A/N: I love Italics! Anyway, this is my third story and so far my favorite. I truly do think this will be a great story with a great plot. Anyway this is Padme's point of view and it's Post TPM
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
I nervously pushed a stray hair out of my face, focusing my attention on the two figures standing on the landing platform. The beginning of a war was approaching…possibly the biggest war in history. I was sent to Coruscant to pick up two Jedi. After we pick them up, we are going to Dathomir, a small planet located in the Quelli Sector. I had met with the Jedi Council, requesting that some of their best Jedi accompany me in this war. I particularly wanted Obi-Wan Kenobi, my ex-crush, to be assigned to this mission. The Council said this was a small possibility since Obi-Wan and Anakin were scheduled to leave in the next day or two. They were assigned to capture a bounty hunter hiding in a far off planet; I guess this mission overshadowed mine…
The pilot landed the sleek spacecraft with ease. I stood to my feet and descended down the ramp. I smiled as we approached the two figures. They both bowed to me in respect as I stopped in front of them. I met eyes with the shorter figure and recognized him as none other than Anakin Skywalker, the small boy I met on Tatooine.
"Your Highness, may I present to you, Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker." My loyal bodyguard, Captain Panaka, informed me.
I was in shock at the height of Obi-Wan as well as the size of his muscular body. He had hood draped over his head, covering his features. He definitely wasn't the scrawny teenager I had met two years ago. As for Anakin…he had certainly grown. He was most likely around the age of thirteen now, making Obi-Wan twenty-two.
"It's good to see you again, Your Highness." The rich accent seemed so foreign now…I guess I just haven't heard it in awhile. I watched him as he removed his hood revealing his face. The first thing that struck me was the scars that lined the right side of his face. While the scars themselves were unattractive, Obi-Wan was certainly not. His eyes still gleamed the way they used to…though something was hidden behind them, something I couldn't put my finger on. His straight auburn hair now reached to the center of his ear, shadowing his face. Other than his hair and scars, he looked like the same Obi-Wan.
"The Jedi Council said that you two wouldn't be able to come." I said as I fell into step with him as we headed towards the ship.
"They reconsidered…" He smirked as he turned towards me, a familiar look in his eye.
"I'm glad they did." I smiled at him gently, not allowing myself to linger on his scars for too long.
"I see you still wear it." He gestured to the necklace that hung loosely around my neck. Obi-Wan had given it to me a long time ago…I think it was the day he left. It was a silver chain that held a small glowing pearl on the end. On the back of the pearl was a small inscription written in an ancient language. Obi-Wan had read it to me, though I had no clue what it meant.
"Navždy smerujúci." Those were the words Obi-Wan had said. He had told me it was Slovak which was language spoken by a branch of Indo-Europeans called the Slavic. I had asked him what it meant in English but he had only smirked and refused to answer.
"Haven't taken it off…" I smiled, fingering it absentmindedly. We walked up the ramp and took a seat in the main room as the pilot took off. Obi-Wan turned to Anakin, who handed him a few sheets.
"We went over the mission before we came…did some research on the planet." He explained laying out a few more pictures.
I studied the pictures. The planet looked dark…hostile…mysterious…
Anakin spoke up this time and I was a little surprised by the power in his voice. "It's a low gravity world inhabited by the Witches of Dathomir."
"Witches of Dathomir?" I glanced up, a questioning look in my eye.
"They're a group of Force-sensitive woman…they ride these fearsome rancors." Obi-Wan replied, running a hand through his hair as he leaned forward.
"They live in different clans that include a group of 'darksiders'. The 'darksiders' gave themselves the name Nightsisters. The 'Singing Mountain Clan' and the 'Nightsisters' are at odds with one another…any visitor or outlander that fails to show respect to these witches end up dead. However, if we align ourselves with either side, we can benefit from trade with these powerful indigenous creatures…" Anakin trailed off, glancing toward his master.
"I don't want to get involved with the witches, my young Padawan…they are far too dangerous…"
"But if we picked the right si-" Anakin argued, raising his hand in protest.
"There is no right side. They are 'darksiders'. Get it? They are against us!" I watched as he met Anakin's eye, glaring at him. "They're probably involved with this war! We will not get involved with any of the locals, understand?"
"Yes, Master." Anakin looked down, ashamed.
I cleared my throat trying to break the ice. "Is there anything else you know about this planet?"
"Dathomir can only be accessed by special charter transports operated by skilled pilots. Its terrain is highly dangerous."
I turned to the young Jedi Master, meeting his eye. "Then we must find a place to switch transports."
"Corellia is near…we can stop there and rent one." Anakin raised his head, glancing at me.
