Disclaimer: All characters belong to George Lucas. I'm just borrowing them for the time being.

Prologue

Newly conferred Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi took a deep breath and faced his new Padawan learner for the first time since Qui-Gon's funeral pyre. They were in the Jedi temple on Coruscant, and Obi-Wan was carefully cutting the boy's hair to signify his becoming a Padawan learner. However, his mind wandered a little bit.

"Master," Anakin said. "Are you all right?" His blue eyes were alight with concern.

Obi-Wan nodded, smiling. "I'll be okay, my young Padawan learner; don't worry." He was touched by the boy's concern. As he cut Anakin's hair, he left a lock untouched so he could plait it into a Padawan braid, signifying the young learner's status. The two of them talked about everything, including Anakin's concern for his mother. The knight smiled. Only recently had changes begun to be made in the Jedi order, one of them being the allowance for some attachments, like those for a parent, and if it was right for certain knights and masters, those for marriage. Qui-Gon had helped bring this about by saying it would give the Jedi a purpose, some to fight for.

Obi-Wan finished cutting the boy's hair and began to plait the long lock into the Padawan braid. When he finished, Anakin hopped down from the chair and bowed to his master. "Thank you, Master," he said solemnly. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, my young apprentice. Now, we must go. There is to be a ceremony celebrating the defeat of the Trade Federation, and we're expected to be there."

Anakin nodded. "Yes Master."

Soon, they were aboard a starship and leaving Coruscant for Naboo, where the celebrations were to be. Obi-Wan's heartbeat quickened. He would see Padme again. No, he corrected himself, Queen Amidala. Padme had been just an alias during her time when she'd had to flee Naboo to get away from the Neimoidians and their droid army.

Anakin chuckled, sensing his master's feelings for Padme. He didn't blame him. The Nubian queen was very beautiful, and they had struck up a bit of a friendship when she'd been stranded on his home planet of Tatooine. Anakin considered Padme to be like an older sister to him, but he suspected maybe his master was developing deeper feelings for her.

During the celebrations, Anakin's suspicions were proven right. Master and apprentice were standing with the queen, her handmaidens, Boss Nass, the leader of the Gungans, newly elected Chancellor Palpatine, and Governor Bibble. Obi-Wan and the queen kept sending longing glances to each other. The boy grinned to himself. It was as he thought. If only she weren't queen, he thought. Maybe someday…

Anakin knew that because of his late friend, Qui-Gon Jinn, there were changes being made in the Jedi order, one of them being the allowance of attachments. This was why he didn't fear leaving his mother as much. He knew he could send her holotransmissions occasionally to let her know how he was doing. When he got a break in his training in a few months, he and Obi-Wan were already making plans to go to Tatooine to visit her. Already he'd gotten a transmission from her right before he was initiated as a Padawan learner. Because of a bad business deal, his former slave master, Watto, had been forced to sell Shmi to a moisture farmer not long after Anakin had left, a man named Cliegg Lars. According to the transmission, Lars had freed her and was courting her now.

Love is in the air, no matter what planet we're on, he thought with a rueful chuckle. His mom had her love life under control, so Anakin took a deep breath to focus on his master who didn't.

He saw Obi-Wan and Padme exchange a soft smile. She won't be queen forever, Anakin reasoned. I could see them together, if the Force wills it…

Queen Amidala felt her heart skip a beat when her eyes met the newly conferred Jedi knight. She noticed his braid was gone. Master Yoda must have cut it off since Qui-Gon's dead, she thought. In short, she thought he was the most handsome Jedi she'd ever seen.

Her eyes met young Anakin Skywalker's. The boy flashed her a knowing smile and winked.

Ugh, is it that obvious? she wondered. She chuckled ruefully and concentrated on the ceremony, trying to ignore the longing in her heart.