Hello! The inspiration for this vignette came from a conversation I was having with another author, DarthRuinous (shout out to you, oh awesome Palpatine writer!), and I just had to write it. I figured I'd try my hand at some sweet sappiness, anyway, especially for my readers of Naboo Rose, haha. Enjoy!
The warm evening air soothed his sore arm. He stood still as a statue on the balcony, gazing out at the picturesque scenery. The sun painted the sky orange, gold, and rich red all at once, each color seamlessly mixing with the next. The waterfalls crashed off in the distance, a constant melody to his ears. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, smelling the flowers in the air and enjoying the breeze. He clasped his hands behind his back and opened his eyes abruptly, startled at the cool touch of a mechanical arm. He still hadn't adjusted to it quite yet. A pang of regret and anger shot through him as he thought about how he'd lost his arm, but then he felt her in the back of his mind as she approached the balcony, and nothing else mattered.
Smiling, Anakin Skywalker turned to look at his fiancée. His fiancée. He couldn't believe they were getting married this evening. Padmé had spent so much time saying they could never be together, it would never work, and then as soon as Geonosis had happened, she'd finally revealed that she had feelings for him. She loved him. He was still reeling from the realization, still trying to figure out what good he'd done to deserve this. Because he knew he didn't; he didn't deserve someone as perfect as her. Everything about her was perfect: her hair, her eyes, her soft face, her touch, her skin, her build, her bearing, her kindness, her passion, her concern, her love… everything. She shone through the darkness of his mind, the darkness of all his turmoil and hatred and hurt and blinded him with her radiance. No star in the universe shone as brightly as his angel. Her presence in the Force was like a soothing balm, cooling the red heat of his emotions, and when he was around her he could forget about everything.
When Padmé walked into the sunlight Anakin nearly went weak at the knees. She was wearing a beautiful white lace wedding dress. Her long curly hair was allowed to spill over her shoulders, just how he liked it; she always looked so formal when she wore her hair up and had those senatorial gowns on. Sure, she was still gorgeous, but… cold. He liked it when she was here at Varykino, where the politics and façades were put aside so there was nothing but raw emotion. He didn't like lying or faking anything. A small voice whispered in the back of his mind, sounding annoyingly like Obi-Wan's, saying that he would be lying for the rest of his life if he went through with this. He ignored it.
"You…" he tried to say, swallowing the lump in his throat. "You look amazing."
Padmé smiled at him in return, her face glowing. Chooba she was gorgeous. And she was all his. They would pledge themselves to each other, lovers amidst the strife and war to come. The Force groaned in low warning like an alarm off in the distance, bringing a storm for the future. But today, there was no storm; today there was just him and Padmé. All he wanted was to hold her, to just feel her life filling his mind and soul. All he wanted was to hug her, to kiss her, to tell her he loved her and would never leave her. All he wanted was to hear those words in return.
The moment was interrupted slightly when Anakin sensed someone approaching. Turning, his gaze fell upon an elderly man in ceremonial robes approaching. His heartrate rose a little, and he suddenly grew excited, jittery, and nervous all at once. He wanted this moment to come. He wanted Padmé to belong to him. But having someone officiating it made everything so formal, and suddenly a part of him was beginning to realize the kind of commitment he was about to enter. Taking a calming breath he glanced at Padmé once more and realized that he was perfectly content to enter that arrangement. It didn't matter what would happen in the future; they'd have each other. He could always fall back on her love. Somebody loved him – Padmé loved him. His mind was still spinning, his heart was beating so fast, and he never wanted this high to be over.
The impressive looking clergyman bowed to Anakin and his fiancée, and they bowed in return. The man took his place at the edge of the balcony, and Padmé walked up beside Anakin. He felt his heartrate rise even more. This was the moment.
The priest pulled out a small book—a book—and opened it, slowly turning to the correct page. Anakin did his best to stand still, but he felt his body pulsing with energy. He just wanted to say I do and then hear her say it so he could forever hold it in his memory.
Once the priest finally found what he was looking for he cleared his throat and looked solemnly at the couple with an air of great importance. Nodding to himself, he began the ceremony. "Mawwiage."
