A/N: This is part of my "Happy Family AU" series... This time if you haven't read the others you'll probably be more than a little confused. Check out the other parts, or keep reading, whatever you want! :)
Check out the official timeline for these stories on my profile, it'll be updated as I post new stories in this universe.
Walking with her hand in the crook of her brother's elbow through the lower level market of Coruscant, Margaery Skywalker cannot take the smile away from her face… And why should she? She's happy, it's a warm day and she has not had the pleasure of Luke's company for some time. She of course loves her other siblings, but her golden haired brother understands her in ways the others cannot comprehend. They may not be bonded as he is with Leia, but they don't need it. Being bonded is a terribly lazy way to forge a connection anyway in her opinion.
"You know, I can never if you're smiling because you're happy, or because you've thought of some new mind game or another to toy with people." Luke's words pull amused laughter from her mouth… Yes, he knows her very well. He's the only one she'll ever allow into her games, no one else can see them for what they are. Mother calls them manipulation, father says she's the cleverest of her siblings while Leia, Jon, Kenna and Brynden don't have the slightest idea what's going on half the time. There's an art to the subtlety of it after all… A few sweet words and a flutter of her eyelashes can all but guarantee their father will do whatever she wills or get her whatever fancy she's taken, with Leia she need only endure talk of politics and weave what she wants amongst the idea that it would benefit others and her sister will cling to whatever suggestion she gives her as if she thought of it herself. Kenna is simpler; to get what she wants from her sister she must be just that. Her sister. Kindness and giggling over whatever boy has caught her eye this week are all it takes to wrap the caramel haired beauty in her web. Mother is a little more difficult, she can see through her acts rather quickly, but there are ways to get around the incredibly intelligent politician and appeal to the woman her mother is, and she's learned them all.
Jon and Brynden are so easily swayed it's a wonder they've managed to become Jedi at all.
Margaery, unlike her siblings has no connection to the almighty Force, but she makes up for it in other ways. She doesn't need any of those mind tricks to play people to her tunes… What fun would it be if she only had to extend a hand and say exactly what she wanted them to do? That's much too easy. She prefers a challenge. And such a challenge often comes in the form of the brother beside her, who she's found near impossible to sway with words over the years. It's earned him his place as her favourite of their family.
"I'm happy dear brother." She grins and Luke matches it with a roll of his eyes. They're the only Skywalkers to share their father's eyes. It makes them stand out she thinks… Sets them apart from their siblings when they're all together. Mother's eyes are beautiful, as girl she prayed and begged the Gods to grant her eyes just like that, alas the blue remained. Now she likes what she has very much… Though Master Yoda described them as cold once. "Cold you are young one. See it in your eyes I do… Like the others, you are not." She remembers the Jedi's words clearly, as if he spoke them merely yesterday and not four years ago. She never accompanied her father to the Temple again after that. "Aren't you happy? I've been in Naboo so long I'd almost forgotten what Coruscant is like…"
"Force help that planet if you're elected Queen." He smirks though she does not join him, instead she watches him for a moment, then turns away to look instead at a woman purchasing some kind of foreign fruit or another… But it is not the fruit she holds an interest in. Her dress is a pretty blue colour, tight around the chest and waist, displaying the curves of her body wonderfully and Margaery's cerulean eyes appreciate the sight.
Despite what Luke may joke, she knows she'll make a good Queen if it happens. What is it their grandmother once said? She's more like Amidala than Padme, and she's inclined to agree. However, if she completes a term as Queen, she'd never follow her mother's footsteps into the Senatorial career. Politics can be fascinating, but it can also be deathly boring too. She won't waste her youth sitting in that pod in the Senate building, listening to people argue about petty disputes. "Is that what you want?" Luke asks when she says nothing in response to his joke. "To be the Queen?"
"For now." Is all she says, looking straight ahead. She thinks their mother is about ready to tear her hair out of her scalp with her and her ever changing ambitions, but they've just had it too easy with the others. The boys slid into the robes of Jedi and the role came as easily to them as breathing, Leia has taken to politics as naturally as their mother did, Kenna as the youngest of them has a little more freedom in her selections… She has time to play with her decisions. Though seems to enjoy working as a healer in the Temple very much.
The siblings fall silent for a few moments before she decides to speak again, quietly, almost allowing the noise around them to drown her words out, "I was a little surprised to find only you waiting for me this morning." What she'd expected was to return to a full apartment, a much too tight hug from her siblings and the usual frantic face kisses from mother followed by father pulling her into a too tight embrace of his own. What greeted her instead was Luke with a guilty smile and Threepio welcoming her home as over enthusiastically as ever.
