Chapter 1:

"So that's it then?" she asked with as much coldness in her voice as she could master.

"You were just going to leave without even a small goodbye?

She watched him as he turned away from her facing the setting sun. Normally the beautiful Naboo sky would have been comforting to him. Other than experiencing his masters death, this place had been one of peace for Obiwan. It was serine and full of hope and it had been where he was first introduced to Sabe. The young handmaden that was both brave and beautiful...the one who now stood before him hurting. He had made her believe that he still had a week in Naboo, but in reality he had been given orders to return to Coruscant this evening. Not wanting to make the parting more difficult for himself or her he hadn't told her. After a long pause he took a deap breath and spoke without turning to face her.

"I thought it would be best for both of us this way. Our time is gone Sabe."

Sabe knew him well enough to know that theses were the words he would say but to actually hear them was like a knife piercing her heart.

"Don't say that" she pleaded rushing over to meet his gaze "We can figure out a way..."

"How Sabe?" He interupted "By betraying everything we believe in? Would you have me turn against the jedi council just days after I am made a master? Would you have me abandon Anakin and break my promise to Quigon?"

His voice was raised now and he realized he was about to lose control. He took a few more deep breathes and looked her in the eyes that were now starting to fill with tears. He went over to her and caressed her cheack. He hated to see her in pain. Since the first day he met her he had done everything in his power to help her with anything she was going through. He had helped her escape from the vicroy. He had helped calm her when they were stuck on Tatoine and she saw no hope of getting to Courasaunt. He had helped her on Naboo after she had failed to negotiate with the Gungans and Padme was forced to step forward. Now not only could he not help her, but he was the reason for her pain. He wiped away one of her tears and spoke softly.

"All of those things I said to you about us being together...I just didn't realize how foolish I was being. I can not run away from my responsibility and niether could you. You know you could never leave the Queen. We would both despise ourself."

Sabe had heard enough. She knew everything he said was true. She could never leave Padmes side. That was were she belonged. she spent her life serving her, putting herself in danger so that Padme didn't have to be. She lived to serve others and it was a job she took pride in and yet for once in her life she wished she could be just a little bit selfesh. she didn't want to except the fact that she was having to give up the one thing she wanted more than anything else. Letting him go seemed more than she could bear. She looked up into his eyes searching for answers and reached up to kiss him. At the last second he raised his face up away from hers. The rejection stunned Sabe. She knew he cared for her. Since thier paths had crossed they had spent every possible moment together and she couldn't bring herself to believe that he could let her go so easily.

"You love me I know you do." she said tying to convince herself as she said it.

"No. I am a jedi. Love is forbidden"

He took her hand and kissed it. He then bowed and made his way to the door. Before he even had a chance to make it down the hall Sabe collapsed to the floor sobbing.

Sabe woke sudenly. It had all been a dream but it had been just as painful as the day it had happened ten years earlier. She was crying and shaking the same way she was then and like then it was Padme who found her and comforted her.

"Sabe what is it? what's wrong?"

It took Sabe a minute to catch her breath. "I haven't had that dream in five years." Was all she finally managed to say but Padme knew immediatly what she meant.

"Obiwan? Sabe I though you had gotten over that it's been ten years now."

"I know. I am. I don't know what's come over me. It must just be becasuse we are going to Coruscant tomorrow."

Padme went over to her friend and hugged her. It was moments like this that Sabe remembered how honored she was to be in service to Padme. she was more than just her handmaiden, she was her closest friend. Sabe looked up to Padme wishing she had her passion and devotion. Padme wold never allow her emotions to get in the way like sabe had. After a few minutes sabes breathing returned to normal.

"Im all right now." she said with a weak smile "you should get back to sleep." Sabe didn't like it when she was dependent upon Padme. It was her job to look after padme and now she was keeping her up the night before a long journey.

"All right" Padme said "but come and get me if you need anything"

Once padme had left sabe got up and walked out unto the balcony atatched to her bedroom. she knew she would not seep any more tonight. she gazed up at the stars and tried to decyfer the meaning of her dream. During the weeks she had spent with Obiwan he had tested her meticlorine count and found that she was very sensitive to the force in some areas. he had taught her to communicate with him using her mind and he had also taught her the difference between a simple dream and one that meant something and Sabe was sure that tonights dream was more than just sad memories. she had excepted the fact that she woud never see obiwan again years ago and she had done a pretty good job of keeping him out of her mind since. she had trained herself not to express her emotions outwardly to anyone except to Padme. She found that life was less painful if she didn't allow herself to feel agian. The dream meant something else she just didn't know what. she gazed up at the moon searching for answers but none came to her. She leaned up against the rail ad finally drifted off into an empty sleep. She woke the next morning to Padme shaking her.

"sabe wake up. have you been out here all night?" It took Sabe a moment to remember "yeah I guess I have."

"Sabe Im worried about you."

"No padme Im fine really. We should be getting ready."

Padme thought for a minute and then called out. "Corde" another handmaiden approached "I need you to take Sabes pace today on the trip to Coruscant"

"Of corse my lady" answered the handmaiden.

Sabe instantly got up to protest but Padme had already ended the discussion. Now instead of her normal job as a decoy she would be flying a star fighter ship with the Senator.