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Anakin

"Two lives? What two lives?"

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Anakin and Padmé separated from their embrace after an indeterminate length of time (he certainly wasn't keeping track), apologies and assurances of love well-exchanged for now. In Anakin's case, he felt he still owed her many, many more apologies, but since she refused to hear any more beyond at certain point, he would just have to be satisfied with what he'd said for now. It was not long before another person joined them; a regal woman with hair of the darkest space and eyes like infinity. She was as alien as she was familiar, and before Padmé finished introducing the two of them, he knew who she was exactly. She radiated power in warm evanescent waves.

"Lady Force," he said, bowing without hesitation.

"Master Anakin," she said with a smile. It was one that changed every moment, for she hadn't one smile but a thousand; her features dancing across the expression of a gamut of creatures; of all the types of women who had ever touched her realm. "Come. Your companions will be expecting you soon."

She turned and offered both her hands. Padmé took one, and Anakin followed her example by taking the other. She had barely given them any time to prepare before she stepped, and they moved at a speed unfathomable on foot, though nary a wind touched their hair. The unreal, half-present crowd of travellers around them merged into an ever shifting colourful blob, the borders of the individuals unnoticeable now. They passed dozens and dozens of space ports, from ones with ships he could easily recognise to those crafts had a bulbous, organic, and consequently completely alien shape to him (and for a Jedi that had travelled the galaxy, that was saying something).

If it was ever possible to walk at hyperdrive speeds, this is it, Anakin thought. He was trying to fight down the lightheadness and wasn't sure whether he was succeeding or not.

He could feel them decelerating, as the people became more distinct once again and the architecture no longer flickering so quickly in his field of vision. Soon enough he found himself and Padmé walking alongside the lady at a normal pace. The crowd was never a problem for them, as the travellers never did anything but mind their own business and yet somehow made way for them and avoided their direct path. Sometimes their pace was frantic, at other times more leisurely, but none was ever distracted from that far-away focus that each had.

"Now," Lady Force said, "the seat you will be waiting at, is beyond that archway."

He followed her gesture easily; there was an open archway made of gleaming white stone, tall and wide and he could probably drive a herd of bantha through it without any issues.

"Before we part ways, is there anything you wanted to ask about your next two lives?"

Confusion slapped him on the face and his eyes widened. "Two lives? What two lives?"

Lady Force turned to Padmé with a question in her eyes. Padmé spoke at a carefully measured pace. If Anakin didn't know any better, he wouldn't have caught the hints of embarassment hidden all too well within her poise.

"I fully accept any responsibility over this. I got carried away meeting Ani again that I haven't informed him of his arrangements, nor of his travelling partner." Padmé said, every inch the senator.

"Travelling partner?" Anakin asked.

Lady Force exhaled, glancing between the two married Skywalkers who at this point had failed to hold back the matching happy, foolish grins that all people too deeply in love had. She gazed at Anakin.

"I suppose it was only to be expected. That was why I thought it would've been better for Obi-Wan to inform you of it than Padmé."

"I think he did it so we'd have more time together," Anakin said, easily coming to his former master's defence. The Lady Force only nodded at that, unperturbed.

"I'm sure he did. It does not mean he's not remiss at his task," she firmly said.

Padmé stopped Anakin from jumping into an argument hastily by a light kick to his shin. If anyone in the senate had seen her, she would've been embarassed being caught doing such an undignified action, but one had to admit that subtlety doesn't work on Anakin. Not when he was being emotional.

"Very well, I'll tell you what you need to know now. To start with, I thought it would be a better lesson for you to have a responsibility along with your opportunity. Thus you have one life of your own to improve upon, and the life of another to help watch over. The same task is given to your travelling companion—he would have a life of his own to try to do better at this time, and he would have your life to watch over—"

"I don't need anyone to watch me," Anakin cut in. He would've said more if the two women didn't stare him down wordlessly and immediately, something unspeakably heavy hanging over him in the air.

For once in undoubtedly not very many times in his life, Anakin decided that discretion was the better part of valour and kept his mouth shut. A good Jedi picks his battles.

"Thank you," Lady Force said. "Now, if you would allow me to finish…"

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