Farewell
AN: I don't own any of the characters or places from Star Wars. They belong to George Lucas, aside from Katre and Zare.
The sun had already begun its slow descent below the roofs of the buildings of Theed, casting a purple glow over the many beings that were waiting along the side of the stoned streets or in boats close by. The mourners held lanterns, and had some hung along the street, dancing shadows being cast over those in attendance.
The source of so much sorrow was the death of the Senator Padme Amidala, who had been a much loved queen and senator. It was eerily silent; the only sounds were of the casket being pulled by the large white beasts and the occasional sob from a bystander. Everyone was very solemn, the sadness showing on their faces.
Padme's family was in this procession ahead of the casket, which was followed by Queen Apailana, another young leader of Naboo. Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie looked as if they were made from stone as they walked behind the young leader. It was as if they could no longer cry and were void of emotions.
Then there was Sola, Padme's older sister. She usually was a happy person, smiling and laughing. She shared some of her sister's features, including dark hair and expressive eyes. She was not smiling now though, and her eye showed immense sadness at the loss of her beloved younger sister. Her husband, Darred was a part of the procession as well. He had known Padme well, since the Naberrie family was quite close. He was sad he could not do more than support his wife at the funeral of her own sister. With them, were their daughters, Ryoo who was nine, and Pooja now age seven. Both girls had been very close to their aunt. They were always happy to see Padme, and R2-D2. The usually energetic children were quiet and serene as they walked. They understood that people died, but found it hard to believe that Aunt Padme, who was a hero to Naboo, would die while still young. Behind them were many other dignitaries of the planet, paying their respect to Padme. They had been some of the few that had been there for the funeral service, this procession was to allow others to pay their respect as well.
The senator was beautiful, even in death. Her curled hair fanned her face with ribbons tied in, small delicate flowers added as well. She wore a sea-blue dress much like the water that surrounded the Lake Retreat she loved so much. Over that was a shimmering cloak that looked as if it was part of a gently flowing river, mixing shades of blue together. In this outfit, Padme lay amid a bed of deep green leaves and fresh flowers, white and pink in color. Her hands were folded above a rounded stomach. No one spoke of the child that she appeared to have been carrying, nor did anyone seem to question about the father, which was Naboo tradition, to not show disrespect. In her hands was a small hand carved pendant attached to a simple silver chain.
Beside the secret wife of Anakin Skywalker walked four figures glad in dark maroon cloaks. Behind the casket were two more similarly dressed women. Another pair flanked the Queen and two others walked with the other dignitaries. These women had at one time or another, been told to blend in, to be invisible. Their hoods helped cover them and the failing daylight created shadows that made it more difficult to see the feminine features beneath each and ever hood.
While they had been told they could stand along the streets with the other mourners, allowing Queen Apailana's handmaidens and personal attendants flank the Senator who had died before her time. However, each and every woman had insisted they wanted to serve their Senator, former Queen and friend even though it would only be to accompany her to her final resting place.
The two walking behind Queen Apailana with the other dignitaries both felt that was their place. They had served Senator Amidala for two years and the three of them had become fairly close. It was because of this relationship that Padme told them of her secret marriage to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. The two women, Motee and Elle, were often used to carry messages for the two lovers. They both had played the role of the decoy at one time or another, so that Padme could sneak away to spend time with Anakin when they were both on Coruscant. No one aside from Typho knew which times one of them had taken the duties of Senator. Also, they were one of only a handful of beings who knew whose child Padme carried. While they did not know if it was a boy or girl, they knew that the baby, if born, would have been Anakin's. Between them, they had wondered if there was a chance the baby had survived. However, her stomach still seemed too rounded to have given birth. While others had asked Motee and Elle what they knew, the pair also knew that they would take those secrets to the grave.
As they walked, Elle, the younger of the two, was doing her best to keep from crying, head bowed so no one could see the unshed tears in her eyes. Motee was able to keep her eyes dry during the funeral, forcing herself not to cry. Both young women had cried after learning of her death and they knew that they would cry again. That would wait until they were in able to do so in private, away from other mourners. As they walked, Motee wondered if she should have insisted to accompany Padme on her final trip. The Senator had told both of them that she wanted them to stay on Coruscant, saying she would contact them when she had completed what she had to. That message had never arrived.
