Our Own Conflicts
by ~*Lady Starlite Flare*~
A/Notes: Okay! I admit it! Ever since I saw Episode II I'm hooked! EEEP! My favorite parts are between Padme and Anakin. Being the hapless romantic that I am I decided to write my own fanfiction. I make it a major AU to my liking but it still contains some spoilers so if you haven't seen the film don't you dare go on! See the film first! This is set just after Padme's confession of love to Anakin but just before the 'execution'. Enjoy!
I DO *NOT* OWN STARS WARS OR ANYTHING AFFILATED WITH STAR WARS. SO WITH THAT SAID..DON'T SUE ME.
Chapter 1: Into the Frying Pan
The cart jerked their heads from each others. It had begun to move slowly and wobbily towards the tall posts in the middle of the arena.
Anakin kept watching her out of the corner of his eyes. She had told him she wasn't afraid to die. But he noticed how tense she was. Her constant shivering told him otherwise.
"I won't let you." He whispered over to her. Padme's eyes averted from the posts to Anakin. The chocalate depths swam in a muddle of confusion until she was ripped away from the platform.
The arena's inhabitants had begun to make terribly loud hooting noises blocking Anakin's thoughts for a few mere seconds. He was ready to leap down from the cart and run after her making sure she was alright. But a large, grotesque alien had already gripped his chain and was leading him to the middle post.
"Hmmm..Fancy seeing you here." rang out a familiar voice. Anakin gave a guilty shrug and smile to Obi-Wan Kenobi who was staring at him none too happily.
"Master."
"Anakin. What have I-"
"It was her idea Master." Anakin said while his hands were being roughly cuffed to the post. "I had a hard time trying to make her stay behind." Obi-Wan laughed cynically. He saw it in both their eyes. The love they held for each other. It could bring strength, a more hopeful part of him was saying. The more realistic half was struggling fiercely.
After Count Dooku's little blurb on the purpose the three were chained to a pole in the middle of a hot, sandy arena three doors against the southern end of the colliseum opened. Anakin looked towards his Master.
"So..Got any wonderful ideas now?" He quipped. Obi-Wan looked deep in thought.
"I guess we'll just have to wing it." Anakin normally would have been pleased with Obi-Wan's statement. But in his brashness came a sense of deep fear.
"Well..What about Padme?" He asked quickly. Obi-Wan gave a sarcastic nod to where Padme was chained.
"She seems to be on top of things."
Padme wasn't dumb or naive. She knew exactly what she had to do. Before she was pulled away from Anakin and chained up like a common criminal she had managed to free a hairpin from the brown abyss atop her head. Working furiously as Count Dooku spoke she was able to free herself from her bonds.
A part of her told her she should free Anakin and Obi-Wan but her instincts told her they were Jedi and could handle whatever the stupid Monarch could throw at them.
Already she was ascending to the top of the pole. And quite glad of it. If their supposed executioners had chosen their deaths they couldn't have picked more fearful ones.
Hers was an alien tiger of some sort with three glowing red eyes on each side of it's head. The fangs could not be hidden beneath it's lips and it's claws to large to be retracted.
Anakin was given what looked like a large rhinocerous with two broken horns protruding from the side of it's face and one gigantic one in the middle of it's big, clumsy head.
Obi-Wan's looked a little more fierce than Anakin's large dumb dinosaur. It was an alien insect of some sort. Green in color and teeth that would shame even the fiercest creatures.
Anakin watched helplessly as Padme's executioner rushed towards her rapidly. For some odd reason, The other two beings were held back being shoved into their caves as if waiting for the right time.
"Oh and by the way my dear prisoners, The Honorable Viceroy of the Trade Federation wishes to see the Senator Padme killed first. He does have the tightest schedule you know as well as I do." Count Dooku explained. His hearty voice rang out in the arena oddly overthrowing the ruckus made by the alien creatures.
His heart dropped to his stomach. Could she handle this on her own? Maybe if he could summon his lightsabre he could break free of the chains and help her. Again he looked to his Master for some sort of answer. Obi-Wan only gave him a small look of..helplessness? Obi-Wan, helpless in the face of a great danger? Anakin felt his heart drop farther if it were possible.
Padme was already atop of the post when her murderer-to-be circled around it. Immediately it's enchanced eyesight caught the moving being and leapt. On the first try it managed to dig it's claws into the flooring by Padme's knee.
