Leisurely Obi-wan sipped his drink at the long polished bar situated at one end of the large open ballroom. The music was loud, but not so loud as to block out conversations happening in various circles around the room. He didn't want to be here. In fact, Obi-wan had protested several times about having to come to a diplomatic reception, but Master Yoda had insisted that he at least represent the jedi.
The jedi were in a tenuous place at the moment and Master Yoda believed that the more senators they could count as allies would be a good thing.
Obi-wan just believed that they were all people who would lie straight to your face and use your lightsaber on you when you turned your back. They were not to be trusted.
This wasn't his call to make though and he begrudgingly dressed himself in his finest robes for a long evening of pretending that anything these people said really mattered to him. It was excruciating.
"Master Kenobi," a male voice said from beside him and Obi-wan turned to see Bail Organa, Senator from Alderaan. He was a highly esteemed member of the senate and always an ally to the jedi.
"Senator Organa," Obi-wan acknowledged, giving him a genuine smile. Although Obi-wan wanted to not like senators and politicians, there was something about Bail that always was reassuring to Obi-wan that perhaps everyone who was in his position wasn't a crook.
"I see that Master Yoda finally got you to agree to attend tonight," Bail said signaling to the bartender for service. "I'll have Alderaanian brandy."
"Oh there was no agreeing," Obi-wan said laughing lightly. "It was more of a direct order."
"We aren't all bad," Bail said raising his glass, Obi-wan followed and they toasted.
"Well it's the bad ones that worry me," Obi-wan said and downed the rest of his drink. Bail snickered and they both turned their backs to the bar and regarded the room. In that room, Obi-wan knew that there were more bad than good people just from the nature of what they did for a living. They scammed and planned their way into whatever deals they thought would be beneficial to them. There was no thinking about the people they were supposed to be representing and the constant push and pull of what politics did to systems caught in the middle.
It was whatever served them best.
"How is Breha?" Obi-wan asked Bail, noting that a twisted and sad look briefly passed across the other man's face.
"She is better," Bail said and sipped his drink stopping the conversation as quickly as Obi-wan had started it.
It was known to Obi-wan and several of the other council members that Breha had come to the jedi healers for assistance in conceiving a child. It turned out that she and Bail had attempted many times, only to have the child die prior to birth. It was a secret that they kept and Obi-wan knew that it was very painful. Bail often struggled with his frustration and it was apparent that whatever the jedi had tried, hadn't accomplished the goal that the couple had hoped for all these years.
"Well send her my best wishes," Obi-wan said moving quickly from the topic. He didn't wish to make Bail hurt anymore than necessary. Compassion was what the man needed now more than ever.
Obi-wan didn't know what it would feel like to struggle so much for a child. Those kinds of things he pushed out of his mind because he was a jedi. Jedi were not allowed to have children except for very special exceptions where a whole species relied on each male and female reproduced. But Obi-wan was still a man and as a man, there was still a need to be able to pass along genetic material. That was just the nature of the humanoid experience. It was up to Obi-wan to control those kinds of feelings.
"I will," Bail said breaking the stream of thoughts Obi-wan was having. "Now if you will excuse me, I believe that there are several people who are waiting for a word with me."
"Enjoy your evening," Obi-wan said trying to sound enthusiastic, but finding that he somehow lacked the ability to make the evening seem interesting.
As Bail walked away, Obi-wan's attention was drawn to the large polished wooden doors at the entrance of the ballroom. In unison, they opened and the heads of the spectators in the ballroom turned to see who was coming into the room with such a fanfare. Obi-wan couldn't see over the people in front of him, but assumed that it was the Chancellor entering the large ballroom. Palpatine would be the only person who would think himself important enough to have such an entrance.
Murmurs started to rumble through the room as the doors closed again. Obi-wan thought that he heard Senator Amidala's name mentioned several times, but wasn't sure that he was hearing the murmurs correctly. He hardly believed that she would have such an entrance. She wasn't the kind of person who would be into the pomp and circumstance that had absorbed the senate. Yes, she was used to grand entrances from her time as Queen of Naboo, but that was long ago and not the person he knew her to be now.
As Obi-wan returned to his drink, the crowd returned to their murmurings and conversations around him. He was not paying that close attention to what was going on, rather finding solace in the drink he was busy swishing in its glass.
"Master Kenobi," a voice said from his left shoulder and Obi-wan turned to see brown eyes looking him over.
Senator Amidala was dressed from head to toe in the lightest gold color imaginable. It was almost white, but when the light caught the material just right, it show gold and glimmering. Her hair was down, falling in large curls around her shoulders, golden ribbons cascading through the curls and small clear gems threaded throughout her hair. The dress she wore was strapless and hugged her curves ending just above her knees. Her tiny waist was accentuated with a belt of the same golden ribbon which held a train of golden gauze-like material that tapered off somewhere behind her.
