I wrote this because of a throw away line in one of The Clone Wars novels where Padme mentioning to Bail that she wanted to visit Breha. Thus, working under the assumption that the two women are friends.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Padme slipped her feet gingerly out of her silk slippers and put them up on the cushioned seat with a sigh of contentment. Her eyes danced around the balcony where she sat with the Queen of Alderaan – wife of one of her greatest friends and a woman she was glad to know better.
She fought to keep her hand from resting against the swell of her stomach, an urge she denied herself a thousand times a day. Even here, even in the comfort of her friends' home.
"I am thoroughly exhausted," Breha said, reclining as well, a glass of Alderaanian fizzy in her hand.
"The tulips were especially beautiful this year," Padme responded.
"And we certainly walked past every bloom in the southern hemisphere it feels." Their laughter chorused together, sweeping along the wind rustling through the palace windows and billowing the curtains in the soft evening.
The Annual Festival of Blooms was truly a pageant of nature's beauty and even hours later she could still smell the fragrant flowers and see the beautiful blossoms reflected in the Alderaanian sunset before her.
They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the view the palace afforded them of the purple mountains in the distance reflected in the serene beauty of Aldera's lake.
"So," Breha began, her brown eyes alight with curiosity, "How far along are you?"
Padme started, her own eyes widening as she turned, stricken, to her friend. "Excuse me?"
"You don't look very far into your second trimester."
Breha waited patiently for an answer as Padme's brow furrowed. She'd been the recipient of many curious glances these past few weeks, but no question quite so straight forward as this had been directed at her. Until now.
"Oh, I'm not-" she trailed off, before a sense of shame gripped her. Not shame at her pregnancy- rather an unwillingness to outright deny the life teeming within her. "Is it that obvious?" She finally responded with a defeated sigh, finally allowing a hand to caress the slight protrusion of her torso.
"No," Breha laughed, "Not unless you know the signs."
Unsure how to respond to that, instead she said, "I am nearly five standard months."
Breha nodded knowingly, "A late congratulations to you."
"I didn't –" Padme began, unsure how to beg delicacy, "I've not been . . . advertising my condition . . ." she trailed off, her words sounding stilted, "Naboo is not quite as forward thinking as we'd like. " She bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't be asked about her child's father. "I do not think the Queen will allow me to sit on the Senate after the birth."
A minute reaction glanced over her face, but diplomatically Breha offered no criticism to her world's antiquated policies. She nodded her head sagely, as if her life was perfectly reasonable and hidden pregnancies were every day affairs.
"I thought perhaps you were trying to spare my feelings," Breha said, a smile on her lips despite the twin pools of sorrow in her eyes. Breha's miscarriages were common knowledge and Padme took the moment to admire the woman's stoicism in light of her very public suffering.
Her eyes fluttered down before she said, "I am sorry for your losses, Your Majesty."
Breha tilted her head and her eyes danced as she answered, "And I am happy for your joy."
Bail truly is a lucky man, she thought.
Padme reclined into the silence that followed, relishing momentarily the simple joy of motherhood.
"Have you chosen any names yet?" Breha asked, sipping delicately at her drink.
She smiled brightly, hope dancing in her eyes, "I like the name Luke for a boy."
"A good name," Breha said charitably.
"But I'm having trouble thinking of anything for a girl. Nothing seems to . . . stick," she finished lamely, frustration mounting within her. "Did you and Bail have any names picked out?" She wondered aloud before realizing how presumptuous her question would sound. "I didn't – you don't have to-" she began.
"No, it's fine," Breha rested her drink beside her, clasping her hands together, "We liked Kai for a boy and Leia for a girl."
"Oh, Leia is a beautiful name," Padme said, her lips pursing and she silently tried it in her head, Leia Skywalker. Leia Amidala Skywalker. Both versions worked. Her lips curved up in delight before she turned to her friend. "It's so-" she trailed off, noting the look of muted sorrow on Breha's face. "Oh," Padme said, her face flushing, "I'm so sorry. That –" her hand came up to clutch her neck in horror, " I didn't mean to imply-" she stopped as Breha shook her head.
The queen sat up a bit straighter, her shoulders squaring and seemed to come to a decision as she gave a soft smile- the fading light of the Alderaanian sun catching the tears in her eyes. "That would –" she cleared her throat, "I think I would be honored if you used the name."
Padme felt a surge of gratitude and something else – a wave of shared sadness – and shared delight.
"Any child would be lucky to have that name." She shook her head and with it the final cobwebs of doubt seemed to shake from her as well. "A child should have that name."
"Thank you," Padme said, emotion filling her voice with the two simple words.
"Besides," Breha said, her voice tinted with the sound of checked mirth, "It will be a good excuse for me to spoil her rotten."
The two women shared smiles as they watched the sun set.