Note to readers: I didn't spell words like 'colour' wrong; I'm Canadian and that's
how they're spelled in Canada. However I'm not quite sure how to spell
'Tattooine,' and being me, I'm too lazy to look it up; horribly sorry if it's wrong.
DISCLAIMER: Lucasfilm owns every character, situation, location, etc. I am making
no money, but should really learn that even if I was being paid, it's not worth
staying up this late for. No infringement is intended. Don't sue.
DEDICATION: for those of you who asked for it, I'm thankful you approve of my work,
really. So, without further ado, on with the story!
No Tears: A more complete story
A violent thunderstrike split the usual peace of the late Naboo evening.
At one end of the imposing Naboo palace, the young Queen was facing a serious
dilemma. Although she'd called upon her advisor to help her, she didn't truly
believe anything was salvageable from her relationship at this point.
"You really think it's best to tell him, Sabé?" Amidala asked her most
trusted confidant.
Sabé, indisputably wise beyond her years, mostly due to the Senate
training given her by Amidala herself, shook her head. "I cannot help you here,
my Queen," she said, lowering her head in a gesture of incompetence and
submission. "'Tis a choice you must make alone."
The Queen was silent several moments more, then nodded. "Thank
you, Sabé," she said finally. "I believe it is a question I must present to my full
company. It would simply not do to have the people of Naboo exposed to the…
problems… of the inner court."
"I shall assemble them, my Queen."
Padmé shook her head. "No need, my friend, no need. I have already
called for them."
When the rest of the queen's advisors arrived, the Queen went through
all of the unpleasant, unnecessary formalities of greeting her guests, and then sat
them down in the living quarters to speak about the recent matters that had been
concerning her of late.
Unfortunately, before the queen could say more than, "It's about
Anakin," there was a knock at the door, and a rather short pause until it opened,
seemingly of its own accord.
*It's such a long walk home from the hangar bays,* he noted with some
degree of contempt. *The distances conspire against me when all I really want to
do is see her again.* Something was bothering her, he knew, something big, bad
and ugly. That made his hurry all the faster.
He turned down the hidden corridor that lead to the queen's chambers,
being quite sure to avoid disturbing the ongoing meetings that were held in
private offices along the same hallway. The first time he'd done that, he'd had
quite a nasty shock; every one of the room's occupants had glared at him with
such disgust and incredulity that he'd flushed a bright pink colour, and had been
obliged to make a hasty retreat from that wing of the palace. He smiled ruefully
at that memory: he'd been only fourteen years old, a child really, although he
seemed so mature for his age back then.
Finally, young Skywalker stopped in front of the suite he had shared
with the beautiful Amidala- also known as Padmé. Rapping lightly on the door,
and sensing a few, contemplating, very distinctly human female presences
within, he entered the main reception hall.
It wasn't as spectacular as the name sounded, granted- although it did
have something special only a home decorated with love could have- the walls
were not as ornately decorated as the rest of the palace (Anakin and Amidala
found this to be distracting), the ceiling was not so high as could have been
hoped for- but it made Anakin comfortable, reminded him of home on
Tattooine.
As he stepped past the main hall and into the living quarters, a handful
of the queen's most trusted advisors, her handmaidens, and the Queen Amidala
herself looked up from their discussion.
"Anakin!" Padmé exclaimed, jumping up to meet her husband. He
caught her in a tight embrace and spun her around in the air a few times.
"I've missed you," he managed to whisper in her ear. Now he knew for
sure, something was definitely not right.
Finally releasing Anakin far enough that she could he could see into her
eyes, she said, "I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another standard
week!"
Anakin caught something in her eyes, something fleeting, but
something potentially dangerous. "So anxious to have me gone?" he laughed,
more a nervous laugh than one of pleasure. What could have upset his love so?
Padmé smiled. "Not at all. Ladies, if you would…?"
