Disclaimer: Anakin, Obi Wan and Padme belong to George Lucas, the song 'Save Me' was written by Queen
******
Padme awoke once more to an empty house. Beside her she found only a cold, empty space where her husband should be lying. He hadn't been home in days, and though it had happened so often now, it was taking some getting used to. The wind blew hard through the open windows, whipping about her delicate body, finding it's way under the thin material of her nightdress. She wrapped her arms about herself protectively, and as her eyes fluttered shut she imagined they were not her own, but her husband's strong arms, keeping her warm and safe. He leant in close, bringing his mouth to her ear.
"Everything will be alright," he whispered, and she melted at the sound of his voice, reaching her hand up to touch the soft, warm skin of his face. But there was nothing there. Her eyes flickered open and she looked about, finding herself alone once more, and in that moment of realisation a single tear formed in the corner of her eye. Quickly she wiped it away, despising her own weakness. Her attention was caught by the sun peering over the horizon, and as its first rays of light softened the darkness she rose from the bed, stepping towards the window to watch the dawn breaking. Idly she sang to herself, not thinking of the words but letting her own thoughts combine with the soft sorrowful tune
"It started off so well
They said we made a perfect pair
I clothed myself in your glory and your love
How I loved you
How I cried"
As she gazed out over the city of Coruscant, she wondered where her husband was right now. Perhaps he was stood at a window somewhere, looking out too and thinking of her. But as she tried to picture it, she found herself looking at a figure shrouded in darkness that was embodied by the long black jedi cloak he wore. His eyes too seemed so empty, yet at the same time so filled with shadows, as though a reflection of his soul. Where was the man she had married?
"The years of care and loyalty
Were nothing but a sham it seems
The years belie, we lived the lie
"I love you 'til I die""
Unbeknownst to her, it seemed another tear had formed, and now it spilled, tracing a path down her cheek, over the very edge of her soft pink lips, and down one side of her chin, where it hung for just a moment, clinging to her ivory skin, before falling to the floor. She just watched it, allowing for the first time for her grief to swallow her whole as her long slim fingers wrapped themselves around the windowsill.
"Save me, save me, save me
I can't face this life alone
Save me save me save me
I'm naked and I'm far from home"
Padme took a deep breath, realising how loud her voice had grown, fearful that she would wake… wake who? Looking around again, remembering she was completely alone, despair crept over her. She needed Anakin with her now more than ever, telling her he still loved her, reassuring her that things would all turn out okay. But Anakin was gone. She saw him again in her mind, saw his eyes, void of feelings, void of love. She was gripping onto the windowsill now, for it was the only thing stopping her from falling like her tear as she came to realise the truth. The man she loved was dead.
"The slate will soon be clean
I'll erase the memories
To start again with somebody new
Was it all wasted?
All that love?"
Despite herself, she found her mind replaying memories of better times, when Anakin's sky blue eyes had looked at her with only love in them; a love which could not be denied, and in her heart she had not wished it to be. Even when she had her doubts, she felt that love wrapping itself around her heart, making her feel complete for the first time. Yet now as she became aware of its absence, she felt a deep chilling despair take its place, wrapping itself around her heart like ice.
"I hang my head and I advertise
A soul for sale or rent
I have no heart, I'm cold inside
I have no real intent"
Only now did the meaning of the words which she had been singing come to her awareness, causing her to smile bitterly. She was not crying, though with all her soul she longed to, if that would give her some kind of release. But the tears refused to come, as though she, like the creature her husband had become, was empty. She took her focus away from the sun which now rose slowly into the ever lightening sky, and studied her own reflection in the glass. The life was gone from it, her once rich, curly brown hair dull and flatter, pulled down under its own weight, and dark rims underlined her faded hazel eyes.
"Save me, save me, save me
I can't face this life alone
Save me save me
I'm naked and I'm far from home"
'Look at me' she thought, still staring at her own reflection with a weak frown on her face. Forget about Anakin, where had Padme gone? When he had died, it seemed she had too. She tried to hate him, tried to blame him for what she had become, but her heart only replied with a confession, embodied by the words of her song.
"Each night I cry and still believe the lie
I love you 'til I die
Save me, save me, save me"
Finally her grip on the windowsill loosened, and she allowed herself to slide to the floor, her back against the bed. There she curled up, placing her head in her hands, willing sleep or tears to come; an escape or release from the pain. But neither came.
"M'lady?" She didn't look up, believing the words to be only in her mind, for too sweet was the possibility that the owner of that voice was here. She saw Obi Wan's warm, loving face in her mind, his blue-green filled with honesty and devotion like the light at the end of the long dark tunnel. She shut her eyes, willing that image to remain in her mind, singing softly to him.
"Save me yeah save me oh save me
Don't let me face my life alone
Save me, save me
Oh I'm naked and I'm far from home"
"Padme?" She hadn't heard the door open, but as she looked up now and saw Obi Wan's face, the tears finally came. She pulled herself up, reaching out and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. As she rested her head against his chest, she felt a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around her, just as she had longed for when she first awoke. She closed her eyes, finally safe.
