloved angel, Anakin
admired her from a short distance away.
Padmé was as savvy as she was undeniably
beautiful, and after the fourth store she'd hauled him into, she had yet to pay
the asked for price of any item for sale. He found it remarkable how she would
successfully negotiate
the price she wanted, purchase something,
then offer a fair trade, plus Republic credits at another store and end up with
double what she purchased to begin with. She shopped with the same
single-minded focus she exuded when she debated in the Galactic Senate Hall. In
addition to having found wonderful gifts for each member of her family in just
over an hour and a half, she commissioned a painting of a truly epic Hoth
skyline from an incredibly talented Ky'Dari street artist, and managed to
settle a mean spirited dispute between two rival shop owners. Her charm,
intelligence, and ability to communicate and convey the importance of finding a
common ground
were remarkable attributes she commanded
effortlessly.
Her husband simply stood behind her and
watched, a prideful smirk adorning his face.
"... combining your businesses would not
only be a profitable venture, seeing as how close your respective
establishments are to one another and how similar the items you sell, but it
would also send a positive message to
your community that differences can be
overcome for the good of all."
Sizing up the two male Ky'Dari shop owners,
Anakin surmised that both were about the same height and weight, with one
looking only a few scant years older than the other. Neither seemed like they
would have a marked advantage in a one-on-one combative confrontation. He
doubted they were carrying weapons; although their heavy cloaks were wide
enough conceal a multitude of items. Then again, he smiled to himself, his
thinking that only underscored why politics would never be his forte.
After a bit more discussion, the shop owners
came to an agreement to meet at sunrise the next morning to discuss a possible
merging of their businesses. They shook hands and apologized for their
aggressive posturing. Both were so grateful for Padmé's moderating of their
disagreement that they offered her half off any two items in their stores.
"You're two of the most gracious men
I've encountered in recent days. Thank you." Ignoring her husband's
impatient responsive eye roll to her latest victory, Padmé took both of the
shop owners up on their offers. She left
Anakin with the five bags he was already
carrying, with a smile and a promise that at least two more were to come. His
frown lasted all of five seconds, and then he was her Ani again, shooing her
off into the stores
while he waited outside. Good, she thought to
herself. Having shopped for all her loved ones so far, she could now shop for
the love of her life in private.
Marveling yet again at the sight of his own
breath on every exhale, Anakin found a bench outside the first shop and took a
seat, resting the bags on the ground.
Across the street stood a magnificent temple
of shimmering silver and outlined in a gorgeous pale blue. The sun's
illumination off its surface only added to its luster. Probably the tallest
structure he'd seen on Dysines thus far, it appeared to be something of a
religious structure, but he wasn't sure and hadn't ventured to deeply into the
belief system of the Ky'Dari clans. Groups of cloaked citizens and their
children strolled in and out of the temple while he looked on. Carriages flown
just off the ground via trained Garcian Eagles and pulled by six-legged Moya
Bores lined both sides of the street, transporting citizens all around the
city. Birds ruled the skies, perhaps as nature intended, he surmised. There was
a serene sort of contentment the Ky'Dari people carried about themselves. An
inner peace he admired, far removed from the war raging outside their small
world, or the never-ending political maneuvering, or the race for power and
wealth that tainted a great deal of the galaxy. They went about each day with a
simple
purpose, peaceful and free. They lived a
humble yet contented lifestyle.
A sincere appreciation for their culture and
way of life grew within Anakin. While comfortably warm in his dark gray cloak,
his hood was completely off his head, exposing him to the elements and anyone
who walked by. So far he'd only exchanged a couple of polite greetings, and no
more. Children ran by, chasing strange small animals that were probably pets on
this world. They barely looked his way, sometimes chasing right past him. He
was a stranger
here. A nobody. And that, contrary to the
whispers and some truth concerning his over inflated ego, was perfectly okay.
He had watched his wife smile from the moment
she woke up beside him this morning and hadn't stopped. She laughed louder, and
seemed to touch him asoften as she could. She was playful and teasing. As
feminine as he had ever seen her before. There was a weight lifted from her
slender shoulders that he wished would never have to return. Not because she
wasn't strong enough to bear it, but because she'd worked so hard her whole
life to enrich, protect, and aid the lives of others that for once she seemed
to be enjoying her own.
