"Ani, there's something I have to tell you…"
Anakin furrowed his eyebrows.
"What is it Padmè?" he asked worriedly. Padmè took a deep breath.
"It's about my pregnancy," she started. Anakin's eyebrows shot up.
"Is it the baby, is it okay?" he said, growing into a state of panic. Padmè grabbed his hand.
"No Ani, we're both fine. This is about how I got pregnant," she said in an effort to calm him.
Anakin breathed a sigh of relief. Thank the Force, he thought gratefully. He opened his eyes and looked at her expectantly,
"I know I told you that I was dating an architect Anakin. I lied to you. I was ashamed of the way I really got pregnant." She stopped, but knew she couldn't end it like this. She forced herself to continue, not looking at Anakin.
"A few weeks after I was elected queen, I had a masquerade ball to celebrate my victory. There was a young man there, and for reasons unknown, even to me, we slept together."
Anakin felt his heart drop. No boyfriend? Then that means…oh FORCE, he thought. Seeing that she wasn't finished, he let her continue.
"He insisted we keep our masks on, so I never saw his face. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone. I'm so sorry Anakin, but I didn't want you to think I was some type of slut," she said covering her face in her hands.
Anakin took her into his arms. "Oh Padmè, I could never think anything like that. I also have a confession to make."
She looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. He couldn't look at her.
"I was at the ball Padmè. I was the one in the mask. I'm the one you slept with. Obi-Wan and I were assigned to protect you, but he became ill."
Padmè thought she was going to vomit.
"Wh…What?" she asked him, more tears pooling in her eyes.
Anakin felt his heart splitting.
"I…was the one at the masquerade ball," he forced himself to choke out. Padmè clutched at her large belly, not believing what Anakin was saying. He tried to touch her arm, but she pulled away. She was sobbing now, but anger played out across her face.
"Angel," he pleaded, but she stopped him.
"How could you do this to me Anakin? To us?" she asked him, holding her stomach.
"Padmè," he started again, but he couldn't finish his sentence.
"How could you lie to me Anakin?" she asked, with tears running down her face. Anakin looked at her
"It's no different than you not telling me," he said quietly.
Padmè's eyes exploded into rage.
"Are you dense, Anakin? Of course it's different! I get the feeling that if I had never brought up what happened that night, you never would have told me!"
Anakin didn't reply. She's right, he thought feeling ashamed. Padmè didn't look at him.
"Go away Anakin. I never want to see you again. I want you off planet within the hour."
"Padmè, you can't be serious," he said bewilderedly.
"I am perfectly serious. Anakin Skywalker, you have been banished from returning to Naboo. As the queen of Naboo, I send you into exile." She ordered. The tears had stopped flowing, but her heart was still breaking. "Captain Typho will escort you from the palace," she said, trying to sound like the queen she was. With one last heart-wrenching glance, he left.
Padmè ran from the room and collapsed on her bed, sobbing. Sabè hurried in.
"Padmè, what's wrong?" her friend asked her worriedly. But Padmè shook her head. The pain was unbearable.
