" A COURTLY AFFAIR "
00. PROLOGUE
Senator Padmé Amidala stared out one of the massive windows of the throne room, hands firmly gripping the window seal to keep herself from shaking. Even in the middle of the day, the light from the candles mourners were placing upon the palace steps could be seen from where Padmé was standing several stories above. She wanted so badly to take away the pain her people were feeling.
But, not in this way.
She'd left Coruscant and flown straight to Naboo the moment news of Queen Apailana's assassination reached her ears. Not even bothering to change, she'd thrown quick instructions at her handmaidens to gather her things and meet up with her on Naboo later, and to C-3P0 wire fourth news of her temporary leave from the Senate to attend to this crisis.
That's all she had intended it to be. Temporary. But now, with the only option left open to herself and Naboo at this time scrawled upon a document atop a table less than five meters from her... Her temporary leave was about to become somewhat permanent. For, a few hours ago, Padmé had just signed an amendment to the Nabooan Constitution allowing her to resume the throne for the sake of her people and the war going on around them.
It was the last thing Padmé ever wanted. She'd refused when the people tried to make such amendments after her first term as Queen had ended, wanting so badly to uphold Naboo's pillar of democracy. But, with Queen Apailana dead and the fighting so near...her people did not have the ability to elect a proper representative. If forced to pay attention to various campaigns and vote on the best candidate, it would lead to rioting and possible civil war. Who would bring them out of the war the fastest, who agreed with the Republic, and who thought they should abandon it for an alliance with the Separatists. She did not want to put them through that. So, with much reluctance, she had signed.
The official coronation was to be tomorrow, followed by a ceremony in which she would promote Representative Jar Jar Binks to full Senator of Naboo and all of the Chommell Sector. While the Gungan had admittedly come a long way from getting his hand stuck in the engine of a podracer, Padmé knew that he wasn't ready for such a responsibility and had already formed a hurried plan to place as many knowledgeable aides around him as possible. Perhaps one day he would've surpassed her, but not now. Not like this.
However, this was what the people wanted. They were at war and needed someone they knew they could trust on the throne. Apailana was doing well before she was killed, but that hadn't been enough to quell Naboo's worries. They wanted the ruler who had set them free of the Trade Federation, who had refused to turn over control of the planet no matter what. They wanted her.
Moving away from the window, Padmé walked over to the throne - alone in the immense room, aside from a guard at each door -and sank down into it, letting out a heavy sigh as she leaned forward and buried her head in her hands. What a mess she'd gotten herself into. Sooner or later everything was going to come out.
Everything.
When she had married Anakin Skywalker in secret on Naboo nearly three years ago, she had never thought she would once again sit upon this throne. Sure, it was not uncommon for the Monarch of Naboo to marry, but it usually wasn't something that they kept secret. It was something celebrated and widely-known. Her marriage was known to a few handmaidens and two droids, excluding herself and her husband. She had not once lied to her people. She couldn't imagine their reactions if they ever found out their beloved Amidala had taken a husband. Especially since now, her secret ran far deeper than an exchange of wedding vows.
One of the doors screeched open - the one to the far left, it was always that one blasted door - and Padmé lifted her head to look upon the face of her oldest and most dearest friend. Without really thinking, she lifted herself out of the chair and all but ran towards the woman, enveloping her in an embrace worthy of an immediate family member.
"As always, you have the weight of the heavens pressed upon your shoulders and are falling apart at the seams without me here to hold the threads together." Drawing away from the embrace, the woman made a clicking noise with her tongue and offered up a friendly smile.
"Honestly, I don't know how I've been fairing in the Senate without you, Sabé."
Sabé Nabish gave an innocent sort of shrug in response. During Padmé first reign as Queen, Sabé had been her principal handmaiden and trusted decoy. When the Trade Federation had blockaded the planet, their deception had been so convincing that even Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn had not known that she had been the real Queen Amidala. Sabé had opted to stay on Naboo and see to the training of handmaidens to future Queens of Naboo when Padmé had become their planet's senatorial representative.
"You're not dead, so obviously the girls aren't completely failing at their jobs."
"Dormé is efficient, but she's no you, Sabé. Iolani's handmaidens failed her and I lost Cordé--"
"Oh, not that again!" Sabé shook her head. "That was years ago, Padmé. You can't still be blaming yourself for it. Cordé did her duty, what she was trained for. She died knowing that she had done her job in protecting her mistress. She is honored. Don't disgrace that honor by feeling guilty."
Padmé put a hand to her temple, turned, and began walking back towards the throne. She could hear Sabé's footsteps following close behind her. "I'm sorry. I'm very--"
"Overwhelmed," Sabé finished for her. "I know. Don't think I've forgotten how jittery you get when your stress level hits maximum. You need to relax more, Padmé. That brave face you put on for the sake of your people and the rest of galaxy can't stay in place forever."
Settling down into the throne once more, Padmé propped one elbow up on an arm and leaned her cheek into her palm. "I know, I know." Her eyes found the window she had been standing at. "But, there are things they don't know about me, Sabé. Things I'm afraid would make this whole situation worse if they were to be known. I had no other choice, I had to do this. At least until the war's over and a proper vote can be held."
Always reading between the lines when it came to the words that emerged from her friend's mouth, Sabé sat upon the arm of the throne that Padmé wasn't leaning on; something she would never have been able to get away with if the Nabooan Court had actually been in session. Turning a sharp glance upon the guards, she waved a hand, and obediently, they left the room, all too aware of her return as Amidala's principal handmaiden.
Once they were gone, Sabé put a gentle hand on Padmé's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine."
"It's not his safety I'm worried about, Sabé. Anakin is quite capable of taking care of himself. It's..." She trailed off with a sigh.
"You're worried that someone's going to find out your married to him." She was silent for a moment, then cast her eyes to the window as well. "Y'know, I don't think your people would protest the thought of their Queen married to the Republic's Hero With No Fear."
"Not helping, Sabé."
It was then that she realized that there was more to what was bothering Padmé than she let on. She was hiding something. Something that seemed to be made worse by her reinstated queenship. Standing, she moved so she was now placed before the new Queen of Naboo.
"Padmé, what's wrong? What's really wrong?"
A sharp intake of breath, the clutching of the material of her gown, and the pleading look Padmé gave her told Sabé what wanted to know before she even had a chance to speak.
"Oh...my..."
"I'm pregnant."
TO BE CONTINUED...
"Star Wars" is © George Lucas. Iolani is not Queen Apailana's first name, but merely one I came up with that seems to fit quite nicely. Neither is Nabish Sabé's last name, but the creation of Maren Jenson. Please do not use either without credit.
06.05.2007