Saché shuffled into the Royal Chambers, faded red fuzzy slippers scuffling the floor as she entered. The hood of her forest green gown was still down. Her hair stuck out at odd angles, an uncombed mess.
She yawned loudly, drawing attention from every girl in the room. Eirtaé and Yané frowned, Rabé rolled her eyes in mock despair, and Sabé put her finger to her lips, then pointed to her three month old daughter in her arms. Amidala, still under the expert ministrations of Rabé's deft fingers, could only shift her eyes in the mirror to watch what was taking place behind her. The Queen tried not to let a grin show through, knowing it would only encourage Saché to continue such misbehavior.
Eirtaé jumped up and immediately began fussing over the minute details of the young handmaiden's gown. "Saché! You're not nearly ready! We go to court in just a few minutes." She straightened the velvet folds and arranged them as the patterns indicated.
"Taé-Taé, would you relax? Rabé's not done with the Queen's hair yet. I've got plenty of time."
Saché chewed for a moment, then a large pink bubble emerged from her mouth. The other girls watched with apprehension as it grew in size, expanding until it threatened to burst and cover her face with sticky goo. When it seemed that the gum could stretch no further, she inhaled it all back safely into her mouth.
The young women's eyes widened in amazement. Saché merely shrugged modestly.
"You know I hate it when you call me 'Taé-Taé'," the blonde groaned. Her pale skin reddening, she turned to the Queen.
"Your Highness, may I be excused for a moment?"
"Yes, you may, " Amidala replied seriously. Her eyes were the only sign of her reluctant amusement.
The moment Eirtaé had left, Saché reached into her bag, grabbed a tissue, and removed the gum, pitching it into the wastecan. She retrieved the shoes that matched her gown, and replaced the old slippers.
Yané tilted her head and studied her cohort. "Why do you aggravate her so?"
"Because she's so aggravating. I know how to act, and what to do and say while on duty. You'd think we've been together long enough now for her to notice that. When we're not on display, we're entitled to relax. We are all still young, after all. Let's live a little!"
Sabé shifted the baby to a new position in the crook of her arm. "Be careful when you live a little, Saché. You may get more than you bargain for." Her tone was slightly stern, even though she was smiling.
"Meira Girl," Saché exclaimed as she bent down to play with the child. She lowered her voice so that only Sabé and the baby could hear her. "Don't you worry. Your mommy doesn't regret you for a minute. If she were gonna give you up, you'd be in a Temple nursery right now."
Sabé scowled. Almost whispering, she replied, "My love for my daughter doesn't allow you to live recklessly. Learn from my experience, Saché."
Saché winked at her friend, then rose and turned to address everyone in the room. "So, speaking of living a little, who wants to go out tonight?" Noticing that Rabé was finishing her work on Amidala, Saché sidled up next to the Queen, using a bit of the mirror to arrange her own hair.
"Your Highness, don't you think it's time to let Padmé come out and play?"
Amidala gave her an understanding glance. "You've found someplace new, haven't you?"
"Haven't been there yet, the word on the street is it's the place to go. I overheard a couple of young men speak of it. I caught only bits of the conversation, but it sounds like the latest rage!"
"I'm sorry, I can't go tonight. My parents are going to be in town this evening and I'd have to get up early tomorrow anyway."
Saché shrugged, then scanned the rest of the room. "Anybody?"
Yané sighed. "All right, after my lesson with the Healer, I'll join you. How much do you know about this place? Are you sure it's safe?"
"It'll be fine," Saché responded. "Even if it gets a little rough, we can handle it. We are Naboo's Finest!"
Yané shook her head. "Sometimes I do think you should be studied. OK, I'll be there. We'll work out the details later."
Rabé smiled. "I'll see if Rowan would like to go. If he doesn't, I'll come by a little late. How's that?"
Saché nodded. "Sabé?"
"No, I'm not going anywhere for a while yet. I'll stay here tonight, if that's all right with Her Highness." Sabé looked to Amidala. The Queen signaled her permission with a short nod.
"Very well, it's settled," Saché said, "now we'll...." She was interrupted by a chime.
