Before you read, I'm going to explain some things for those of you who don't know:
Dag is another way of saying dang
koochoo means idiot in huttese
e chu ta is a huttese insult that is apparently too inappropriate to be translated lol
you just need to know that for something in this chapter haha.
anyway!
thank you for all of the reviews, please keep it up! and now...
ENJOY!
It was early the next morning, while everyone was still asleep, that Zelina slipped out of bed, taking care not to wake Anakin. She gathered up a change of clothes, padding softly across the floor and out the door.
She'd decided that she was going to take a little swim this morning in her pajamas before anyone was up. She needed the alone time. She needed to clear her head. And the lake Padme had mentioned last night with all of the waterfalls sounded like the perfect place to go.
As she made her way to the lakeside meadow that had been one of the topics of the night before, she reflected on how the rest of her birthday had played out.
The dinner that had been prepared had been absolutely amazing, though to Zelina it had been somewhat tainted by the fact that it had come between her and finally kissing Anakin. So close, yet so far…
After dinner they had all spent time swapping more stories before Zelina had grown tired and went to bed, reluctantly peeling off the beautiful dress and returning to her Jedi clothes. Anakin had come to bed as well not that long after her, though it had been silent between them. Neither of them mentioned the moment out on the balcony, and she had the distinct feeling that Anakin had already pushed the event to the back of his mind, probably refocusing on Padme once more.
Zelina sighed, running a hand through her hair. It seemed no matter what she did Anakin was always going to go back to Padme. The jealousy swam through her, but she pushed it away the best she could. Anakin and Padme were both her friends, and she couldn't tell them who they should and shouldn't love. She didn't have a say when it came to how they should feel.
Zelina shook the thoughts away. She was going to ruin her day if she kept up this specific train of thought.
It took a while, but eventually she successfully found the lake that Padme had talked about. She smiled at the beautiful scenery laid out in front of her of rolling green hills and thundering water falls into the beautiful lake below. There was a large herd of shaaks in the field, grazing lazily at the lush green grass. Zelina smiled, weaving between the large, bulbous creatures as she drew closer to the shore. She brushed out her hair as she placed the spare clothes next to the shore, as well as her lightsaber and a hairtie. She stretched for a few moments before gracefully launching off of the shore and into the lake with a neat front flip.
The cool water flowed around her as Zelina cut into the deep body of water. It felt amazing and refreshing, a sensation that Zelina did not take for granted, coming from the desert planet of Tatooine. She dived deeper into the lake, doing her best to keep up with the fish that resided in the lake. Finally her oxygen started to run out, and she kicked upwards to the surface. When she broke through, the warm air greeted her, as well as the closer, thunderous noise of the waterfalls. They towered over her, turning the water below them a foamy white. Despite her fascination with waterfalls, Zelina knew better than to get too close. The last thing she wanted was to get caught underneath them.
"Zee!"
Startled, Zelina spun around in the water, eyes scanning the shore to see who had called her.
There, standing with a cocky grin by her pile of fresh clothes, was Anakin.
"Did you really think you were going to sneak away that easily?" Anakin asked with a grin as she swam closer.
"I was hoping to get some quiet time to myself. I'm sure you can understand that Ani," Zelina remarked teasingly.
He rolled his eyes. "Forgive me for being curious as to what you were doing up so early."
"You're forgiven," Zelina said breezily, and he scowled. "Well don't just stand there Ani: why don't you come on in? The water's warm, and I haven't been eaten by any exceptionally large fish. I'm sure it's safe," she teased.
Anakin shook his head. "I don't have anything dry like you do. I think I'll stay right here."
"Since when did you let that stop you?" she asked with the best serious face she could master.
His eyes narrowed. "Is that a challenge?"
She shrugged. "No, I'm just observing that you've lost your sense of adventure," she said vaguely, swimming back to the center of the lake.
"Alright, fine, I'm coming in, happy?" Anakin griped.
Zelina laughed. "Don't forget to take off your lightsaber."
Anakin stripped down, leaving most of his equipment and layers of clothes on the shore next to her stuff. He was bare-chested with just his pants on when he dived in the same time that Zelina slipped underwater.
He broke the surface again, and Zelina could hear him calling her name, trying to figure out where she was. Before he wised up and used the Force to detect her, Zelina swam underneath him and grabbed his ankles, yanking him down into the water.
They both came back up at the same time, Anakin sputtering while Zelina laughed hysterically. "Oh, I see how it is!" Anakin declared before lunging at her. Zelina shrieked before they both plunged into the depths of the water once more, Anakin dragging her down this time.