The two handmaidens with the Queen were Katre and Zare. Neither of them knew Padme well, aside from her brief visits to the Palace in Queen Apailana's reign. However, like everyone else there, they respected the woman whose life had touched so many and whom they all hailed as a hero. Not only for freeing the planet from the Trade Federation, but for fighting alongside Jedi at the Battle of Geonosis.
The six near the casket were the ones that were most thankful for the hoods that covered them, concealing the faces from all that had come to see the somber procession. While unknown to most there, they were the ones that had known Padme the best, aside from her family. These six had been with her for many years as friends, confidantes and assistants.
The first two were Sabe and Rabe. Sabe had been Padme's best friend as they both grew up together in the Palace. One as a Queen, the other no more noticeable than a shadow. Sabe was also the first one to be used as a decoy when Padme was Queen Amidala. It was for this reason that the two of them spent the most time together. They worked out sayings that would allow them to communicate in front of others, but no one else would know what they meant. Even after Padme had left office, she and Sabe sometimes used the sayings between one another without even realizing it. Not that they always needed that though. After a few years of service, Sabe and Padme could often share a glance and know what they other was thinking. Sabe had only had her father when she became a handmaiden and was distraught when she found out that he had been killed in one of the camps. The handmaidens became her only family then, and while they were like sisters, she always felt closest to Padme. She continued to help at the Palace even after Padme was no longer Queen. She worked on training the new handmaidens, which had been Panaka's suggestion because she knew so much about the role and could had proven to be a good teacher.
Padme's death did not seem real to her. Even after hearing of her death and seeing her laid in the coffin, she was expecting her friend that always joked with her, as if she would sit up and laugh, then hug her. It had not happened though and Sabe knew that it never would. She also knew that she would cry through the night, once the numbness and shock wore off.
Rabe could not help but allow a few tears to escape. She could not wipe them away though. She knew that no one else was supposed to know she was crying and mourning the loss of such a wonderful friend. Rabe had always dreamt of being a dancer, but her parents insisted that she take exams that could give her the chance to run for political office, such as Princess of Theed or even Queen. She failed the first time and barely passed the second time. However, she put those dreams aside when she was chosen as a handmaiden. She soon became known as the one that could calm Padme's nerves, as well as being the one that could fix her hair into the elaborate styles. Her love for dance continued though and after saving Naboo, Padme had a dance teacher come and work with Rabe during some of her free time. Rabe was grateful for such an opportunity and though she already loved Padme like a sister, she was touched forever by this kindness. When Padme stepped down from her position as Queen, which also ended the handmaidens' term, Rabe was invited to study dance at the Naboo Conservatory of Dance. She immediately accepted and was in numerous productions and was also teaching a few classes.
When she was informed of Padme's death, she insisted that she be the one that help prepare her. It was the final time she would help her friend get ready for anything. She chose the dress and did Padme's make up and hair one last time. She made sure she looked perfect, putting the small delicate flowers in her hair and smoothing the flowing fabric. She had noticed that Padme also had the japor snippet, the one that Anakin had given her over a decade ago. She knew that Padme was close to Anakin and had always thought that they would be perfect for one another, even though the Jedi Code forbid it. She wondered if the child that Padme would have born would have been Anakin's. She wondered briefly if the child had been born and was saved, but there was still a swell in her stomach that took away that hope.
Following Sabe and Rabe were two other dark haired women, Sache and Yane. Sache had been the oldest girl of the six when Theed was overtaken. She was sixteen years old when that happened and was one of the two left behind when Padme escaped Naboo. Sache had been separated by her family at the young age of ten by a storm that came through her village. She was taken in by a kind widow in Theed and felt honored to be accepted as a handmaiden. She was a not just a bodyguard but also seen as a strong leader among the handmaidens and others at the Palace. She had been left behind to help lead the Rebellion to free Theed. She had succeeded in getting a strong band of followers, though some thought she was too young to do so. She proved herself numerous times as she snuck into different camps, accompanied by Yane. This strength had served her in her job, which helped find homes for orphaned children, a program that she oversaw on Naboo and helped establish such organizations on other nearby planets. It was this strength that was helping her now, to hold back the tears that wanted to fall. As the oldest, she felt it was her duty to stay strong. Padme had always had faith in her strength and leadership. She could honor that trust by showing this as they accompanied Padme to her final resting place.