Using the only weapon avaible to her Padme struck with vengeance letting out a small cry of stress as she used her strength to whip out the chain still attatched to her wrist. A scream of anguish rose from the creatures throat as it slid down the post.
Anakin smirked. Maybe she didn't really need his help after all. The rougish Padawan swiveled his head to his Master only to catch a look of frustration. Obi-Wan was trying mightily to free himself.
"Master! We do have lightsabres for a reason." The older Jedi Knight stopped struggling. The look was one of exhausted frustration.
"Fine. Concentrate."
The being was severely angered by Padme's actions. It was time to get serious. It circled around the post at tremendous speed finally leaping up the pole in a zig-zag motion. Padme knew that if she dived her limited room on the post would quickly dissolve and air would be all that would be left. So she braced herself.
The creature slid past her and at first she thought she might have been lucky enough to escape the claws and fangs that lashed out at her. But it was not to be so. She felt the skin on her back numb and then tear into a wild pain that drove through her heart. It's furry body fell downwards to the ground and so was the blood which so easily seeped from the long and deep wounds made on her back.
She voiced her pain unconciously by screaming out in agony unrivaled.
The Viceroy was watching intently and the shout made him smile happily. He turned to Count Dooku and offered him his hand.
"I am sure you will continue. But for now I must be leaving. I am trusting you to send her head to me as soon as possible."
Dooku shook the Viceroy's hand with as much of a smile as he could plaster on.
"As you wish."
At the first sound of her scream Anakin pulled at his chains in fury, his concentration broke. "PADME! PADME!" Obi-Wan looked up also. His attuned Jedi senses picked up the overwhelming pain welling in her soul. He looked to Anakin who was all but straining as hard as he could against his bonds.
"Anakin. On the count of three Jump up and away from the post. If my calculations are correct the exertion of our weight will break the chains!" Before Obi-Wan could begin counting the being roared out again and leapt this time with death in it's eyes.
She saw it coming and immediately looked down at Anakin. Obviously he and Obi-Wan had something planned. Would they be able to help in time? Already the blood from her wounds was annoying her and becoming itchy.
The being pounced on her this time bringing it's full force down on her. She opened her mouth to scream not in pain or fear but in shock. Her hands came up to grip the beast's mouth trying to keep it's already salivating jaws from closing around her head.
The fall was hard. Padme felt the wind go out of her lungs. For a minute she believed the being would kill her.
It gave a roar of victory and lashed out with fury. It's claws mercilessly scraped her arms and torso leaving bloody paths wherever they went.
The agony, the pure pain of it all overwhelmed her. She had never felt such a feeling. It alarmed her and for a minute she lost all hope. Until the ever familiar hum of a lightsabre against metal buzzed around her ears.
Anakin was charging towards the battling pair and Obi-Wan was getting ready to guard himself against the onslaught the other beasts would be preparing.
"PADME!" Anakin leapt forward slicing the alien cat's head off in a clean slice. A few speckles of purple blood spattered the sands.
With deliberate gentleness Anakin helped Padme up. She was trying valiantly not to cry.
"Anakin.." She breathed wrapping her bloody arms around his neck.
"I'm so sorry Padme. I'm so sorry. Forgive me for not being there. Please."
"But you were there. Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have stopped it anymore than I could have." The reuninon would last but a few mere seconds.
"Anakin! Padme! A little help over here would be rather appreciated!"
Obi-Wan was busily dodging the piercing foreclaws of the insect. It's multi-limbed advantage kept it moving quickly. Anakin, his lightsabre humming with vibrancy, leapt in to action beside him.
Padme looked on bleeding and feeling like a fool. She wasn't doing anything to help out. Quickly she began to look for a Blaster. Realizing how foolish that action was and that she had only her chain she set off. If only she could wrap the chain around the insect's legs it could keep it still enough for Anakin or Obi-Wan to deliver a finishing blow.
She moved in quickly and swung the chain. It wrapped successfully around the insect's legs. Immediately it's large head moved on it's neck around to her.
Padme jumped back before it's teeth would clamp around the chain. With a hearty snap the metal scattered like dust to the humid winds.
Dooku, villain as he was, never enjoyed watching executions. They were dull. No fighting, no honorable struggle. But this particular execution had brought his attention.
