AN: Please go easy on me this is my first Star Wars fanfic. So please no flames...but I accept suggestions on how to make the story better and
more exciting. Or just plain I love this story reviews...lol. Anakin is 18 and Amidala is 22. You may notice that I keep switching between Padmè
and Amidala..well it depends what scene your reading...anyway enjoy. Hey anybody out there got any good Star Wars fanfics to read. If
so, email me. Please Review!


A Queens Weight in Gold
Chapter One
~
Written by Lady Serenity Moon


~The Royal Chambers~

"Are you sure about this?" Amidala said to her handmaiden, Rabè.

"Positive, don't worry you need a day off. Everything will be fine trust me," Rabè replied.

"I trust you but I just have a feeling that something is going to happen," Amidala said as she started to apply the white face paint to Rabè's face.

"It's just your imagination. Shesh..Pad you worry about anything and everything. Now let's change the subject."

"But..." Amidala began.

"Hey I'm the Queen and your my handmaiden so you have to follow my orders," Rabè joked.

Amidala giggled and grabbed the closest chair to her and sat down on it. "How's little Ani lately?" Rabè asked. Rabè knew full well that Ani wasn't
that little anymore. He had grown in a man..a man that could make women fall head of heels in love with him at first sight. But Anakin only had
eyes for one women or should I say Queen. Queen Amidala (Padmè) of Naboo.

"Umm..well I wrote him a letter the other day and sent a holographic picture of myself. I miss him..it's been two months since I've seen or talked
to him face to face," Amidala replied.

"Hey, cheer up. Just think he's going to be coming back in three weeks and then you two can spend some much needed time with each
other," Rabè answered as she applied the final touches to her make-up.

"Thanks for doing this for me..I don't feel like playing Queen today. Today I'm just Padmè your loyal handmaiden and bodyguard," Amidala then
bowed dramatically .

"Don't get too cocky, young handmaiden," Rabè now Queen Amidala replied. "Hey if we don't hurry up were going to be late for the
parade," Padmè replied as she started to put on her handmaiden cloak, trying to ignore Rabè's last remark. "Come on then," Rabè said
grabbing Padmè as she rushed out of the room.


~In the Streets of Naboo~

The crowd cheered madly, the noise was unbearable. Queen Amidala stood proudly on her float waving at everybody she could see. Her
handmaiden's stood behind her forming a semi-circle. Padmè stood right behind Amidala (Rabè) pretending to protect her Queen.

Padmè too smiled and laughed at the crowd as they cheered and stretched out trying to touch their Queen. 'They love me' Padmè thought.
Ever since the Trade Federation had tried to invade Naboo those many years ago and she had stopped them, her popularity had
grown..enormously. The people's many happy smiles made her heart soar. Captain Panaka stood a few centimeters behind the handmaidens.
His eyes carefully scanned the crowd looking for any possible threat. He was never to sure about these weekly parades in the street and often
feared for Amidala's safety. Even though she had reassured him time and time again, that nothing would happen to her.

The float soon reached the end of the street and the Queen and her handmaidens departed and walked up onto the giant stage which
towered over everybody who stood before her. Padmè could not ignore that bad feeling which she felt in the pit of her stomach and she was
sure something was going to happen. As Amidala (Rabè) got closer to the microphone the crowd died down to let her speak. "Good
Morning, fair citizens of Naboo," Amidala began," I see that all of you seem to be enjoying the celebrations. I'm glad. Well as you know
our planet has recently been offered to trade with a neighboring planet. I plan to accept their offer in hopes of having a long and peaceful
relationship between our two worlds." The crowd cheered. Amidala once again resumed her speech, "Now I would like to introduce you
to a man who has achieved some much on his planet..it's not funny. General --- Aaahhhh," A red bolt of energy sped towards Rabè, hitting
her square in the side.