Yane, the youngest of all the handmaidens by a year, walked on the other side of the casket, but keeping pace with Sache. They had become close during the occupation of Naboo. She had gone to the different camps with Sache, and had been the one to set up the ways to communicate between camps and to get the others into the Palace when they had returned to Naboo. Her memory, which was just short of being considered photographic, helped her pick up on details that might otherwise go unnoticed, yet were vital for the plans to succeed. She used that skill and her ability with computers at the age of twenty one when she was no longer a handmaiden. She went to university and was invited back to the Palace to work as the head of intelligence. She had been the one that had learned of the threat on Padme's life right before the vote about creating an army for the Republic. While happy to hear that her friend had survived that, she had been saddened to hear of the deaths of Corde, the handmaiden who had been the decoy for the Senator, and Verse, who had accompanied the ship, dressed in all too familiar dark robes that hid her features.
Even though hearing of their deaths had been hard, it had been harder to hear of Padme's. The tears that silently streamed down her face were proof enough of that. She was glad that hood was hiding this from those that they walked by. It was a personal grief that she did not want to share with anyone else, except perhaps the girls who had become like sisters to her because they had loved Padme as well.
Following the coffin were two women, similarly dressed, but who looked very different from one another. One had brown hair and brown, soulful eyes, full of pain, while the other had blonde hair and blue eyes red rimmed from privately shed tears. However, they were similar in a number of ways. Both had been handmaidens who had served under Padme, either when she had been Queen Amidala or Senator Amidala. They both also had accents that showed that they were not from the capital of Theed. The two women were Eirtae and Dorme. Eirtae was the only handmaiden of Padme's who did not have brown hair and brown eyes. She stood out from the others, and she, along with the others, knew she would never be called upon to act as the decoy. However, she was very valued by all the girls. She had been slightly cold at first, but the girls learned that it was not because of her dislike of them, or a grudge. They had thought that the blonde girl was upset because, while she had done well on the royal exams, Padme was elected as Princess of Theed right before Eirtae has received her results. The truth was much different. Not only was Eirtae very aware of her accent, which proved her river village was remote, but she had been taught all the rules of etiquette. She had not opened up as quickly as the others, wanting to be professional. However, she found that was not possible and soon became friends with all of them. She even coached all of them, including Padme, on royal protocol. She also learned to work well with Rabe in preparing the Queen for meetings when she would have to wear the elaborate clothing, hairpieces and make up. She often felt like an outsider among the girls, since, while she knew about the need to have a decoy, she was never judged as critically as the others, since none felt she would need to take that role. They were right. When her time as a handmaiden had passed, she decided to stay in Theed instead of returning to her village. She became an advisor of Queen Jamilla and then Queen Apailana due to her knowledge of Nubian customs and the history of Naboo. As she walked behind the casket, she knew that this would be a moment that those of Naboo would remember. They had lost a wonderful leader, and she had lost one of the closest friends she had ever had.
Dorme had been silent when the other five had all met once again. She felt like an outsider. She did not know the other women very well, though she had met them all briefly at one time or another. Instead, she had gone to her husband for support. That man was Typho, Padme's head of security when she became Senator. When Padme had gone back to Naboo, under the watchful eye of Anakin Skywalker, Dorme had taken over Padme's role for a short time, and had spent more time with Typho. They soon fell in love, and it was decided that Dorme would step down from her position, so that there would not be any conflict of interest. She had instead taken a job as a teacher, since she loved children and one day hoped to have a family of her own. While she was no longer a handmaiden, she and Padme remained close friends. She had heard hints in what Padme had said to her that led her to believe that Anakin and Padme had both come to terms with their feelings and shared those with one another. She could not help but wonder where Anakin was. They had all heard that the Jedi were considered criminals and that they should be destroyed, but she had met some of the Jedi, and could not imagine they were capable of the crimes they were charged with. Had the young Knight who had protected Padme perished? These thoughts did not help though, for it kept bringing her back to the bitter truth and caused pain to run through her and brought forth more tears. Padme was dead.
These women appeared to be the same, but they were all different. Their futures would lead them down different paths. They were doing what they enjoyed and most of them had families. These brave women had all been brought together for the reason that connected all of them. A woman named Padme Naberrie, known by her formal title as Amidala, who had held a title of royalty and prestige.
When they stopped by the dock where the boat sat, waiting to take Padme to her final resting place, these women were all allowed to say goodbye to her. The six near the casket stepped to the side to allow the dignitaries to also say farewell. While handmaidens were not always allowed such a moment, the Naberrie family knew how close Padme had been to the handmaidens and felt it was only right that they could say goodbye.