He never usually showed up at these functions. The noises made by the beings inhabiting Geonosis was grating to his ears.
Now watching the Master, his Padawan, and the Senator of Naboo all struggling for their lives invigorated him to no avail. True he was thouroughly enjoying himself until a lightsabre breathed to life behind him.
He turned around calmly already sensing his foe.
"Master Windu..What a pleasure to see you again." He said in mock respect. Mace Windu stood his lightsabre jutted up to the bounty hunter's throat and a look of unrivaled hatred,
"This party's over. Effective now."
Padme landed hard on her arms. A dust cloud rose up sticking to her arms. She wanted to dust it off but knowing the friction would only cause more pain she stopped herself. The insect's head lay only a few feet away from the broken end of the chain which was still wrapped around it's legs.
Then the arena exploded. The alien spectators became roaring monsters speeding towards the center of large area. Anakin took his place protectively in front of Padme who was already trying desperately to find another weapon.
"I sense something amiss." Obi-Wan said simply. He came up beside Anakin his green lightsabre in tune with Anakin's.
"Yes Master. I feel it also. But I also feel a heightened prescense." The doubts of the two in the center of the vast expanse were soon answered. Lightsabre's of all different colors - purples, greens, blues - awakenedthe still agitated crowd.
"Jedi Masters?" Anakin began to deflect blaster beams and other waves of energy thrown at them. His reflexes were quick and rivaled those of his Master who was trying just as equally to keep from being gored.
"I think so. They must have just arrived with the army!" In his fighting stupor, Anakin failed to see Padme rush out from behind him. He did, a moment after, see the remaining white of her body suit racing at rapid speed to the cart and it's driver.
He saw in an instant her reason for bolting and swinging his lightsabre around in his wrist he took off after her. Padme leapt up shoving the driver off the creature pulling the cart. Landing on the creature's back she tugged at the Blaster rifle in the saddle pack.
Anakin leapt up into the back of the cart. At once the cart jolted. Padme's heels dug into the massive being's sides. It reared up and then took off at break-neck speed. The extraterrestial army was advancing and shooting off their blasters at rapid speed. Padme did her part by taking out a few of the aliens charging for control of the animal. Anakin was busy deflecting beams in back.
by ~*Lady Starlite Flare*~
A/Notes: Okay! I admit it! Ever since I saw Episode II I'm hooked! EEEP! My favorite parts are between Padme and Anakin. Being the hapless romantic that I am I decided to write my own fanfiction. I make it a major AU to my liking but it still contains some spoilers so if you haven't seen the film don't you dare go on! See the film first! This is set just after Padme's confession of love to Anakin but just before the 'execution'. Enjoy!
I DO *NOT* OWN STARS WARS OR ANYTHING AFFILATED WITH STAR WARS. SO WITH THAT SAID..DON'T SUE ME.
Chapter 1: Into the Frying Pan
The cart jerked their heads from each others. It had begun to move slowly and wobbily towards the tall posts in the middle of the arena.
Anakin kept watching her out of the corner of his eyes. She had told him she wasn't afraid to die. But he noticed how tense she was. Her constant shivering told him otherwise.
"I won't let you." He whispered over to her. Padme's eyes averted from the posts to Anakin. The chocalate depths swam in a muddle of confusion until she was ripped away from the platform.
The arena's inhabitants had begun to make terribly loud hooting noises blocking Anakin's thoughts for a few mere seconds. He was ready to leap down from the cart and run after her making sure she was alright. But a large, grotesque alien had already gripped his chain and was leading him to the middle post.
"Hmmm..Fancy seeing you here." rang out a familiar voice. Anakin gave a guilty shrug and smile to Obi-Wan Kenobi who was staring at him none too happily.
"Master."
"Anakin. What have I-"
"It was her idea Master." Anakin said while his hands were being roughly cuffed to the post. "I had a hard time trying to make her stay behind." Obi-Wan laughed cynically. He saw it in both their eyes. The love they held for each other. It could bring strength, a more hopeful part of him was saying. The more realistic half was struggling fiercely.
After Count Dooku's little blurb on the purpose the three were chained to a pole in the middle of a hot, sandy arena three doors against the southern end of the colliseum opened. Anakin looked towards his Master.
"So..Got any wonderful ideas now?" He quipped. Obi-Wan looked deep in thought.