Rabè immediately fell to the floor clutching her side protectively. The crowd screamed in terror as they saw that their Queen was clearly in
pain. Everybody was to busy either looking at the Queen or screaming out for help to notice Padmè yell out, "Rabè!" and rush towards her
injured handmaiden. The rest of the handmaidens rushed forward to form a circle around the two women. "Rabè, are you alright?" Padmè
asked. "Yeh, but I think I've got this big hole in my side," Rabè replied. Both women laughed...Rabè then started to cough madly. "Ok, I don't
think you should try that again." Rabè smiled.

All that the two women could hear was the guards yelling at each other. Most of their words were not clear and could hardly be heard.
But Padmè noticed that one sentence seemed to be repeated over and over again.

"Protect the Queen"

The only two words that could describe this situation was utter chaos. People and Guards were everywhere..all of them eager to see the
full damage of the blast. Padmè looked towards the wound on Rabè's side...it was deep and the blood seeping out of it seemed to be
endless. Captain Panaka slid down beside Amidala and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She'll be alright. The healers are on there
way. Sorry to say, but the attacker got away pretty quickly and we couldn't catch him," Captain Panaka told her. "Don't worry, you did your
best," Padmè replied. "Pad, Captain.." Rabè said, "Don't blame yourselves it wasn't your fault, it was mine I stood in plain view of everybody
giving him a good shot of me."

The healers rushed onto the stage and pushed Captain Panaka and Padmè off to the side so they could tend to what they thought was the
Queen of Naboo. They were quick to move her off the stage and towards the medical center in the palace. Padmè clung to Sabè as she
watched Rabè been taken away. They quickly followed behind her.


~Medical Center in the Palace~

"Why did she have to agree? I should be the one in there..I should be the one lying on that bed..in pain," Amidala yelled. Sabè approached
her friend and wrapped her in a tight embrace trying to calm her down. "Pad, it's not your fault," Sabè told her. "Sabè is right...we're here
to protect you and that's we'll do. So you mustn't blame yourself," Eirtaé said. Amidala shivered in Sabè's embrace.

Sabè pulled Amidala away from her and looked into her eyes. "Now look at me Pad. We all the know the risks every single one of us and
we know that we could die protecting you...we don't care we're your friends and we'll love you no matter what happens," Amidala looked
up, a little shocked from what she had just heard her friend say, "Thank you," she barely managed to whisper.

A door opened and one of the healers appeared. "She's going to be fine, Your highness," The healer said. "Thank you may we see her?"
Amidala asked. ''Yes, but not to long. She's had a big day." Amidala nodded and started to walk towards the door of which the healer had
appeared from. The handmaidens quickly followed her. Amidala carefully opened the door as not to alert Rabè. The room was brightly
lit and a giant bed was positioned in the middle of the room. "Rabè," Amidala whispered. "Pad," Rabè whispered back. Amidala rushed
over to her friend and grabbed her hand.

"We were so worried," Amidala confessed. "I know I felt it," Sabè looked up towards the other women that stood in the room and smiled.
"So how's that hole in your side," Saché joked. Amidala giggled. "Getting better," Rabè paused for a sec, "Amidala I want you to do me a
favor and you have to promise that you will do it," Amidala looked at her, knowing that when one of her handmaidens uses her full name
they meant business. "Anything." "I want you to contact the Jedi Temple and let them know what happened and ask them to send somebody
to protect you. Promise me you'll do this," Rabè told her.

Amidala looked towards the window and sighed. "But Ani will find out and he will beg the Jedi Council to let him and Obi-wan come to
Naboo and protect me," Amidala finally replied. "So?" Yané asked. "I don't want him to worry about me." Sabè sighed and touched her
friend's shoulder, "Look at it this way, you'll get to see Anakin earlier than you expected." "I know," Amidala blushed. "Please go and
contact them now, I will not allow you to put yourself at risk," Rabè begged. Amidala looked into her friend's eyes..and eventually she
gave up. "Ok..I'll go and do it right now." Rabè smiled. "One point for us handmaidens," Eirtaé said. Everybody laughed.

"Now I intend to keep my promise, Sabè, Eirtaé, Yané. Can you please come with me I don't feel like doing this alone?" They nodded
and quickly hugged Rabè before they left. Amidala looked at Rabè, "I'll be back my friend." Amidala emphasized on the last two words
and walked towards the door. "Thank you Padmè," Rabè whispered quietly as the Queen and the three chosen handmaidens closed
the door softly.


