Chapter Two (actually One, but the Prologue messes up the count) ; )
"Sola! What in the galaxy are you doing here?"
Padmé Amidala's sister strolled into the senator's apartment, pasting on a forced smile and ceremoniously dropped her luggage onto the polished purple floor.
"Surprise visit!" The older woman announced before she was abruptly hugged tight by her younger sister.
"I wish you would have told me you were coming!" Padmé announced as she released the woman. "I've been called to the Senate. I'm probably going to be tied up most of the day."
"That's okay." Sola noted, forcing a pleasant smile. "I'm sure Dormé will keep me company."
Padmé stared at her older sister in confusion, hugged her briefly and then grabbed her cloak, joining Captain Typho, her escort at the door. "I'll comm you later. Maybe we can meet for lunch."
"That would be nice." Sola called out after her right before the door to the apartment slid shut.
She then spun on the unsuspecting bodyguard who stood on the opposite side of the common room.
"Dormé? What's going on?"
"I know what you're thinking." The petite but athletically built, dark-brown haired young lady said as she strategically backed herself behind the long, gold divan.
"I doubt it." Sola answered as she glared at the other woman, easing herself behind the couch as well. "Padmé isn't sick! You told me she was sick! That she needed my assistance!"
"She does! Just not the way you think." Dormé maneuvered to the front of the sofa and finally plopped herself down.
"I'm going to ask you one more time. What's going on?" At the contrite expression of the senator's employee, Sola joined the young woman on the sofa and waited patiently for an answer.
Dormé's explanation began hesitantly, but gained speed and animation as she proceeded. "Well…you know there was some trouble with a death threat a few cycles back. The chancellor assigned a pair of Jedi to watch over Padmé. One of them was Obi-Wan Kenobi – you know, one of the Jedi that came to Naboo and helped saved the planet from the droids?"
"Yes. I remember." Sola prompted.
"The other was his apprentice." At this remark, Sola did not miss the scowl of distaste that appeared on Dormé's face. "They hung around here for a while. Stayed in the apartment, attended several banquets and meetings and such."
"Padmé told me about the threat, but she didn't mention any Jedi. Was it that serious?" Sola asked with alarm.
"Not really." Dormé explained hurriedly. "The threat was never carried out and eventually the Jedi left. But not before the real damage was done."
Sola looked confusedly at Padmé's companion. "Damage? What damage?"
"I just found out that Padmé has been secretly seeing Anakin – the apprentice." Once more the sour face appeared. "They've been meeting at the upper level clubs and I think he even snuck in here one night."
"Really?"
"Don't look at me like that. The senator sent me home for a holiday. I wasn't even here." Dormé said in her own defense. "Or else I wouldn't have allowed him in."
"Why not? What's wrong with him?" Sola chuckled at Dormé's expense. She had known Dormé for many years, having met her back on Naboo. Padmé and she were good friends, and although Dormé tended to get into trouble with her rather overzealous nature, she was genuinely trustworthy and reliable. A good companion and bodyguard for her younger sister.
"Everything!" Dormé blurted out. "He's too young for her. He's too arrogant, self-centered, self-absorbed, cocky, argumentative, disrespectful…need I go on?"
"Sounds like you don't care much for him."
The bodyguard cocked her head to the side and cast Sola an incredulous look.
"He's all wrong for her. I don't know why, but she can't see it. It's like he has some kind of power over her or something. He's blinded her to his faults – which are many."
"More than you've already pointed out?" Sola asked with a hint of playful sarcasm.
"Oh, I can keep going." Dormé huffed, crossing her arms.
Sola sighed heavily. "And the reason that you insisted I come here is to…?"
"We have to split them up."
Padmé's older sister began shaking her head. "I will not. Padmé is twenty-four years old! A senator! She can make up her own mind who she goes out with. She's a big girl now, Dormé."
"You're wrong. She can't make up her own mind!" The bodyguard leaned toward her guest and whispered conspiratorially. "I think he's using the Force to coerce her into liking him. That's what I think!"
Alarmed by this news, Sola began to wonder if there was possibly any truth to the girl's outlandish claims. "What are you planning on doing?"
A wide smile spread across Dormé's face. "Anything and everything I have to." She announced firmly. "Are you with me?"
Another heavy sigh escaped the older woman's nostrils and much to her own surprise, she heard herself say… "I suppose. There's nothing else for me to do."