Katre and Zare approached with Queen Apailana. She spoke a few words over the casket, murmuring so quietly that not even the handmaidens beside her could hear them all. They properly bowed their heads and whispered the appropriate farewell remarks. They knew though, that if it was Apailana in the casket, they would be very upset, so they could only guess what the other eight women were feeling.
After all the dignitaries, the handmaidens were able to say goodbye. First, Motee and Elle came to the casket, looking down at her. "I am sorry we were not there to protect you," Elle whispered. "That is our job and while you ordered us not to come, I wish we would have. I will miss you."
Motee put a comforting arm around the younger woman before speaking. "You were a wonderful leader and good friend. As your friends, we will keep your secrets until the day we join you beyond the grave." Motee then led the sobbing Elle away, vowing that she would not cry there, for Elle's sake.
Next were Sache and Yane. The flickering lights held by the mourners reminded them of the funeral that had been held over a decade ago for Master Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi killed by a Sith while the Battle of Naboo was being fought. "You were the bravest and kindest person I have known," Sache spoke. "You always believed in me and I hope to make you proud. You and the others were my family when I had none. I might have saved your life before, but you saved mine. Thank you."
Yane did not speak at first. "I wish I could have stopped this somehow." Her voice was a soft whisper. "I was so scared for you when you left Sache and me on Naboo. Fearful for you. I have always worried about your safety. I will miss you, but I know where you are now, you are safe."
Those two pulled back as the remaining four walked up to the coffin. None of them spoke for a moment, until the blonde haired handmaiden gently cleared her throat. Though she had been in Theed for quite sometime, it was clear that her accent would forever be a part of her. "At first, I was upset because you held the position I had been dreaming of. But as I got to know you as a person and a leader, I realized that being even half as great would be difficult. You truly were a Queen, both in title and in your heart. I am honored to have served you and to have been able to call you Queen and a friend. Farewell." She gave a small curtsy before backing away.
Rabe spoke next. "You served your planet and I am honored to say that I served you as well. You were the first to learn of my other dreams and you did more than just listen to me, but helped inspire me to continue dancing. You gave the means and I want to thank you." She reached over and gently tucked one of the small flowers back in her hair. This brought back fresh pain to the handmaiden and she quickly backed away, a few tears escaping.
This left two handmaidens with Padme. They both looked up at each other, able to see the other's face beneath the robe's thick hood. Both had tears in their eyes though they fought them back. Both had been decoys for Padme at one time or another, so they knew the importance of their job. Neither of them spoke to each other, but in just a glance each knew that they blamed themselves. As if they could have somehow prevented her death.
"I have no words to describe how I feel," Sabe whispered. "You were my best friend and my sister. I still remember the last time you contacted me, telling me you would need me to help with something. I am guessing it involved the child."
"You would have been a good mother," Dorme spoke after a moment. "And a good wife." She wondered if any of the others had seen what she had when Anakin was around Padme. She would not speak of that with any of the others though. She did not want to start any rumors based on a few sidelong glances and a handful of remarks.
"We'll never forget you," Sabe managed. "You were more than just a Queen and Senator."
"Others knew you as Amidala, but we will always remember you as Padme." Dorme added.
They both moved their left hands down in a slow sweeping arch from their sides, down toward the casket, then up to their hearts, a Nubian way to promise to forever hold a beloved departed person in their hearts.
They stepped back and watched as the casket was then taken to the waiting boat. Padme's family would be the only ones to go from here, to bury her. They chose a small island near the Lake Retreat, where she had often said she had been the happiest as a child.
Even after the boat was out of sight, and the mourners were dispersing, even the Queen and her entourage, the remaining eight former handmaidens stayed, still in their circle. Elle reached her hand and grasped Motee's as if for support. Dorme noticed this and then felt Sabe's hand slip into one hand, Motee taking her other. The others took each other's hands and they stood like that for one long moment.
"Farewell," Sabe murmured and each girl repeated it. They squeezed hands once more, realizing that they had a sisterhood with one another, no matter what happened next.
When they released their hands, they all turned and walked two by two back down the cobbled road. Even though others would not give them a second glance nor remember the women for the hooded cloaks making them more like shadows than people, they would remember Padme. They would remember the great leader who had done so much for her people, whose life was tragically cut short. And to the shadowed figures disappearing into the night, that was enough.