~The Throne Room~

"Establish a connection to the Jedi Temple," Amidala commanded in one of her regal tones. "Yes of course your highness," One of the
guards said as he moved the screen in front of Amidala's throne. Amidala sat down on her throne and her three handmaidens stood
around her throne. "Connecting...Connection Established," the computer said. Suddenly the Jedi Council appeared on the screen.

Amidala could clearly see Master Yoda, Master Windu and the other Jedi Council members but her love Anakin and his Jedi master were
nowhere in sight. 'Good then, Anakin won't beg to come and protect me' Amidala thought. "It's a pleasure to hear from you Queen Amidala.
But I sense that something is troubling you. What is it?" Master Windu greeted her. Just then two people stepped out of the shadows and
appeared on the screen. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi. "Ummm," Amidala suddenly became nervous around Anakin.

Amidala tried to regain her composure. "Your right something has happened. I was supposed to appear at a parade today but I let Rabè
take my place and I became Padmè. But halfway through the parade..somebody shot at Rabè and nearly killed her. Thankfully my
handmaiden is ok now. But that still not the point...." Amidala trailed off. Anakin looked at her fear blazed in his sky blue eyes..fear that
he was going to lose her.

"Ami..are you hurt?" Anakin said reaching out with the force and putting that message into Amidala's head. Amidala shook her head.
"Protection, so what you ask," Yoda asked. "Yes, my handmaiden thinks that this person might strike again and instead of injuring her, he
might injure or kill me," As soon she had finished she looked away from the screen not wanting to look into Anakin's eyes. "Ahhh, then
protection, you shall get," Yoda told her. "We shall send," Master Windu was about to signal to a man that stood in the corner of the room
when something stopped him. Mace Windu looked towards Anakin and nodded. "We shall send Obi - Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin
Skywalker," Master Windu said looking towards Obi-wan who just nodded and bowed his head looking towards the floor.

"Thank you," Amidala replied. "They shall arrive on Naboo tomorrow. Till then Goodbye, your highness." The conversation had ended and the
screen turned black. "Good news," Sabè said from behind Amidala. "Yes very," Amidala replied. A guard approached Amidala and bowed,
"Anakin Skywalker is requesting to talk to you, your majesty." I sighed. "I'll take it in my chambers," Amidala answered. She looked towards
her friends and sighed. "I may have won the battle but I haven't won the war."


~The Royal Chambers~

Amidala sat next to the screen and breathed in and out heavily. "Onscreen," Amidala commanded. The screen flicked on and Anakin's face
appeared on the screen. "Ami, what happened? I want to know everything," Anakin said. "Ani there's nothing to say that I haven't already
said," Amidala replied. "You could have gotten hurt," Anakin stated. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I already feel awful for one of
my handmaidens getting injured?" Amidala snapped. "I'm sorry Ami...I just don't want to lose you, you know that. I love you too much," Anakin
replied, silently pleading with his eyes.

"I know..I love you too and hey don't worry you'll be here tomorrow and you'll be able to protect me," Amidala answered. "I promise that I will let
nothing harm you..I'll watch you like a hawk." "I already knew that," Amidala chuckled. "Get some sleep Ames, I'll see you tomorrow," Anakin told
her. "Awww you have to go so soon," Amidala giggled. "Anakin, come on you've got to train. How do you ever expect to become a Jedi Knight,"
Obi-wan's voice boomed over the communication channel. "I guess that answers you question, goodnight love," Anakin answered. "Goodnight
my little Jedi," Amidala replied. The screen flicked off and turned back to a black colour again.

Amidala fell back and laid on her bed..for ages..just thinking about what had happened today and what was yet to come. 'Does somebody
really want to kill me?' She asked herself.




I hope you liked it..it might not reach up to your standards..by hey nobody can condemn me for trying..lol. Before I go I must thank Ricco for
answering some quick questions for me. Thanx!

~May the force be with you~
Lady Serenity Moon