Celestial Death: Hi. So, I've been meaning to write this story for a long time. I'm still working on my anime fic, but this has been persistent in my mind. I'm still working on New Home, for anyone that bothers to read it. This is an A/U so bear with me.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot, which is based rather heavily off of one of my manga. If anyone steals the idea, I will be most furious. Thanks!
Chapter One: Someday My Prince Will Come
On the beautiful planet of Naboo, in the outskirts of the capital of Theed, there is a beautiful girl with a vast imagination. Her name is Padme, she is seventeen, and she constantly tries to forget her life by losing herself in her stories. You see, Padme is not where she expected to be at seventeen.
Three years ago she intended to enter politics and run for Queen of Naboo, sadly her sister Sola also intended to run. When faced with the decision of supporting Padme or Sola for the taxing position, Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie decided Sola was the better candidate. They felt it was better to have their older, more experienced daughter try to get into office, then their young Padme. It wasn't that they didn't believe in her, it was simply that they wanted her to have a normal life. No matter how Padme protested and plead her case, her parents foiled her attempts at every turn. Eventually, Padme stopped trying to persuade them and allowed her sister Sola to take her dream.
Padme understood her parents reasoning, but she could not fully forgive them for taking her dreams from her. Unable to bear the fact that Sola was elected as Queen and her parents constant fawning, Padme threw herself into writing. She created different stories and worlds, making a cast of characters. But her favorite was the Sith Lord Vader.
He was a character that captured her imagination and seemed less like someone she created and more like a real person. For Padme, it felt like he had chosen her to tell his story. She created an entire series about the young slave boy from Tatooine named Anakin Skywalker, who dreamed of becoming a jedi until his mother was killed and he was found by a sith. After that she had him devote his life to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. Padme made him into an arrogant fearsome man, but allowed room for a softer side. Originally Vader's softer side was devoted to his mother, but recently Padme decided to add a love interest to his life. Sadly, she has been having problems trying to find the right kind of girl for the sith. To Padme it feels like Vader is simply refusing to oblige.
This is where we find her now, working away in her room over the dilemma of the woman who captures Vader's heart. Padme imagines Vader having lunch with a beautiful princess, they start a conversation, and the princess steadily bores Vader. The princess starts to make not so subtle innuendos to him, and Vader's annoyance grows, and then the princess is clutching her throat as Vader force chokes her.
"No. This isn't right. Vader you annoying nexu, will you just cooperate with one of the girls I've put before you? I've been working on this for days and I'm still no closer. I gave you the brainy type; you found her pretentious so you killed her. I gave you the pretty type; you found her idiotic so you killed her. I gave you the righteous type, you crushed all of her beliefs and then you crushed her. The sweet and innocent type, you scared her, she died of a heart attack. The cynical type, you found her insipid and killed. Vader you annoying pain, you frustrating Sith, you…you…nerf herder! Why won't you just get along with a girl?" Padme grumbles, scowling down at the comm pad in front of her.
"Padme. Padme dear, are you ready for Sola? She's coming home to visit and I want you to look nice," Jobal calls up the stairs to Padme.
Ignoring her mother's call, Padme continues to scheme over Vader. Several minutes later Jobal opens the door to Padme's room, not bothering to knock.
"Did you hear me? Padme?" Jobal says coming to stand behind her.
"I heard you," she replies, not bothering to look up from her work.
"Then why aren't you dressed in your nice clothes?" her mother asks irritated.
"I fail to see the point in dressing up for Sola, considering she's just coming home for a visit," Padme says.
"We don't get to see your sister often, and it's nice when she comes to visit. Now, I want you to be on your best behavior. Don't say anything to upset Sola, I would hate for her to feel unwelcome in her own home. "
"What exactly would I say that would upset Sola so greatly?" Padme asks turning to face her mother.
"Oh Padme, don't be like this," Jobal says rolling her eyes.
"Don't be like what?"
"Well, it's just that you're so defensive. I want you to be nice to her. It upsets Sola that you're so hostile to her," Jobal scolds.
"I'm hostile towards Sola?" Padme asked incredulously.
"Yes. Whenever Sola is around you become so unpleasant, I want you to behave this time."
"I didn't realize I was misbehaving," Padme says as she turns back to her work and effectively ignores her mother's presence.
With a sigh, Jobal leaves the room, telling Padme she has ten minutes as she closes the door. Getting up from her desk Padme puts on a sleeveless cerulean dress that hugs her curves before flaring at the waist. She twists her hair up into a bun, securing it with a pin and with a longing glance at her work sighs before heading downstairs.
Two and a half hours later, they are still waiting for Sola to come. Dinner will have to be reheated and Padme has been forced to stay downstairs. Jobal and Ruwee are beginning to get concerned, even though it is a regular occurrence. Sola has a habit of saying she will come, then showing up several hours later without an excuse or bothering to call to tell them she'll be late.
"Can't I go upstairs? You can call me back down when she comes," Padme asks with a sigh.
"No. I'm sure Sola will be here soon," Jobal says. The words just leave her mouth as Sola enters the room.
