Title: Let Her Love
Author's Note: This is basically Captain Panaka's POV as he betrays Padme's deepest secret to Palpatine. And yeah, no characters belong to me...
I am not worthy.
I stand in the presence of a goddess of goodness, a starchild of this galaxy, a champion for the promise of peace. I stand tall, proud to be fully in her service.
Yet, I have already betrayed her.
Betrayed her to a man whom she believes wants the best for her. A man who was her mentor, but I now know his teachings and his influence are and have always been the hiss of a snake in her trusting, shell-curled ear.
Her presence blesses you, warms you like the kiss of an otherworldly angel. His presence is powerful too, given that he is Supreme Chancellor of this whole damn galaxy. Truly, he is Supreme.
My meeting with him ended nearly an hour ago and my mind is still weak from his probing. It was I who finally revealed what he was searching for though. And now I howl inside the aching walls of my head. How? How could I just throw him the winning key to a path that will forever change everything?
"Captain Panaka?"
My lady's voice breaks through the dark storm clouds, the anguished rain, the crescendo of the crackling lightning. She is concerned only for me. She should be concerned only for herself.
And for that tiny being in her.
She's always been as slender as a willow tree, healthy and happy. But now, her body often cripples in pain and her hands automatically curve over the swell of her belly. Don't think that I don't see, milady.
How could I betray her at her most vulnerable point? She will not be able to fight him. He will tower over her pain-curled body and triumph while she shatters.
"It's nothing, milady," I say, careful to keep my own voice steady and strong.
She would've asked more, but one of her hooded handmaidens sweeps in and announces that a Jedi, the girl grins as she adds 'a very famous and handsome one,' is here to see Senator Amidala.
Amidala. Such a regal name to whisper reverently as many of her people do.
But I have heard him whisper 'Padme' in a way that leaves Amidala in the dust.
Her eyes brighten to a shining amber and a smile, sweet and just as automatic as the way her hands protect her baby, curves her lips.
She will run into his arms and he will swing her lightly above the ground, gazing up into her crystal clear joy and adoration. He will revel in it, murmuring her name as his lips brush past the soft, so soft, skin of her neck. And then she will tell him of how the baby kicked or how she thought of the perfect name and they will love, and love, and love...
Love dooms them. I've doomed them.
She begins to turn around, to go to her beloved and I start to say 'NO!'
But I don't. She has little time left and she should enjoy it while she still can. She should be able to love till the end. The end? How could I say that? She will live. It isn't as if Palpatine would...
But Palpatine would. He would find a way to destroy her.
So I let her love, love, and love before the unstoppable storm that's too big for even her.
This is her time, her peace before the storm and before her final peace.