"I told you, everyone is just… Busy. There'll be here tonight though." Busy… Of course they're busy, everyone's always busy. "Mom couldn't get out of her meeting with Naboo's ambassador, dad's in a council meeting with Ben, Brynden and Jon won't be back from Alderaan for a few standard hours yet, Kenna is helping the Temple healers today so she'll come back with dad, and Leia…" The way he trails off catches her attention, it's almost a wince as if he'd much rather not disclose their sister's whereabouts.
"And Leia?" She repeats, curiosity blooming. It must be something important, or else surely she'd have been there this morning… Right? The longer he hesitates the less she believes this. He sighs, looks off to a stall on the left for a long moment, gathering his words.
"She's uh… She's with Han." He admits at last, and she not surprised. Leia spends most if not all of her free time with this smuggler she's heard so much about, he must be very charming to woo her sister and very brave to continue seeing her after their father found out his true profession. Perhaps she'll finally get to meet him while she's here.
"Ah." She says, and Luke glances away guiltily once more. It's alright, Leia may love her because they're sisters, but Margaery knows she doesn't like her very much. "Is it love then?" She cannot picture Leia of all people in love, it doesn't match with the picture she has of her sister… So constantly frustrated and wound tight, ready to snap at the slightest offence. She'll have to wait until tonight to see the change in her eldest sister. In all of them, she supposes, it's been months since she's seen any of them in the flesh. They're all busy, and rarely visit her in Naboo. Maybe they're taller, broader, skinnier… It's been a long time; and it's difficult to spot anything different through holos.
"Well, she would never say that, but we all think so." Luke smiles and it prompts one of her own though her earlier grin has long since died away. "Just wait 'till you see the way she blushes whenever he's mentioned. And dad tenses up like he's ready whip out the lightsaber just thinking about Han. It's hilarious. We can all sense how frustrated it makes him; he can't hide it, not even from mom because of their bond."
"I'm sure you'll forgive me if I can't relate." She mutters, withdrawing her arm from her brother's to admire a stall with countless fabrics on display. The blue is nice… But the crushed velvet in burgundy is extraordinary… They don't have fabrics like these in Naboo. Behind her, Luke sighs but she ignores him in favour of inquiring about prices from the vendor. Where the Force is concerned, she's always been different, the odd one out of the bunch. Like their father, the Force is strong with them, while her midichlorian count is one of the lowest seen in years. So much so that the gossip mongering HoloNet went as far as to claim she's not Anakin Skywalker's daughter… Something no one chose to tell her about until she stumbled across the old articles herself.
No matter, she doesn't need the Force to get on with her life. Without it, everything is more of a challenge and her manipulations as mother calls them are that much more fun for it.
"What about you?" He attempts to change the subject as she hands the man behind the stall a small handful of credits in return for the fabric… It'll make a lovely evening gown, or maybe a robe… "Is there a special man in your life? Or a woman?" She returns to her brother's side and lifts a single eyebrow. That's certainly an unexpected question…
"Or a woman?" She repeats playfully, the mask of a smirk she perfected many years ago slides into place. "What makes you ask that?" Her… Desires are far from a secret, why should they be? However no one has ever thought to ask her about them before now. Has anyone else even noticed? Perhaps not, she hasn't made a fuss about who she wants unlike Brynden did. Although seeing her younger brother weeping in their father's arms because he was so afraid preferring the company of men would ruin their relationship humanised them both in her eyes. They were not just Jedi anymore, not just her father and brother, but two men who love each other so much that one denied who he is with the ridiculous belief that the other would love him less if he embraced his true self. Father was quick to knock that belief out of his mind forever, and Brynden has never been happier.
"I saw you looking at her back there…" Luke slings his arm around her shoulder suddenly, smirking that all knowing smirk which tells her she's been caught red handed. "So you're like Brynden?" He asks her so innocently that it feels as though she is the elder of the two of them, and she tips her head slightly to left never adoring her brother more than she does this moment.
"No," she begins, shaking her head, "not like Brynden. I think the simplest way to put it is, I want what I want, when I want it." One day she may want the handsome pilot who works in the palace, the next, one of the pretty handmaiden with the forest green eyes… There's no difference. At least, Margaery sees no difference between such attractions. "If there is a name for that, then I suppose that's what I am." She adds, glancing at Luke who merely nods. "But I prefer to think of it as simply being me."
"Have you told anyone else?" At first she merely shrugs, then after a moment decides to answer more vocally.
"No one's ever asked before. I don't see much point in making a drama out of it anyway." If anyone wishes to speak about it with her, they're welcome to. Margaery knows who she is and she's far from ashamed of it, though perhaps she should reach out to Brynden. After all, she knows what it's like to feel left out from the group, different… Maybe knowing she's different in that way too will make him feel less of a contrast to their family. He's long since accepted who he is and pursued multiple relationships, but is it not her duty to offer sisterly support where she can?