******
Padme awoke once more to an empty house. Beside her she found only a cold, empty space where her husband should be lying. He hadn't been home in days, and though it had happened so often now, it was taking some getting used to. The wind blew hard through the open windows, whipping about her delicate body, finding it's way under the thin material of her nightdress. She wrapped her arms about herself protectively, and as her eyes fluttered shut she imagined they were not her own, but her husband's strong arms, keeping her warm and safe. He leant in close, bringing his mouth to her ear.
"Everything will be alright," he whispered, and she melted at the sound of his voice, reaching her hand up to touch the soft, warm skin of his face. But there was nothing there. Her eyes flickered open and she looked about, finding herself alone once more, and in that moment of realisation a single tear formed in the corner of her eye. Quickly she wiped it away, despising her own weakness. Her attention was caught by the sun peering over the horizon, and as its first rays of light softened the darkness she rose from the bed, stepping towards the window to watch the dawn breaking. Idly she sang to herself, not thinking of the words but letting her own thoughts combine with the soft sorrowful tune
"It started off so well
They said we made a perfect pair
I clothed myself in your glory and your love
How I loved you
How I cried"
As she gazed out over the city of Coruscant, she wondered where her husband was right now. Perhaps he was stood at a window somewhere, looking out too and thinking of her. But as she tried to picture it, she found herself looking at a figure shrouded in darkness that was embodied by the long black jedi cloak he wore. His eyes too seemed so empty, yet at the same time so filled with shadows, as though a reflection of his soul. Where was the man she had married?
"The years of care and loyalty
Were nothing but a sham it seems
The years belie, we lived the lie
"I love you 'til I die""
Unbeknownst to her, it seemed another tear had formed, and now it spilled, tracing a path down her cheek, over the very edge of her soft pink lips, and down one side of her chin, where it hung for just a moment, clinging to her ivory skin, before falling to the floor. She just watched it, allowing for the first time for her grief to swallow her whole as her long slim fingers wrapped themselves around the windowsill.
"Save me, save me, save me
I can't face this life alone
Save me save me save me
I'm naked and I'm far from home"
Padme took a deep breath, realising how loud her voice had grown, fearful that she would wake… wake who? Looking around again, remembering she was completely alone, despair crept over her. She needed Anakin with her now more than ever, telling her he still loved her, reassuring her that things would all turn out okay. But Anakin was gone. She saw him again in her mind, saw his eyes, void of feelings, void of love. She was gripping onto the windowsill now, for it was the only thing stopping her from falling like her tear as she came to realise the truth. The man she loved was dead.
"The slate will soon be clean
I'll erase the memories
To start again with somebody new
Was it all wasted?
All that love?"
Despite herself, she found her mind replaying memories of better times, when Anakin's sky blue eyes had looked at her with only love in them; a love which could not be denied, and in her heart she had not wished it to be. Even when she had her doubts, she felt that love wrapping itself around her heart, making her feel complete for the first time. Yet now as she became aware of its absence, she felt a deep chilling despair take its place, wrapping itself around her heart like ice.
"I hang my head and I advertise
A soul for sale or rent
I have no heart, I'm cold inside
I have no real intent"
Only now did the meaning of the words which she had been singing come to her awareness, causing her to smile bitterly. She was not crying, though with all her soul she longed to, if that would give her some kind of release. But the tears refused to come, as though she, like the creature her husband had become, was empty. She took her focus away from the sun which now rose slowly into the ever lightening sky, and studied her own reflection in the glass. The life was gone from it, her once rich, curly brown hair dull and flatter, pulled down under its own weight, and dark rims underlined her faded hazel eyes.
"Save me, save me, save me
I can't face this life alone
Save me save me
I'm naked and I'm far from home"
'Look at me' she thought, still staring at her own reflection with a weak frown on her face. Forget about Anakin, where had Padme gone? When he had died, it seemed she had too. She tried to hate him, tried to blame him for what she had become, but her heart only replied with a confession, embodied by the words of her song.
"Each night I cry and still believe the lie
I love you 'til I die
Save me, save me, save me"
Finally her grip on the windowsill loosened, and she allowed herself to slide to the floor, her back against the bed. There she curled up, placing her head in her hands, willing sleep or tears to come; an escape or release from the pain. But neither came.
"M'lady?" She didn't look up, believing the words to be only in her mind, for too sweet was the possibility that the owner of that voice was here. She saw Obi Wan's warm, loving face in her mind, his blue-green filled with honesty and devotion like the light at the end of the long dark tunnel. She shut her eyes, willing that image to remain in her mind, singing softly to him.
"Save me yeah save me oh save me
Don't let me face my life alone
Save me, save me
Oh I'm naked and I'm far from home"
"Padme?" She hadn't heard the door open, but as she looked up now and saw Obi Wan's face, the tears finally came. She pulled herself up, reaching out and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. As she rested her head against his chest, she felt a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around her, just as she had longed for when she first awoke. She closed her eyes, finally safe.