"Later-it's time for us to get to work," Amidala commanded, assuming her court voice. Saché made a couple of last second adjustments, skipped for a step or two to take her place in line, and the women exited the chamber for the day.
She yawned loudly, drawing attention from every girl in the room. Eirtaé and Yané frowned, Rabé rolled her eyes in mock despair, and Sabé put her finger to her lips, then pointed to her three month old daughter in her arms. Amidala, still under the expert ministrations of Rabé's deft fingers, could only shift her eyes in the mirror to watch what was taking place behind her. The Queen tried not to let a grin show through, knowing it would only encourage Saché to continue such misbehavior.
Eirtaé jumped up and immediately began fussing over the minute details of the young handmaiden's gown. "Saché! You're not nearly ready! We go to court in just a few minutes." She straightened the velvet folds and arranged them as the patterns indicated.
"Taé-Taé, would you relax? Rabé's not done with the Queen's hair yet. I've got plenty of time."
Saché chewed for a moment, then a large pink bubble emerged from her mouth. The other girls watched with apprehension as it grew in size, expanding until it threatened to burst and cover her face with sticky goo. When it seemed that the gum could stretch no further, she inhaled it all back safely into her mouth.
The young women's eyes widened in amazement. Saché merely shrugged modestly.
"You know I hate it when you call me 'Taé-Taé'," the blonde groaned. Her pale skin reddening, she turned to the Queen.
"Your Highness, may I be excused for a moment?"
"Yes, you may, " Amidala replied seriously. Her eyes were the only sign of her reluctant amusement.
The moment Eirtaé had left, Saché reached into her bag, grabbed a tissue, and removed the gum, pitching it into the wastecan. She retrieved the shoes that matched her gown, and replaced the old slippers.
Yané tilted her head and studied her cohort. "Why do you aggravate her so?"
"Because she's so aggravating. I know how to act, and what to do and say while on duty. You'd think we've been together long enough now for her to notice that. When we're not on display, we're entitled to relax. We are all still young, after all. Let's live a little!"
Sabé shifted the baby to a new position in the crook of her arm. "Be careful when you live a little, Saché. You may get more than you bargain for." Her tone was slightly stern, even though she was smiling.
"Meira Girl," Saché exclaimed as she bent down to play with the child. She lowered her voice so that only Sabé and the baby could hear her. "Don't you worry. Your mommy doesn't regret you for a minute. If she were gonna give you up, you'd be in a Temple nursery right now."
Sabé scowled. Almost whispering, she replied, "My love for my daughter doesn't allow you to live recklessly. Learn from my experience, Saché."
Saché winked at her friend, then rose and turned to address everyone in the room. "So, speaking of living a little, who wants to go out tonight?" Noticing that Rabé was finishing her work on Amidala, Saché sidled up next to the Queen, using a bit of the mirror to arrange her own hair.
"Your Highness, don't you think it's time to let Padmé come out and play?"
Amidala gave her an understanding glance. "You've found someplace new, haven't you?"
"Haven't been there yet, the word on the street is it's the place to go. I overheard a couple of young men speak of it. I caught only bits of the conversation, but it sounds like the latest rage!"
"I'm sorry, I can't go tonight. My parents are going to be in town this evening and I'd have to get up early tomorrow anyway."
Saché shrugged, then scanned the rest of the room. "Anybody?"
Yané sighed. "All right, after my lesson with the Healer, I'll join you. How much do you know about this place? Are you sure it's safe?"
"It'll be fine," Saché responded. "Even if it gets a little rough, we can handle it. We are Naboo's Finest!"
Yané shook her head. "Sometimes I do think you should be studied. OK, I'll be there. We'll work out the details later."
Rabé smiled. "I'll see if Rowan would like to go. If he doesn't, I'll come by a little late. How's that?"
Saché nodded. "Sabé?"
"No, I'm not going anywhere for a while yet. I'll stay here tonight, if that's all right with Her Highness." Sabé looked to Amidala. The Queen signaled her permission with a short nod.
"Very well, it's settled," Saché said, "now we'll...." She was interrupted by a chime.
"Later-it's time for us to get to work," Amidala commanded, assuming her court voice. Saché made a couple of last second adjustments, skipped for a step or two to take her place in line, and the women exited the chamber for the day.