Title: Clash of Arms
Type: Drama/Romance
Summary: Definitely AU.
"The clash of arms was drawing near, and the echoing beating of her heart told her that this day would somehow seal her fate"
Rating: M in later chapters for some violence and graphic sex
Disclaimer: Last I checked, the Star Wars universe and all its characters didn't belong to me snif
Thanks: Everyone at Obi-wan Oasis (see link in my profile), in particular Ticklesivory for her constant support, helping me with a few mistakes here and there (all mistakes left in this are entirely mine - feel free to let me know if you spot them), and just generally for writing awesomeness, in particular her ongoing fic (In Pursuit of Being) which is quite outstanding in terms of storyline and quality and is really a must read
Note 1: Warning: this is Obidala, although not of the fluffy-lovey-dovey kind (I love reading those, btw, it's just that I can't write them), so here's hoping even some of the non-Obidala fans will enjoy reading it. Plenty of pathos in the way anyway. It's also AU, although it follows roughly the timeline of Episode I at the beginning. All of the main characters of Episodes I-II will play a significant role, although the story will focus on Padmé and Obi-wan's POVs
Note 2: I hope you'll all forgive me for what I do with Obi-Wan in this one, although I want to believe he'll be in character. The idea came while reading Ticklesivory's "Heart of Darkness". Also, I was compelled to write about Padmé, because what was done to her character in RotS was just unacceptable
Prologue
The broad avenue bordering the western wall of the Theed Palace was unusually quiet. In this moment, from where she stood in an alcove, alone in the reception room of her personal quarters, basking in the warm light of an early Nubian afternoon, it was the only indication that something was wrong.
But the Queen knew that this false pretence of peace wouldn't last long. Soon it would be shattered by metallic feet thumping against the marble floor of the Great Hall, getting louder as they would progress towards her quarters
And there was nothing she could do about it
She let out a deep sigh, and the moisture of her breath collected mere inches from her lips, tiny drops of water momentarily blurring her view of the outside world. She deliberately raised her hand and slowly, delicately, applied it against the wetted glass, her fingers splayed. She closed her eyes and her forehead dropped until it came into contact with the surface, remarkably cool even though the rays of the sun had been piercing it for a good two hours now
It was something she would often do, leaving her handprints, or even the shape of her pursed lips, on mist-covered windows. Back when the home of her father resonated with hers and her sister Sola's laugh. She almost smiled despite her turmoil at the memory, and forced her eyes open. Had she listened to her father's arguments and to her mother's pleas, she wouldn't be standing here now, her shoulders slumped under the weight of her responsibilities for the first time. It had been four years since she had been elected, the third into her reign - but Naboo was a peaceful planet. The only source of unrest was the occasional miners' strike, and never had it posed much of a threat. From a very young age, she had known that her future lay somewhere in politics, and she had begun devouring holobooks on the subject, sneaking past bedtime in the study of her father to watch the news through the holonet, all at the great despair of her mother who would never miss an occasion to voice her concerns about her youngest daughter who would rather discuss diplomatic treaties sitting on her father's knees than playing in the gardens with her agemates. But the gleam of pride was unmistakable in her eyes when Padmé Naberrie became the youngest elected princess of Theed
Suddenly, the song of a lone crecella bird that must have been close by echoed in the deserted streets, bringing her out of her musings, and she thought offhandedly that never had she heard its beautiful voice with such a clarity before. She intently listened to it for a while, until the singing stopped. From the corner of her eye she caught a dark form surging upwards and turned in that direction to watch the brown fowl soring towards the skies. Her eyes followed its course until its shadow disolved into the infinite blue of the heavenly seas. Only rare clouds and migrating birds were breaking its monotony. Dera trees were in bloom, the pink buds heralding the warmer season. All the characteristics of a normal late spring day on Naboo
Nature, it seemed, was undisturbed by people's conflicts and, for a moment, she wished that she too could partake in that serenity, that she too could find refuge away from her worries in the depths of the cerulean sky
A soft knock at her door was heard and she tore her eyes away from the soothing firmament to see the door open and her first handmaiden Sabé surrepticiously entered. This is when she first heard it, a mere clink dampend by the distance, before being drown by the other young woman's voice "Your Highness. It's time." A nod from her queen and she exited as quietly as she came in, closing the heavy wooden panel behind her.
Walking away from the window, Queen Amidala stepped into the shadows and headed for her bedroom. There, on the large canopy bed, was a single garnment, an orange dress identical to the one her handmaiden had been wearing. For a while she didn't move, her gaze fixed on the shimmering fabric: this had been the first protocol she had learned after her enthroning, and she and Sabé, whom she had quickly befriended, hadn't been above acting it, enjoying the confused expressions on Governor Bibble's or Captain Panaka's faces
Never before had its presence in her bedchamber been justified by any peril. It has always been a game, one of the rare distractions she allowed herself from her duties. Now its bright color was like a warning signal of the danger closing in
A small hand was laid on her shoulder and she covered it with her own, thanking wordlessly her other handmaiden, Yané, for her support, before being lead to the dressing table. The younger woman skillfully undid the complicated hair arrangement before proceeding with the removal of the heavy makeup on the hands and face
Queen Amidala watched herself in the mirror as she was becoming Padmé once more. Unmistakable sounds of battle began to reach her ears, seemingly coming from the vast halls in the lower levels of the palace. It would be quick now: she had ordered her personal guard to lay down their weapons as soon as the room where they stood was clearly overrun. She had first bid them not to offer any resistence in the hope of avoiding any loss, but they had steadily refused, Captain Panaka explaining that the humiliation of the defeat at the hands of the invaders would be hard enough to live down, but that going down without putting a fight would be simply unbearable. She had acquiesced, not able to refuse them their honor when she found herself unable to protect their lifestyle
Padmé stood and the orange hood of her gown was drawn upon her head, before she walked side by side with Yané, heading back to the reception room. There was the queen, sitting on her throne, two handmaidens on one side, Governor Bibble and Captain Panaka standing on the other. She took her assigned place on the left of the Naboo leader hurriedly, fear finally catching up with her
The clash of arms was drawing near, and the echoing beating of her heart told her that this day would somehow seal her fate