More often then not, Anakin honestly didn't
know what, if anything, outside of Padmé gave him any real joy. If she was
safe, in love with him, and nearby, then he had all that he needed. If the Jedi
Council offered him mastery tomorrow, it couldn't compare to Padmé's joy.
Suddenly, Anakin thought of his mother.
The Tatooine skyline consisted of two bright
suns that bore the brunt of their fiery existence down on the rock of a planet
below them. The heavens above him now consisted of numerous half-lit moons
amidst an array of
brilliant shades of soft blue. Such a
glorious sight he knew his mother would have loved to witness. Would have
appreciated to no end. She saw so little of beauty in her all-too-short life.
She had lived such a hard life.
Of all the events Anakin sought to make peace
with in his life, being unable to give Shmi what he felt she deserved haunted
him worst of all.
Anakin sighed heavily, closing his eyes to
remind himself of her lovely face. To see her again, if only in his mind. To
hear her comforting voice, and behold the strength she possessed within her
eyes. However did she raise and
provide for him in that environment? For such
a young man, his regrets were few, but they were devastating. For all of his
vaunted abilities he couldn't save his mother's life. So what good were they?
Some days he didn't know or
care.
Some days, he just wanted to lash out at the
injustice of it all. To lash out at everything and everyone until they all
understood the hole her loss left inside his soul.
A small-gloved hand came to rest on his
shoulder, the gentle touch familiar even through the material. His mood
softened instantly, and his anger began to dissipate. Anakin looked up from his
deepest inner thoughts and found
Padmé staring at him with something of a
worried expression. How long had he faded out of touch with his surroundings?
He felt a slight shiver start from the crown of his head, and then her hand
brushed a few snowflakes out of his hair that he didn't even know about. It was
softly snowing and he hadn't even realized it. His sheepish grin seemed to
lighten her mood.
"Where were you?"
"Someplace dark," he replied
honestly.
"That is no place for you."
"As long as you're with me, I know that
is true." Rising to his feet, he reached for her two newest bags, only to
have her pull away from him. And when her beaming smile... the one she saved
only for him, came his way
everything in his world made sense again. The
light came back on. "Don't you want me to carry those for you?"
Clutching the bags just out of his reach,
Padmé shook her head. "No, thank you. I'll manage."
Anakin chuckled at her display. "I am
amazingly confident in all of your abilities, and well aware of your
independence. But please, while we are on vacation will you at least allow me
to do something for you? I may not know how to shop, but I can carry what you
buy."
He was sweet and a gentleman. Such
appreciative qualities, for certain. Padmé looped her arm around his and began
leading them down the curving street, past a row of lit torches. "I
purchased something for you, and I don't want you to know what it is yet."
"You know Jedi cannot have possessions,
my love."
His sarcastic tone was oh so teasing.
"Jedi are not supposed to be happily married or have the ability to
utterly ravish their wives, and yet you are a master at both."
Coming to a halt in front of her, Anakin
leaned down, nearly close enough to kiss her. "Tell me what you bought
me?"
His mock of an order amused her. She raised a
competitive brow. "No. And don't you dare try your Jedi mind tricks on
me."
"I would hope my husbandly charm would
be sufficient enough."
Her husband was such a handsome, outrageously
sexy man. When his smile evolved into a smirk and his voice slipped so low and
whispery she felt like she could deny him nothing. His lips, rosy from the
weather, reminded her of candy. "You'll find out on our anniversary, and
not a day sooner."
"Are we about to have a debate over
this?"
"Do you truly feel you could win if we
did?"
"I'll kindly remind you, milady, that I
am a Jedi Knight of the Republic. And if I may say so myself, a highly
acclaimed one. The HoloNet boasts of my courageous exploits on a nightly
basis."
"The most humble Jedi of the year award
goes to..."
"You know what I mean."
"You can foresee the future at times and
yet could not foresee a patch of ice behind you that caused you to fall and
split your pants," she delighted in recalling for him, her voice as
carefree as the wind. He looked away,
somewhat embarrassed, and she came face to
face with the little boy he once was. Her day was made perfect. "I'll stop
teasing you if you want me to."
"It's not that. I'm just mad at myself
because I only own six pair of pants now. I'm always tearing them, or catching
them on fire, or ruining them in dirt, blood, oil, or something alien that just
can't be washed out."
Padmé's infectious laughed lifted his soul
about. "I am pleased to amuse you so."