Anakin blinked. What did he just say?
"Mawwiage is what bwings us here twogetha twoday."
Anakin shifted uncomfortably, not knowing whether he should laugh or not. Padmé looked at the priest with respect. Was she in on the joke or was he missing something?
"Mawwiage, that bwessed awangement," he continued. "That dweam within a dweam."
No, this couldn't be a joke. This guy was dead serious. And so was Padmé. He just talked like that.
Anakin did his best to disguise his laugh for a cough. He could be serious. He could.
"And wuv," the man continued, and his voice rose with passion. Anakin glanced nervously at Padmé again, just to be sure. "Twue wuv will fowwow you fowevah."
The man rambled on for quite some time, touting about the amazing splendors of marriage and love. Anakin still remained motionless, trying to mirror Padmé, but eventually he began to wonder when this declaration about the wonders of marriage would end so he could actually know the wonders of marriage. Because, you know, he'd be married.
Eventually, Anakin's patience finally wore thin. "Skip to the end."
Padmé turned her head slightly towards Anakin, but she didn't look too upset. She gave him a small smile and looked at the clergyman again. That smile was enough to calm him once more, and he tried to look a little apologetic when he glanced at the priest. However, the man was oblivious; he brushed off Anakin's statement like water on polished stone. "Have you the wing?"
Anakin blinked. "The what?"
"The ring," Padmé whispered helpfully.
Oh. Anakin reached into one of the pouches on his utility belt and pulled out his biggest surprise for Padmé. He'd learned long ago how to survive as a slave, and one of the tricks he picked up was borrowing items that slaves typically weren't allowed to have, so when he saw some rich Naboo noblewoman acting snobbish and annoying he figured she wouldn't need the beautiful ring on her finger. Besides, he knew it would look better on Padmé's hand. Everything looked better on her.
Pulling it out, Anakin presented it to Padmé. Her eyes sparkled in surprise and delight, and she let out a small gasp. The ring was a gold band with blue jewels encrusted in a circle around the centerpiece, a flower shape with diamond petals and a light blue center. She took off a necklace that hid a ring on it as well, and Anakin grew even more excited. These rings would symbolize their promise to one another, even though they would never wear them in public.
Anakin completely ignored the clergyman altogether as he spoke about Force only knew what until he heard the question finish and realized he was taking his vows. He was silent for a moment, reciting the vow in his mind, and then he took Padmé's hand in his. He was careful to hold her left hand with his left since he didn't want to slip the ring on with his prosthetic arm; this promise he would make with his own flesh and blood. "I, Anakin Skywalker, take you, Padmé Naberrie, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."
Death will never part us, he amended the vow slightly, smiling as he heard Padmé say it in return. They slipped the rings onto each other's fingers and then held hands. The Force, earlier foreboding, sang with happiness and love, enveloping Anakin like a warm blanket. He responded to it in full, the fire of his passion enough to heat the planet. His heart, so tired and broken from the loss of his mother, sang with joy, and his battered soul, so used to the cold reclusive life of a Jedi, finally was allowed to come alive.
The two pulled closer to each other, ready to kiss for the first time as husband and wife, when the clergyman began to talk about the beauties of marriage once more. Anakin finally got tired of it. "Man and wife. Say man and wife."
"Man an' wife," the airheaded man automatically said.
Anakin sighed gratefully and he and Padmé both bowed their heads in thanks to the priest. The man nodded in return and slowly trudged away as if in a daze. Finally. The two faced each other, smiling so much Anakin could swear he'd never be able to stop. As they leaned in closer, steadily ready to meet and breathe together, he had to say it.
"So I guess we're mawwied, now?" he asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
Padmé paused and then pondered the matter for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I bewieve so."
The two stared at each other with great dignity for a few seconds more before they both burst into loud laughter. And then, at last, they kissed. Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure.
This one left them all behind.
Everything said by the impressive clergyman and the last two lines come straight from The Princess Bride. Hope you liked it. :)
*dies of sappiness/silliness overdose*