The handmaidens needed no further prompting, and were quite efficient
in making themselves scarce. One of them even winked at Padmé as she was
leaving; Anakin thought he recognized her as Eirtaé, but couldn't be sure.
Amidala lost her smile the moment the handmaidens disappeared.
There was something on her mind; something that wouldn't come easily, but had
to be said. She steeled herself for what could possibly be a very emotional
response.
Anakin took her by the hand, knowing something was amiss, and led
her to the couch. "What's the matter?" he asked.
Filled with determination, Padmé gave her response. "We have to talk."
*Oh, no.* Anakin managed to keep his tone light. "I'm listening."
Amidala took a deep breath. The minute she said his name, the minute
his master was mentioned, he knew.
Words failed him, he walked out of the room without saying a thing.
He heard her calling behind him, begging him to stop, to come back, and stating
that she wasn't finished speaking. The Queen wasn't used to not getting her way.
But she wasn't going to get it, not this time.
*No tears,* Anakin told himself. *A Jedi knows no pain.*
Amidala began sobbing behind him, and he would have slammed the
door to the suite if it had been one of the old-fashioned swing-style doors,
similar to the kind commonly used on Tattooine.
He couldn't hear her anymore, but he could still feel her sorrow through
the Force. When he shut it out, there was emptiness; a space inside him that
could not be filled, maybe it never would be again. *I know no anger. A Jedi
knows no despair.* Anakin laughed bitterly to himself at that. He knew only
loneliness, a feeling of being a single soul set adrift in a universe of nothingness.
*But I know no fear. A Jedi knows no aggression.* He knew only love that had
been ripped away, leaving a black hole in a place that had once been his heart.
He knew that things would never be the same again. *A Jedi knows no pain,* he
thought furiously. *A Jedi knows no unrest. A Jedi knows no hate. A Jedi craves
no adventure or excitement. A Jedi knows no emotion. A Jedi knows no fear. A
Jedi knows no passion.* Another bitter laugh followed. *I am no Jedi,* he
thought to himself sadly. Nonetheless, he headed back to his starfighter, doing
his best to control his emotions all the while.
how they're spelled in Canada. However I'm not quite sure how to spell
'Tattooine,' and being me, I'm too lazy to look it up; horribly sorry if it's wrong.
DISCLAIMER: Lucasfilm owns every character, situation, location, etc. I am making
no money, but should really learn that even if I was being paid, it's not worth
staying up this late for. No infringement is intended. Don't sue.
DEDICATION: for those of you who asked for it, I'm thankful you approve of my work,
really. So, without further ado, on with the story!
No Tears: A more complete story
A violent thunderstrike split the usual peace of the late Naboo evening.
At one end of the imposing Naboo palace, the young Queen was facing a serious
dilemma. Although she'd called upon her advisor to help her, she didn't truly
believe anything was salvageable from her relationship at this point.
"You really think it's best to tell him, Sabé?" Amidala asked her most
trusted confidant.
Sabé, indisputably wise beyond her years, mostly due to the Senate
training given her by Amidala herself, shook her head. "I cannot help you here,
my Queen," she said, lowering her head in a gesture of incompetence and
submission. "'Tis a choice you must make alone."
The Queen was silent several moments more, then nodded. "Thank
you, Sabé," she said finally. "I believe it is a question I must present to my full
company. It would simply not do to have the people of Naboo exposed to the…
problems… of the inner court."
"I shall assemble them, my Queen."
Padmé shook her head. "No need, my friend, no need. I have already
called for them."
When the rest of the queen's advisors arrived, the Queen went through
all of the unpleasant, unnecessary formalities of greeting her guests, and then sat
them down in the living quarters to speak about the recent matters that had been
concerning her of late.
Unfortunately, before the queen could say more than, "It's about
Anakin," there was a knock at the door, and a rather short pause until it opened,
seemingly of its own accord.
*It's such a long walk home from the hangar bays,* he noted with some
degree of contempt. *The distances conspire against me when all I really want to
do is see her again.* Something was bothering her, he knew, something big, bad
and ugly. That made his hurry all the faster.