"I guess we'll just have to wing it." Anakin normally would have been pleased with Obi-Wan's statement. But in his brashness came a sense of deep fear.
"Well..What about Padme?" He asked quickly. Obi-Wan gave a sarcastic nod to where Padme was chained.
"She seems to be on top of things."
Padme wasn't dumb or naive. She knew exactly what she had to do. Before she was pulled away from Anakin and chained up like a common criminal she had managed to free a hairpin from the brown abyss atop her head. Working furiously as Count Dooku spoke she was able to free herself from her bonds.
A part of her told her she should free Anakin and Obi-Wan but her instincts told her they were Jedi and could handle whatever the stupid Monarch could throw at them.
Already she was ascending to the top of the pole. And quite glad of it. If their supposed executioners had chosen their deaths they couldn't have picked more fearful ones.
Hers was an alien tiger of some sort with three glowing red eyes on each side of it's head. The fangs could not be hidden beneath it's lips and it's claws to large to be retracted.
Anakin was given what looked like a large rhinocerous with two broken horns protruding from the side of it's face and one gigantic one in the middle of it's big, clumsy head.
Obi-Wan's looked a little more fierce than Anakin's large dumb dinosaur. It was an alien insect of some sort. Green in color and teeth that would shame even the fiercest creatures.
Anakin watched helplessly as Padme's executioner rushed towards her rapidly. For some odd reason, The other two beings were held back being shoved into their caves as if waiting for the right time.
"Oh and by the way my dear prisoners, The Honorable Viceroy of the Trade Federation wishes to see the Senator Padme killed first. He does have the tightest schedule you know as well as I do." Count Dooku explained. His hearty voice rang out in the arena oddly overthrowing the ruckus made by the alien creatures.
His heart dropped to his stomach. Could she handle this on her own? Maybe if he could summon his lightsabre he could break free of the chains and help her. Again he looked to his Master for some sort of answer. Obi-Wan only gave him a small look of..helplessness? Obi-Wan, helpless in the face of a great danger? Anakin felt his heart drop farther if it were possible.
Padme was already atop of the post when her murderer-to-be circled around it. Immediately it's enchanced eyesight caught the moving being and leapt. On the first try it managed to dig it's claws into the flooring by Padme's knee.
Using the only weapon avaible to her Padme struck with vengeance letting out a small cry of stress as she used her strength to whip out the chain still attatched to her wrist. A scream of anguish rose from the creatures throat as it slid down the post.
Anakin smirked. Maybe she didn't really need his help after all. The rougish Padawan swiveled his head to his Master only to catch a look of frustration. Obi-Wan was trying mightily to free himself.
"Master! We do have lightsabres for a reason." The older Jedi Knight stopped struggling. The look was one of exhausted frustration.
"Fine. Concentrate."
The being was severely angered by Padme's actions. It was time to get serious. It circled around the post at tremendous speed finally leaping up the pole in a zig-zag motion. Padme knew that if she dived her limited room on the post would quickly dissolve and air would be all that would be left. So she braced herself.
The creature slid past her and at first she thought she might have been lucky enough to escape the claws and fangs that lashed out at her. But it was not to be so. She felt the skin on her back numb and then tear into a wild pain that drove through her heart. It's furry body fell downwards to the ground and so was the blood which so easily seeped from the long and deep wounds made on her back.
She voiced her pain unconciously by screaming out in agony unrivaled.
The Viceroy was watching intently and the shout made him smile happily. He turned to Count Dooku and offered him his hand.
"I am sure you will continue. But for now I must be leaving. I am trusting you to send her head to me as soon as possible."
Dooku shook the Viceroy's hand with as much of a smile as he could plaster on.
"As you wish."
At the first sound of her scream Anakin pulled at his chains in fury, his concentration broke. "PADME! PADME!" Obi-Wan looked up also. His attuned Jedi senses picked up the overwhelming pain welling in her soul. He looked to Anakin who was all but straining as hard as he could against his bonds.
"Anakin. On the count of three Jump up and away from the post. If my calculations are correct the exertion of our weight will break the chains!" Before Obi-Wan could begin counting the being roared out again and leapt this time with death in it's eyes.
She saw it coming and immediately looked down at Anakin. Obviously he and Obi-Wan had something planned. Would they be able to help in time? Already the blood from her wounds was annoying her and becoming itchy.