"That's not too bad of an idea. I will go and alert the pilot of the change of plans." He excused himself and entered the cockpit.
Anakin shifted his weight to the other foot; an awkward silence remained in the air. I cleared my throat, scanning the young boy.
"So, how has life as a Jedi been?"
"It sounded a lot better in childhood stories. It's a lot of training, exercise and rules. Strangely, I like every bit of it. I like the challenge…" He threw me a genuine smile, chuckling a bit.
"I could never be a Jedi. You and Obi-Wan handle it like its nothing."
"Ha! I have many meltdowns where Obi-Wan has gained the title 'The Perfect Jedi'. He's even being tested to be a member of the Council."
"I'm pretty sure you'll be just as good as him one day." I encouraged him.
"Doubt it…" He sat down on a small bench like chair in the corner of the room. I crossed the room to sit beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Why do you doubt it so much?"
"Cause…okay, every morning I wake up and go into the kitchen. Obi-Wan is usually seated at the table, reading over missions or something. I sit down beside and ask him what's for breakfast. He just nods towards the counter and sitting on the counter is the same stinkin meal I've had every single morning since I've been here. I thought maybe if I just kept asking everyday he would get the hint that, I want something different. But no! I have to have bran every morning…he eats it like it's the best meal in the world, where in reality it's the worst possible meal you can ever have!"
I chuckled lightly as Anakin moved his hand in gestures, trying to explain to me his pain. "And what does that have to do with being a model Jedi?"
"Because I want more. I'm more curious than a Jedi should be, that's what Obi-Wan said. Obi-Wan has never once complained about the diet Jedi are on. He just eats his bran, fruits, meat, and veggies. Like once, I asked if I could have a little sugar and he looked at me as if I was going insane. Cause apparently in a Jedi's world there is something wrong with sugar. And I just don't know how I could go through life with all these restraints."
I laughed as I squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll get use to it one day."
Obi-Wan walked in at that moment, scanning the room. "We'll arrive in Corellia shortly."
"Thank you, Obi-Wan." I stood up as he moved toward us.
Anakin stood to his feet, grabbing the small backpack that lay against the table. "I guess we'll be taking this with us?"
"Yes." Obi-Wan turned to me, smiling. "I guess you should pack."
I nodded briskly, walking towards my room. I heard Obi-Wan giving Anakin some type of lecture. I could hear Anakin argue back, and Obi-Wan scowl.
I gathered my already packed suitcases, since I never got a chance to unpack. We had just landed when I arrived back in the room. Anakin was sitting in the corner, venting. Obi-Wan stood near him, a sour look on his face.
"Ready?" I asked, trying to break the ice.
Anakin moved towards me, bending down to take one suitcase from me. He nodded before moving down the ramp. Obi-Wan grabbed my other two suitcases and left. I followed them down, amazed by their politeness. I stood next to Captain Panaka while Obi-Wan spoke to a young man. The young man kept shaking his head, refusing the offer Obi-Wan was giving him.
Obi-Wan was fed up and raised his hand. A second later, the man was nodding and Obi-Wan was handing him a few coins, speaking to him in a foreign tongue. He raised his hand, motioning for us to follow him into the small transport.
It was much smaller than mine, and the inside was more antique. I sat down in the droid hold, since there was no 'lounge'. Anakin sat beside me, humming a song quietly. Obi-Wan stood, staring out the window.
"Are you nervous?" I scanned his eyes as he turned to look at me.
"Nervous for what?"
"The war." I breathed, the word leaving a sour taste on my lips.
"I'm not afraid to die." He returned his attention to the window, taking a deep breath. "I would rather die fighting for what I believe, then to die with never doing anything."
I noted how the sun cast on his face, illuminating the scars. In some odd and twisted away, it made them beautiful. I turned to Anakin, repeating the same question to Anakin.
Anakin shook his head, clearing his throat before answering. "I too would rather die fighting in this war. Such things-like this war-happen, not so much because of what bad people do, but because good people stand by and do nothing."
Obi-Wan glanced over, a prideful look in his eye. He caught Anakin's eye, smiling at him.
"You've grown up." I smiled at him with admiration. I stood up, excusing myself. A violent blow rocked the ship after I had only taken two steps. It caused me to stumble and loose my balance. Obi-Wan caught me, holding me against him for a minute before he let go. He seemed to pay little attention to me as he rushed off to the cockpit, followed by his obedient Padawan.
I rushed after them as the alarms went off. The pilot raised his voice, screaming his panic to Obi-Wan.
"Anedo weadna fasut!" He rolled off in his language.
"Eidwa tde fasut ewde?" Anakin shouted over the alarms.