"Senator Amidala," Obi-wan finally said after taking in her visage, his voice returning. "Pleasure to see you this evening."
" And you, Master Kenobi," she smiled genuinely at him and he shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "I'll have a water with lemon," she said to the bartender, who Obi-wan didn't even know was standing near them.
Taking the glass from the bartender, Senator Amidala turned towards the reception, moving to mingle with the large groups of people who demanded attention from someone as influential as she had become. Before entering into a conversation with a large group of Grans, she turned and flashed him a smile over her shoulder, giving him a shiver, which he had to control by looking back down at the empty glass in his hand.
"Another," he said pushing the glass towards the bartender and then turning back to look at where the Senator was engaged in conversation with several members of the Gran party.
What was happening to him? Jedi didn't lose their cool, but in the face of someone who looked the way she was looking this evening, Obi-wan found himself a bit overwhelmed. It didn't help that throughout the conversation with the Grans, she would shoot him looks across the space between them. Maybe she wanted him to come and save her from the conversation, but her continued smiles and laughs seemed to indicate otherwise.
What did she want from him?
"Another?" the bartender asked Obi-wan noting that the jedi's drink had disappeared rather quickly.
"No thank you," Obi-wan said putting the glass on the bar. "Could you get me a water with lemon?"
The bartender nodded and quickly returned with a tall glass of water garnished with a lemon. Obi-wan took the glass and went into the fray of people about the ballroom. He headed in the direction of Senator Amidala, moving out and around the group so as not to draw too much attention to himself. He didn't really feel like talking to anyone at the moment.
"Master Kenobi," one of the Grans turned an eyestalk towards him. Obi-wan wasn't sure which one this was because to him, they all looked alike and he wasn't really familiar with the entourage that the Senator Ask Aak brought with him to Coruscant. Obi-wan just gave a gentle smile and inclined his head toward the Gran in acknowledgment and turned to look at Senator Amidala who was busy in conversation with one of her own aides. They were whispering furiously between them and suddenly the girl stopped talking, turning quickly and walked away.
"I hear you have just returned from the Outer Rim," Senator Amidala said to Obi-wan and smiled. "I hope things went well."
"Yes," Obi-wan said slightly stumbling over his words. Good thing in this circle he was known as a man of few words otherwise he would be blowing it so badly right now. "And Naboo is doing well with the newly elected Queen?"
"Yes" Senator Amidala said gently. "Queen Jamillia is a strong leader for the people, she will do well. I would like to hear more about your travels to Tatooine, perhaps we could speak in private."
Obi-wan arched an eyebrow at the Senator and then smiled gently in her direction. "As you wish Senator," Obi-wan said gesturing towards one of the open doors to the balcony. He followed her into the busy evening of Coruscant. The sky was tinted a beautiful shade of dark purple as the sun ended its reign over this part of the city for the day.
Quickly they found a very small outcropping of the balcony which was vacant and surrounded by large potted trees at the entrance, making it very private. The balcony was barely large enough for both of them to stand side by side, but the view was absolutely breath taking.
"When did you get back?" Senator Amidala asked in a hushed tone.
"Just last night," Obi-wan said and sipped the water he had ordered from the bar. "And you?"
"Last night," she said even quieter. "You couldn't let me know that you were back?"
"What about you?" Obi-wan asked turning to look her in the eyes.
"I never know when to comm you," Padme said finally letting down some of her guard that she used when in political circles. "I could comm you and you might be in the middle of a council meeting. That would be embarrassing."
Obi-wan let a small laugh escape his lips. She was worried about nothing. He always muted his comm when they were having council meetings because he knew that someone might call during the middle of it. That was good etiquette.
"You wouldn't bother me," Obi-wan said. Padme smiled and leaned into Obi-wan. "Our secret is safe."
Wrapping his arms around her, Obi-wan pulled her close, letting the force flow from him to warn if anyone could see them. They were safe in the little alcove and eyes were far too busy doing other things to pry into their business.
"I was worried about you," she finally said and looked up at him, planting a small kiss on his chin.
"I'm a jedi, what's to worry about?" Obi-wan laughed and bent to kiss her fully on the lips. "We can usually take care of ourselves."
"I've been to that planet, I know what it's like," she finally said.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," he said. "Plus I had Anakin with me and he's from there."
Padme gave Obi-wan a playful frown, but then smiled. He couldn't believe how regal and beautiful she looked and she was his.
"Give me your hand," Obi-wan said backing away from her slightly. He took her small delicate hand and placed it on his heart, covering it with his. "I promise, I'll never let go."
Padme smiled.