"Hi everyone I'm sorry I'm late. I hope you don't mind mom, but I stopped for dinner with some of my friends from the palace. It's not like dinner was a set thing right? I'm sure you guys all ready ate," Sola says hugging her parents.
"It's fine dear. I'm just glad you're home safe," Jobal responds sweetly.
"Well, I'm glad to be home," Sola, replies turning to Padme. "Hi Padme, got a hug for your big sister?"
"Not really. I'm going to go get something to eat," Padme says standing up.
"Padme. Give your sister a hug and sit down. Sola just got here and you're all ready trying to disappear," Ruwee says fixing Padme with a disapproving look.
"No. I'm not going to hug her. And I'm not disappearing, I'm just going to get some dinner."
"You waited for me Pad? Oh how sweet of you." Sola says smiling.
"I didn't wait for you. Mom refused to let us eat because you weren't home. And don't call me Pad, you know how much I hate that."
"Padme be nice to your sister," Jobal scolds.
"I am being nice."
"No you're not. You're being rude," Ruwee says.
"I'm being rude? What about Sola?"
"What did your sister do that was rude?" Jobal exclaims voice rising.
"What did she do? Rude is saying you will be home for dinner and showing up two hours late because you went out to eat with your friends and didn't even have the common decency to call and let your family know," Padme says becoming angry.
"Padme you know how busy I am. I'm the Queen; it's not something I can just put aside. I like coming home, but I have responsibilities," Sola interrupts.
"If not for your advisors you would have cracked under the pressure and resigned from office years ago. And you wouldn't even be queen if you hadn't taken …" Padme trails off, not wanting to hurt Sola.
"Excuse me? I am a good queen. Your just jealous over the fact that I was chosen by the people and you didn't even make it into the running," Sola argues.
"That is such bantha poodoo. As a politician you are lacking, and while you aren't causing harm to the people of Naboo, you aren't helping them. You made promises to them, promises you don't know anything about. Besides, most of the things in your campaign were mine! You took my ideals, my platform, and my dreams, tricking the people into believing you are competent. You wrapped mom and dad around your finger three years ago and they still sing the praises of Sola," Padme snarls losing her temper at Sola before rounding on Jobal. "And you. You expect me to be nice to her? How can I be nice to someone so vapid they would rather steal the dreams of their younger sibling then bother to have any of their own? You expect me to simper and bow to Sola and play the part of the awed little sister, but I can't do that. It's a lie. I know how she really is, and I can't respect her. I intend to uphold my ideals and I refuse to compromise my beliefs. It's about time you took a long look at me and see me for who I am, not who you would like me to be."
There is a stunned silence in the room as Padme turns on her heal and leaves the room going outside to the garden. Once she is away from the house and can't be seen from inside, Padme breaks down in tears. In truth, she doesn't hate Sola, she loves her sister, but she just can't forgive Sola for what she did. Padme knows she was being rude, she shouldn't have lost her temper, but she couldn't hold it back. After three years of trying to be happy and supportive for Sola, only to be called hostile and jealous, it was more than her thinning control could take. Padme slides down to her knees and weeps because of the overwhelming hurt and guilt.
Unbeknownst to Padme her kind but slightly eccentric neighbor Qui-Gon Jin just happens to be outside tending his garden, and he notices Padme weeping so brokenly. Now, Qui-Gon is not a normal man, as we all know, he is actually a Jedi. He is currently on Naboo because Yoda felt it would be best for Qui-Gon to take some time in private to become accustomed to his new abilities in the force. You see, for some Jedi masters the force becomes something that doesn't just lead them; it quite literally uses them as a vessel to manifest into living things. And at this precise moment the force is reacting to Padme.
Calming her sobs to hiccups Padme sighs miserably and stares up at the star filled sky.
"I wish, that I had someone who would care about me. Someone who would see me for who I am, and not use me for their own advantage. I wish…heh…I wish I could find the perfect woman for Vader. Yeah, I wish we could both find love," Padme says with a giggle, feeling better at the silliness of her wish. Wiping her eyes she lets out another giggle before going upstairs to bed.
Letting out a breath of relief, Qui-Gon turns to also go inside his house. Yet, as he walks away the force keeps trying to direct him back towards the Naberrie home. Warily Qui-Gon returns to his former spot and he feels the force begin to take control. He is unable to do anything as the force uses his body to manipulate midichlorians and form a living, breathing man very powerful in the force, and radiating the dark side. Being unused to the sensation of having his body taken over so completely Qui-Gon loses consciousness as the force once again gives him control.
In the Naberrie's garden the cold blue eyes of the young Sith open as he registers that he is no longer in the world created for him, but the real world. Standing, he senses the presence of the unconscious Jedi and makes his way over to the hedge separating the two gardens. Looking down at Qui-Gon his eyes narrow, a plan to remove the Jedi all ready forming. Jumping over the hedge, the Sith Lord picks up Qui-Gon and carries him to the Jedi's speeder sitting in the driveway. Dropping him unceremoniously into the backseat, the Sith searches him for his keys, before taking off in the speeder towards Theed.
A few hours later the Sith returns to the garden, and looks towards the house, sensing a familiar presence calling to him. Silently he stalks towards the house, intent on meeting the woman who caught his attention three years ago.