The pilot pressed a bunch of controls, responding to Anakin. "Moy die kwno!"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "That's not important to know, Anakin! We have to get out of here." He pointed up ahead. "Eide thed ewde!"
I was lost in the sea of languages. The one and only language I knew was English. Another explosion rocked the ship, jolting me out of my thoughts.
Obi-Wan motioned for the young pilot to move and gestured to Anakin. Anakin stood, stunned for a minute.
"Get us out of here." Obi-Wan nodded towards his Padawan, his trust shown in his eyes.
"Master, I…" Anakin and Obi-Wan held each other's glance for a minute before Anakin jumped in the pilot's seat. "Press that red button."
Obi-Wan followed his instructions as he sat down next to him. Anakin gripped the controls, maneuvering the ship towards an opening. Ships began to swarm us as we moved closer to the planet. I hadn't realized that the war was happening in space as well.
Anakin rolled off instructions as he attempted to land the ship. I released the breath that I hadn't released I'd been holding.
Obi-Wan pushed his hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. "Good, Anakin." We had just landed…safely. I saw a few of our soldiers rush towards our ship, waiting to greet us. Anakin stood up facing his master.
"It means a lot to me that you trust me, Master." Anakin bowed his head, a wide smile on his face.
"You did well and I do trust you." I watched as they exchanged smiles. We trampled down the ramp, a few soldiers rushing to welcome us.
"It's good to see you safe, Your Highness." A handsome soldier, no older than Obi-Wan, spoke. He was the lieutenant of the green squad.
"Thank you, sir." I smiled sweetly at him, allowing him to lead me towards the camp. Obi-Wan and Anakin stayed back to discuss the war with the general.
He escorted me to my tent, before bowing and exiting. I ducked into the entrance, seeing the simple layout of the advanced tent. I sat down on the edge of the bed, running my fingers along the white sheets. I was used to the high life…so you have to imagine the design was a bit of a shock to me.
I glanced up when Obi-Wan entered the tent, carrying three suitcases. He set them down beside a small desk that had placed in here prior to my arrival. He smirked at me, his accent cutting through the air.
"I thought I might drop this off." He stretched his muscles, a tired look on his face. "I can barely feel my limbs from caring those.."
I stood up, moving towards him and lightly punching him in the arm. "Shut up! I got a lot of important things."
"Like what? Your makeup?" A deep chuckle rumbled through his throat.
I game him a playful frown before I scanned his face…and the scars. "Obi-Wan."
He kept his eyes on mine, watching me as I watched him. "Yeah?"
"Please don't be offended when I ask you this…but where did you get those scars?" I shrunk back almost…afraid of how he would react. He saw the fear in my eyes and lowered his gaze.
"Sit down and I'll tell you."
I did as he said, taking a seat on my bed. He sat beside me, struggling with the words. "I was captured and…tortured."
I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand as he shook lightly.
"Padme…I don't feel fear very often but I did during that time."
"Please continue." I laid my hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to continue.
"They shaved my head, and branded me. The mark is hidden by hair now. They used the Rack on me and-"
"The rack?" I gave him a questioning look as he recalled the memory.
"Yeah…it's this device that they tie your hands and feet up and slowly stretch you. It was extremely painful." I grimaced when he explained this to me.
"They placed me in this small brass casket. They would…um…place me over a fire for several hours until the brass was 'red hot'. They would seat themselves in chairs beside the fire and would howl in laughter when I screamed out. They whipped me with a flame whip too…and that's where I got the scar here." He ran a finger down the longest scar on his face, tracing it all the way to the beginning.
I knew what a flame whip was. I knew it was one of the most painful whips in the world, and the most deadly. It was like a regular whip except with an electrical/burning cracker. Every time it touched the skin, it would burn the flesh. It was rumored that it was hotter than a lightsaber.
"Mace Windu found me near death a few weeks after I was captured." He finished, taking a deep calming breath.
"I'm so sorry, Obi-Wan…I'm so sorry." I kept mumbling repeatedly as I wrapped my arms around him.
"It's not your fault…and it's the past." He hugged me back, soothing me even though he was the one that needed it.
"At least your hair grew back." I forced a smile, chuckling at the dry humor.
"Yeah, I'm hoping to grow it out and hoping to grow a beard." My smile faded as soon as he said that. A beard!?
"Please don't!" I glanced up into his eyes, half begging him. He looked down at me, eyebrows knitted together. I reached up to run my hand through his hair, smiling gently.
"Why not?"
"It's not attractive at all." I focused my attention to the feeling of his hair, to the softness of it.
"I'm a Jedi, Padme. I don't need to look attractive." He chuckled, placing a hand on my knee.
