If the Jedi council had seen the look on Anakin's face they would have felt very, very afraid at that moment. His brows were knitted, teeth clenched and eyes filled with hatred, staring at the two figures moving in perfect tandem a few metres in front of him.
"C'mon Ani, try again, you'll get the hang of it soon!" Amidala called over her shoulder as Obi-Wan spun her around again. The boy didn't answer, only glowered at her.
"You just have to push your feet out and glide." Obi-Wan explained, skating across the ice in front of where his Padawan sat. "Everyone falls over at first. You have to keep trying."
"Easy for you to say. You're not a block of ice from the rump down." Anakin retorted, crossing his arms across his chest as they moved back into the centre of the palace lake again.
It was Allennight, the yearly festival of Naboo, and Amidala had asked that Anakin and Obi-Wan come stay for a few days. The council had given a more dignified version of a collective sigh and allowed it. A small break for the norm was not anything to worry much about in Anakin's case. They worried enough anyway.
Ice skating, Anakin decided, was third on his list of things he didn't like about the galaxy, after people who said bad things about him and 'stupid Jedi rules that don't mean anything'. His legs were numb after numerous encounters with the slippery surface of the large frozen pond. Amidala and Obi-Wan seemed to be having a wonderful time but he certainly wasn't.
His frown gave way to a sunny smile as he watched the Queen circling his Master. Her hands were protected by a small black fur muff that matched the trim on her knee-length hooded cloak of dark green. Red stockings ended in soft black skating boots with blades on the soles. She looked a perfect vision, Anakin was more sure then ever she was an Angel.
"Please give it another try Ani!" she called, seeing him gazing at her. He rolled his eyes and stood.
"Alright, but if I fall I'm going to drag both of you down with me!"
***
"What does Allennight mean anyway?" Anakin asked as they sat down to dinner that night. It was a small affair, by royal standards anyway. Amidala put down the orange she had been peeling and smiled.
"Literally? It's 'night of the light'. There's a story among my people that one night a long time ago, this very night of the year, a new star appeared in the sky. And no matter where on the continent you were, it seemed to be above the same place. So some people went to the place, and they found a baby. An old legend said the baby was going to be a great leader. So this is a festival to celebrate the birth of a king from the past."
"Really? That sounds like the legends the Jedi have about their chosen one!" Anakin sounded excited. Obi-Wan, sitting on the other side of the boy from Amidala, noticed that as usual Anakin referred to the chosen one in third person. He didn't push his apprentice to believe he was the one himself, but felt that Ani's denial was more to do with lacking self confidence then actually doubting he was. "What happened to the baby?"
Amidala's front teeth grazed the violent red line of color that split her lip as she gave an almost-smile.
"Perhaps that's a story for another time. Now eat! You haven't touched your food."
"Padawan Skywalker prefers his meals to have a higher honey content in them." Obi-Wan told Amidala in a loud conspiratorial whisper. Anakin looked offended.
"First I get bruised and battered on that horrible ice, and now my Master insults me! No wonder everyone thinks I'm evil! Anybody would be in a situation like this!"