The being pounced on her this time bringing it's full force down on her. She opened her mouth to scream not in pain or fear but in shock. Her hands came up to grip the beast's mouth trying to keep it's already salivating jaws from closing around her head.
The fall was hard. Padme felt the wind go out of her lungs. For a minute she believed the being would kill her.
It gave a roar of victory and lashed out with fury. It's claws mercilessly scraped her arms and torso leaving bloody paths wherever they went.
The agony, the pure pain of it all overwhelmed her. She had never felt such a feeling. It alarmed her and for a minute she lost all hope. Until the ever familiar hum of a lightsabre against metal buzzed around her ears.
Anakin was charging towards the battling pair and Obi-Wan was getting ready to guard himself against the onslaught the other beasts would be preparing.
"PADME!" Anakin leapt forward slicing the alien cat's head off in a clean slice. A few speckles of purple blood spattered the sands.
With deliberate gentleness Anakin helped Padme up. She was trying valiantly not to cry.
"Anakin.." She breathed wrapping her bloody arms around his neck.
"I'm so sorry Padme. I'm so sorry. Forgive me for not being there. Please."
"But you were there. Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have stopped it anymore than I could have." The reuninon would last but a few mere seconds.
"Anakin! Padme! A little help over here would be rather appreciated!"
Obi-Wan was busily dodging the piercing foreclaws of the insect. It's multi-limbed advantage kept it moving quickly. Anakin, his lightsabre humming with vibrancy, leapt in to action beside him.
Padme looked on bleeding and feeling like a fool. She wasn't doing anything to help out. Quickly she began to look for a Blaster. Realizing how foolish that action was and that she had only her chain she set off. If only she could wrap the chain around the insect's legs it could keep it still enough for Anakin or Obi-Wan to deliver a finishing blow.
She moved in quickly and swung the chain. It wrapped successfully around the insect's legs. Immediately it's large head moved on it's neck around to her.
Padme jumped back before it's teeth would clamp around the chain. With a hearty snap the metal scattered like dust to the humid winds.
Dooku, villain as he was, never enjoyed watching executions. They were dull. No fighting, no honorable struggle. But this particular execution had brought his attention.
He never usually showed up at these functions. The noises made by the beings inhabiting Geonosis was grating to his ears.
Now watching the Master, his Padawan, and the Senator of Naboo all struggling for their lives invigorated him to no avail. True he was thouroughly enjoying himself until a lightsabre breathed to life behind him.
He turned around calmly already sensing his foe.
"Master Windu..What a pleasure to see you again." He said in mock respect. Mace Windu stood his lightsabre jutted up to the bounty hunter's throat and a look of unrivaled hatred,
"This party's over. Effective now."
Padme landed hard on her arms. A dust cloud rose up sticking to her arms. She wanted to dust it off but knowing the friction would only cause more pain she stopped herself. The insect's head lay only a few feet away from the broken end of the chain which was still wrapped around it's legs.
Then the arena exploded. The alien spectators became roaring monsters speeding towards the center of large area. Anakin took his place protectively in front of Padme who was already trying desperately to find another weapon.
"I sense something amiss." Obi-Wan said simply. He came up beside Anakin his green lightsabre in tune with Anakin's.
"Yes Master. I feel it also. But I also feel a heightened prescense." The doubts of the two in the center of the vast expanse were soon answered. Lightsabre's of all different colors - purples, greens, blues - awakenedthe still agitated crowd.
"Jedi Masters?" Anakin began to deflect blaster beams and other waves of energy thrown at them. His reflexes were quick and rivaled those of his Master who was trying just as equally to keep from being gored.
"I think so. They must have just arrived with the army!" In his fighting stupor, Anakin failed to see Padme rush out from behind him. He did, a moment after, see the remaining white of her body suit racing at rapid speed to the cart and it's driver.
He saw in an instant her reason for bolting and swinging his lightsabre around in his wrist he took off after her. Padme leapt up shoving the driver off the creature pulling the cart. Landing on the creature's back she tugged at the Blaster rifle in the saddle pack.
Anakin leapt up into the back of the cart. At once the cart jolted. Padme's heels dug into the massive being's sides. It reared up and then took off at break-neck speed. The extraterrestial army was advancing and shooting off their blasters at rapid speed. Padme did her part by taking out a few of the aliens charging for control of the animal. Anakin was busy deflecting beams in back.