"It wouldn't hurt. Please let me cut your hair." I gave him the most adorable puppy-eyes I could do. He just rolled his head and put his hands up.
"Fine."
I smiled, walking over to my suitcases and rummaging around for scissors. After a few minutes, I found a pair. I pulled them out and walked over to Obi-Wan, motioning him to sit on the floor in front of me.
"I don't think I've ever known anyone to carry scissors with them." He chuckled as I playfully kneed him in the back.
I pulled his head back in my lap, taking a few of the longer locks in my fingers. He watched me, upside down, with gentle blue eyes. I glanced up from my work, meeting his gaze.
"Now you'll look good leading all those soldiers into battle." He laughed at my comment, but remained still.
It didn't take long for me to shorten his hair to above his ear. I had left the front a little longer so that I could style it. I finished after a few more minutes and stood to my feet. He walked over to a mirror and I waited for his reaction.
"I certainly look younger." He smiled, turning to me. "I like it, Padme. Thank you."
I nodded, reaching my hand up to fix the spike in the front. He leaned down slightly, so that I could reach him. "You've grown." I heard him murmur.
"Why do you say that?" I asked, dropping my hands to his shoulder. He glanced at me and I held his gaze.
"When we rescued you on Naboo, you barely came to my shoulder. Now you come to the bottom of my chin. You should get a lot of guys now." He smirked as I looked away, blushing. "Is there a special someone yet?"
I shook my head, dropping my hands to my sides. He took one hand and squeezed it lightly. "I'm sure you'll find someone. I have to go now, I'll see you in the morning."
I just watched as he exited my tent, his long cape flowing behind him. I sighed running my hand through my hair, feeling the greasy tint. I examined the pair of clothes I was required to wear tomorrow. The guys were to wear tight black shirts, loose black pants, and knee high black boots. They would then have muscle-amour fitted to their chest. The girls, as few of them as their were, were required to where tight black shirts and pants. Since we were attacking early in the morning, the sky would still be dark and we would blend right in.
I laid my head back against the pillows, debating if I should fall asleep or go and explore the camp. I needed the sleep more…I closed my eyes, succumbing to a dreamless sleep.
"Padme!"
I groaned, blinking to clear my vision. I met eyes with Captain Panaka, who stood a few inches from my bed now.
"Yes?" I sat up, bracing my weight against my elbows.
"You should get ready, we're planning to head out soon." He bowed one last time, before leaving me alone in my tent. I had to say it was amusing to see him out of his uniform and into a form-fitting shirt. He wasn't too scrawny but he wasn't anywhere near the Jedi when it came to muscle.
I stood up, dressing myself in a tight fitting black t-shirt and tight black pants. I strapped my gun to my waist before I sat on the bed. I thought over the day as I pulled my black boots on. I could die today…so could Anakin or Obi-Wan. Anyone I know could die today and I would never see them again. I was nervous…no nervous wasn't the right word…I was tense. I pushed past my thoughts and walked out the tent.
I scanned the area, catching sight of Anakin and Obi-Wan. Both were bent over a table set in the middle of camp. Obi-Wan was pointing to a hologram, tracing something. He and Anakin both were dressed in the attire required and both looked…stunning. I was mostly surprised by Anakin. I expected Obi-Wan to have a lot of muscle but not Anakin. His tight shirt showed off his muscular six-pack and to say the least I was shocked.
I strutted over to them, acknowledging their presence. Obi-Wan glanced up, scanning me quickly. I took notice of how he had styled his hair the way I showed him. I listened to the entire plan and learned that Obi-Wan was leading the red squad in from the east, while I would be with the blue squad, which was being led by Captain Panaka. When we had custody of the opposing camp, I would then force them to sign a treaty and stop this violence.
I was sweating now, and shaking. I was scared for my life…for my friends' lives…for everyone's lives. If they didn't sign the treaty, the war would spread and become the first universal war to take place in a thousand years.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned towards it. Obi-Wan stood over me, smirking slightly. I could tell it was fake, I could see the tiredness in his eyes, as well as the concern for me.
"Padme, I wanted to wish you luck. I can only hope that this isn't the last time that I'll see you." He gave me a comforting smile as he wrapped me in a hug.
I pushed back tears and bit my lip. "What if you die? What if I die?"
"Then we'll see each other on the other side. Just know this…I care for you, Padme. You mean a lot to me and always will." I could feel him smile against my hair, breathing in my scent.
"Goodbye, Obi-Wan." I said as he let go. He bowed his head to me and I could only watch as he walked away, unsure if I were to ever see the Jedi Knight again.
Only fate could tell if we were to survive.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Review and leave comments, suggestions.etc.