"Come on, let's get back, I want to give Threepio a tune up before he starts on dinner." Exchanging one more smile, the siblings turn and walk toward the looming tower of 500 Republica together, Luke's arm still comfortably resting across his sister's shoulders as Margaery's own arm slithers around his waist.
Anakin finds his wife sitting on the couch on the veranda leading to the private landing deck attached to their apartment and smiles at the sight of her… After all these years together and six children her beauty still strikes him as powerfully as that day in Watto's shop when he mistook her for an angel. With a smile, he approaches her and sinks down onto the cushioned seat beside her. "I wonder how late they'll be out tonight…" She muses quietly, referring to their children all out, enjoying Coruscant's vibrant nightlife together. "Maybe we shouldn't have let them take Kenna along, she's still underage."
"They'll look after her." Twisting one of her thick curls around his gloved finger, Anakin leans back against the couch with a content sigh as she leans against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Let them have some fun, they haven't all been together like this in a while. And their chances will only get fewer as they get older." One small hand comes to rest on his chest and he covers it with his own, lacing their fingers together.
"Mmm… You're right. But if Jon gets blind drunk and vomits in the refresher again then that is on you, not me." Chucking quietly, Anakin wishes he could roll his eyes, but given the precedent set by their son, he can only hope that does not happen this time. Maybe after the hangover that followed – and old Ben's utter lack of sympathy when it came to training the next morning – he's learned his limits.
"Luke told me Margaery was upset when we weren't here this morning." He also mentioned how her face fell, at the lack of greeting upon her homecoming, and how quickly she covered it up with one of her smiles. She's good at that, pretending she isn't affected by something, so much so that sometimes he wonders if it is really an act or if she is truly so… Uncaring about most things. He'd have given anything to get out of that damned meeting to be there, but it just wasn't possible.
"She was? It must have been a little lacklustre for her… Poor girl, I feel terrible. Maybe we should take her out tomorrow to make up for it, just the three of us?" Yes, that's a good idea. Until tonight he hadn't seen her in person for months, he needs to make up for lost time even if they only have a week with her before she returns to Naboo again.
"Good idea. You know, I think she needs tonight with the others more than she's willing to admit… She's never been part of their group, not really." Padme sits up again, offering a sad smile paired with a nod.
"I know… But Ani, she doesn't exactly make it easy for the others to reach out to her. She's always playing those mind games or looking down at them for something or another. I love her, but she brings most of it on herself." Pursing his lips, he can't agree with her on that. It's not looking down at them, far from it… It's more… Distancing herself from them before they can do it to her. She's always done it, ever since she was just a child.
"It's a defence mechanism Angel… It's easier to be the one putting the distance there than to be pushed out." He'll always, always remember coming home from the Temple years ago, and hearing the children playing in the living room, he walked past Margaery and Leia's room then stepped back to find the younger of the two girl's playing with two dolls on her own. "What're you doing in here all alone little one?" He'd asked, curious, leaning against the doorframe. She'd shrugged, keeping those big blue eyes trained on her dolls for a moment or two before answering.
"I can't play their games. I can't make things fly like they do." He swears he felt his heart crack right then and there… To this day he doesn't understand why the Force seems to have skipped her entirely, but no matter the reason it was awful, watching her feel so isolated from the others. Stepping further into the room, he'd sunk down to his knees beside the girl who avoided his gaze and lifted a doll from the pile tipped out of the box.
"Well, how about I play with you then?" The look she'd given him, so surprised at the offer only made his heart ache all the more. It was as if she couldn't quite believe he wanted to be in there with her, until it vanished and her gaze returned to the dolls in her hand.
"That's okay daddy… I know it's more fun to play with the others."
"You think that's what it is?" Padme asks quietly, frowning a little and he nods, because that's exactly what it is… And he can't blame her for it. He knows what it's like to feel different, to not fit in. It's terrible, and even now, it breaks his heart to know he can't stop her feeling that way.
"Think about it, Luke's the only one who really tries with her… And he's the only one who she lets in. They're closer than he is with Leia. If the others tried half as much as he did… " She sighs and leans down against him and he pulls her closer, resting his cheek against her head.
"We'll take her out tomorrow." She murmurs, "And we'll make such a fuss over her, she won't know what to do with all the attention." Yes… That's what they'll do; maybe she'll even extend her trip past a week. Force knows they don't get to see enough of her as it is, if she pursues this route toward being Queen he's worried visits will only become less frequent. Tomorrow he fully intends to bend over backwards to make sure Margaery feels wanted and involved… Even if he must take tips from his son to do so. No family is perfect, and theirs is far from the exception, but Anakin fully intends to try his damnedest to make this next week perfect, not just for her, but for them all.