"Ani, I do believe I can afford to buy
you more than six pair of pants. And I'm sure you are capable of keeping that
little secret between you and me."
He leaned down to cover her lips in a new
kiss, sweet and pure and thrilling. "Come on. We'll discuss the pros and
cons of you buying me pants later."
The pair toured the city on a straight route
to begin with, stopping ever so often to peep through shop windows just in case
something caught their eye. They came to their next stop to admire the
handiwork of a group of amazing ice sculpture artists. With hand-blades and
small picks, they created on a wide square podium located on a back lot against
a snowy hill. They talked amongst themselves, joking as they worked, and with
the small crowds around them as well. They weren't selling anything, or even
asking for donations. It seemed they enjoyed the allure of pleasing the crowds
and the challenge of besting each other by showing off who had the better
skill.
Anakin pointed out a twelve-foot ice
sculpture of the temple they'd just seen down the road. The perfect lines,
edges, and ridges were of an amazing detail. Padmé marveled at the ice flowers
the youngest of the three Ky'Dari,
and the only female, created. They were
meticulously designed and probably the hardest of the sculptures made because
they were so small.
The boisterous Ky'Dari were having a grand
time with the crowds, even racing against one another to create things out of
small blocks of ice. Today wasn't a special day, event, or anything like that.
It was a day like any other, and this is just how they lived their lives.
Soft instrumental music was played by a
friend of the Ky'Dari on an instrument neither Anakin nor Padmé had ever seen
before. The moment of simply being lost in the crowd, no more or less than
anyone else, was a
feeling of freedom neither had ever felt as a
couple before. So often they hid behind closed doors, stealing days, and
sometimes hours alone. But not here. With their hoods down, their faces
revealed, and surrounded by people,
they were nothing more than a couple
obviously in love. They were no more than that.
The tunes began to fade as they walked away.
Looking ahead, Padmé noticed a street vendor
whose pushcart emitted thick pillows of steam each time she sold something.
"Let's check that out."
"Lead the way."
As they approached the elderly woman who
clearly owned the pushcart, the delicious scent of whatever was being sold only
amplified their curiosity.
Upon reaching the vendor, Anakin and Padmé
were nearly overcome by the beauty of the markings on her skin. An older woman
for sure, she looked as if a master painter had outlined her face with his
greatest creation. She
wore a compassionate smile and her age well.
She greeted them with a polite nod.
"Welcome. I am Bilal. And I sell warmed
pastry bread. Would you care for a sample?"
"Yes," Anakin answered with an
obvious hunger that seemed to charm the vendor. She opened one of the two metal
lids on her pushcart and retrieved a slice of brown bread, with lines of white
frosting covering the top. The
bread was steaming hot as she handed it to
him. He quickly tore it into two and fed Padmé a piece by hand. She bit it from
his fingers, blushing from his affectionate gesture.
"This is fantastic," Padmé
complimented the vendor as she chewed the sweet bread. She tasted a hint of
cinnamon and chocolate swirl. The frosting reminded her of cakes her
grandmother baked once upon a time. The soft
steaming bread made for a wonderful snack and
would go well with dinner. "I'd like to buy two loafs."
"Loafs?" the vendor struggled to
understand.
"Pardon me. I'm sure you have a
different word for things as we do." Looking inside the cart, Padmé
pointed to the cluster of freshly sliced bread. "I would like to buy two
of those."
Bilal smiled at the couple. "Very good,
madam."
Just before the vendor wrapped the two rolls
of bread, Anakin snuck his hand in and grabbed two more slices, offering only a
shrug as his explanation. He was a kid with a sweet tooth, Padmé knew all to
well. After she paid for the bread, she caught up with her husband, and was
rewarded with a slice he didn't eat, and had obviously saved for her.
She fell in love with him all over again.
Strolling quietly through the crowds, they
turned down a winding road. The weather certainly wasn't like what was found on
Naboo, but was inviting, no matter the chilly winds. The snow dusted streets
and walkways were carefully
treaded upon, but never that much trouble.
The architecture of the city and the color palette weren't complex, and that in
itself gave the city its originality and appeal.
"The Jedi are so strict."
His thought came out of nowhere, and yet
Padmé challenged him. "But do you understand why?" She recognized the
envy in his eyes as he observed the simple people of this world.
"The Jedi do what they feel is right.