He turned down the hidden corridor that lead to the queen's chambers,
being quite sure to avoid disturbing the ongoing meetings that were held in
private offices along the same hallway. The first time he'd done that, he'd had
quite a nasty shock; every one of the room's occupants had glared at him with
such disgust and incredulity that he'd flushed a bright pink colour, and had been
obliged to make a hasty retreat from that wing of the palace. He smiled ruefully
at that memory: he'd been only fourteen years old, a child really, although he
seemed so mature for his age back then.
Finally, young Skywalker stopped in front of the suite he had shared
with the beautiful Amidala- also known as Padmé. Rapping lightly on the door,
and sensing a few, contemplating, very distinctly human female presences
within, he entered the main reception hall.
It wasn't as spectacular as the name sounded, granted- although it did
have something special only a home decorated with love could have- the walls
were not as ornately decorated as the rest of the palace (Anakin and Amidala
found this to be distracting), the ceiling was not so high as could have been
hoped for- but it made Anakin comfortable, reminded him of home on
Tattooine.
As he stepped past the main hall and into the living quarters, a handful
of the queen's most trusted advisors, her handmaidens, and the Queen Amidala
herself looked up from their discussion.
"Anakin!" Padmé exclaimed, jumping up to meet her husband. He
caught her in a tight embrace and spun her around in the air a few times.
"I've missed you," he managed to whisper in her ear. Now he knew for
sure, something was definitely not right.
Finally releasing Anakin far enough that she could he could see into her
eyes, she said, "I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another standard
week!"
Anakin caught something in her eyes, something fleeting, but
something potentially dangerous. "So anxious to have me gone?" he laughed,
more a nervous laugh than one of pleasure. What could have upset his love so?
Padmé smiled. "Not at all. Ladies, if you would…?"
The handmaidens needed no further prompting, and were quite efficient
in making themselves scarce. One of them even winked at Padmé as she was
leaving; Anakin thought he recognized her as Eirtaé, but couldn't be sure.
Amidala lost her smile the moment the handmaidens disappeared.
There was something on her mind; something that wouldn't come easily, but had
to be said. She steeled herself for what could possibly be a very emotional
response.
Anakin took her by the hand, knowing something was amiss, and led
her to the couch. "What's the matter?" he asked.
Filled with determination, Padmé gave her response. "We have to talk."
*Oh, no.* Anakin managed to keep his tone light. "I'm listening."
Amidala took a deep breath. The minute she said his name, the minute
his master was mentioned, he knew.
Words failed him, he walked out of the room without saying a thing.
He heard her calling behind him, begging him to stop, to come back, and stating
that she wasn't finished speaking. The Queen wasn't used to not getting her way.
But she wasn't going to get it, not this time.
*No tears,* Anakin told himself. *A Jedi knows no pain.*
Amidala began sobbing behind him, and he would have slammed the
door to the suite if it had been one of the old-fashioned swing-style doors,
similar to the kind commonly used on Tattooine.
He couldn't hear her anymore, but he could still feel her sorrow through
the Force. When he shut it out, there was emptiness; a space inside him that
could not be filled, maybe it never would be again. *I know no anger. A Jedi
knows no despair.* Anakin laughed bitterly to himself at that. He knew only
loneliness, a feeling of being a single soul set adrift in a universe of nothingness.
*But I know no fear. A Jedi knows no aggression.* He knew only love that had
been ripped away, leaving a black hole in a place that had once been his heart.
He knew that things would never be the same again. *A Jedi knows no pain,* he
thought furiously. *A Jedi knows no unrest. A Jedi knows no hate. A Jedi craves
no adventure or excitement. A Jedi knows no emotion. A Jedi knows no fear. A
Jedi knows no passion.* Another bitter laugh followed. *I am no Jedi,* he
thought to himself sadly. Nonetheless, he headed back to his starfighter, doing
his best to control his emotions all the while.