They sacrifice their lives for the lives of others. Tradition rules them. They
refuse to change," he declared his honest feelings. "I don't
understand how anything can go unchanged for
growth and proper development to take place."
What he said next, he knew would surprise his wife. "You're taken as a
child and sent to be trained and given a master. From that moment on your old
life isn't yours anymore. There
are days in which it feels like a kinder form
of slavery."
"Being born with the gifts of one chosen
by the Force comes with a responsibility to use those gifts for the greater
good."
"Performing those duties for the greater
good comes at a complete sacrifice of anything personal for a Jedi. We are a
knight of the order, and nothing more. We cannot become mothers or fathers or
husbands or wives. It's not
about wealth or power or status. I feel a
Jedi is denied the greatest joy of all. Being able to share your life with
someone you deeply love."
How could she argue that point when they
lived it every day? She leaned into him, while gathering her
thoughts. "Do you truly want to leave
the order?" she asked, "Because if you do, and you truly feel as
though you are horribly unhappy, I won't try to stop you. I will always support
you."
"But you wouldn't agree, would
you?"
"No," she admitted.
"Surprised?"
"No," he smiled, ever thankful for
her honesty. His wife, his lover, was also his very best friend. "I was
born a possession."
Such a life she could never truly comprehend,
so she listened.
"I was born into slavery by a slave, and
treated as such. My mother and I were sold to Watto and from that moment on we
belonged to him, and whatever he wanted us to do we had to do or face his
wrath." Anakin felt his wife flinch beside him. "I don't say these
things to drudge up the past."
"I am always interested in how you feel.
Never doubt that."
He nodded. "Some slave owners forced
their women slaves to do things other than cleaning or working for
them." He appreciated not having to
allude further, confident that she understood what he meant. "My mother
was lucky. Many of my friends' mothers were not. I saw and knew about far more
than I should have at a very young age."
"I can't even imagine."
"For me, freedom is the most precious
thing in the galaxy," Anakin stated. "Being denied freedom is, in my
humble opinion, the worst. And there are times I feel the Jedi deny me... and
all the others knights, freedom."
"Then, instead of leaving in protest,
why not stay and try to effect change from within?"
"I seem to lack the patience and ability
to communicate that you do."
"But never the courage," she told
him, ever his champion. "Someday, I would like you to seriously consider
how you would bring it up to the Jedi Council, your concerns and thoughts over
their practices. I'm sure Obi-Wan and a few
others you respect might be of some help as
to how to go about such a thing."
He couldn't tell her that there were times he
wanted to force the issue... to force the Jedi Council to see things
differently. Deep down he knew that wasn't the right way to go about things.
And he had the ultimate example of
a person who saw something unfair and had the
proper mind-state to work towards change rather than sulk about those people
knowing better already. "Have I ever told you how much I admire you?"
"Yes."
"Good. You should always know that I
do."
"Now tell me what you are
thinking?"
"I'm thinking that..." A carriage
came from down the street, pulled by three hulking Huikeds. "That my feet
are cold and I'm tired of holding these bags. Let's catch a ride."
A moment later Anakin was helping Padmé into
the back of the small carriage, seating her beside him, with his arm hung
protectively, affectionately, over her shoulder. They snuggled in, savoring the
quiet and the love they shared.
He buried his face in the coiled, scented
strands of her thick brown hair, while she twined their fingers of his flesh
hand.
Their eyes shut, and having paid the driver
to take them back to their cabin. The ride was going to be a fairly long one,
but they didn't mind in the least. Anakin held his angel in his arms and
pressed a soft kiss to her
temple, conveying his endless love for her
with a brushing caress.
"Dorme's going to be at that playhouse
all afternoon," Padmé said in a not so innocent tone. What was even less
innocent was her hand stroking Anakin's thigh. "However will we amuse
ourselves with her and the droids out of the
cabin?"
"I say we eat the rest of that pastry
bread by the fireplace."
"I was thinking we go skating like we
talked about last night."
With a finger, he tipped her chin, shifting
his position so that they could stare into each other's eyes. "It seems
we're at a stalemate, milady."
"I suppose we'll have to," she
smiled wickedly, "'Aggressively negotiate' the matter so that we can come
to some sort of an mutual agreement."
His body responded to her immediately.
"I love your brand of politics, milady."
"I thought you might."
******
The End of Chapter 3
Padme 'forces' Anakin to see things her
way...
Dorme is missing...
A little girl named Leia enters the picture...