This back and forth of pulling each other into the depths of the water continued for a while, turning into competitions to see who could hold their breath the longest, who could dive the deepest, and who could make the biggest wave.
Zelina was sputtering after taking a rather large wave from Anakin in the face when they both heard his comlink going off back on the shore.
Zelina sighed. "I should have known this wasn't going to last long."
Anakin swam over to their clothes, pulling himself onto the edge of the shore. "Don't go condemning our fun just yet, I haven't answered it yet."
Zelina rolled her eyes. "Just saying!"
Anakin grinned before answering the com. She bobbed below the surface for a moment, savoring the last few moments of swimming before they were called back to the lake house.
When she came back up, Anakin was grinning at her.
"What?" she asked, feeling subconscious.
"That was Padme: we can stay here. We're going to have a picnic in the fields today."
Zelina perked up. "So we don't have to get out yet?"
He laughed. "No, we don't. She's bringing towels for when we do though, so that we can dry off."
"Right…I didn't think about that when I left this morning."
"Obviously," he chuckled.
Zelina splashed some water his way. "What are you doing still up there? Get back in here and have some fun!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming," he insisted with a laugh.
"Not fast enough!" she complained before she grabbed his ankles and yanked him back into the lake. He swore before he became submerged in the water, and the competitions resumed.
It was while Zelina and Anakin were having a competition to see who could overpower the other and push them underwater that Padme arrived. She cocked an eyebrow at the sight of Zelina and Anakin wrestling with each other, watching as Anakin gained some ground and momentarily submerged Zelina in the water before she popped back up with a grin, evening the playing field again.
"Are you two trying to kill each other?" Padme sincerely asked, picnic basket in hand.
Anakin chuckled as Zelina shoved him away, turning an admiring eye on Padme. "No, just messing around my lady, that's all. There're no murders happening here."
"Yet," Zelina chipped in. Anakin splashed some water in her face and she sputtered indignantly.
Padme laughed. "Well, I have lunch right here, considering it's grown too late for breakfast."
"What a shame, we've missed the most important meal of the day," Zelina said with a pout.
Anakin hoisted himself out of the water, gratefully taking one of the towels from Padme. "Oh well, I'm sure that we'll survive."
Both girls tried their best not to stare at his well sculpted chest.
Zelina took her towel and gathered up her clothes. "I'm going to go get changed, I'll be right back," she told them with a small smile, gesturing towards a clump of trees that provided nice cover.
Anakin nodded. "We'll pick a spot for the picnic while you're gone."
"Fine with me," Zelina called behind her before she slipped into the cover of the trees.
After their picnic lunch, the trio found themselves divulging all sorts of stories. Somehow, Anakin had conned Zelina into sharing the story where she had dropped her training lightsaber down a packed flight of stairs at the Temple in revenge for her sharing a story where he lost his in mud.
Now, Padme was sharing the story of who her first romantic interest was.
"I don't know…" Padme said, picking at a strand of grass.
"Sure you do, you just don't want to say it in front of me," Anakin said with a small smile.
"You gonna use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?" Padme challenged.
Zelina laughed and Anakin shook his head. "They only work on the weak minded."
"Which you are far from Padme, just saying," Zelina chuckled.
Padme smiled. "Alright. I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the legislative youth program. He was a few years older than I." Padme grew serious though her eyes held a teasing light in them. "Very cute. Dark curly hair, dreamy eyes…"
"Alright, I get the picture," Anakin said stiffly, looking away. Zelina laughed.
"Jealous much Anakin?" she teased, punching his arm lightly.
He shook his head. "Whatever happened?" he asked Padme, ignoring Zelina's comment. That only caused her to chuckle more.
"I went into public service," Padme continued easily. "He went on to become an artist."
"Maybe he was the smart one," Anakin said suddenly, almost cutting Padme off. Zelina cocked an eyebrow, though Padme beat her to the punch on commenting on his tone.
"You really don't like politicians, do you?" she asked shortly.
"Well this is getting interesting," Zelina said, leaning back and taking a bite from one of the many fruits Padme had packed as she watched them both with growing interest.
"I like two or three," Anakin said defensively. "But I'm not really sure about one of them."
Zelina laughed. "Oh, Padme, you're in trouble," she teased. Padme lightly slapped her knee with a grin.
"You hush, I'm intrigued. I want to hear what Anakin thinks," she said with a laugh.
"I don't think the system works," Anakin said quietly.
"How would you have it work?" Padme asked him.
"Yes oh great and wise Anakin, do tell," Zelina said, feigning reverence as she leaned closer to the two. Anakin rolled his eyes.
"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem. Agree what's in the best interest of all the people, and then do it."
"That's exactly what we do," Padme said defensively.
"I just think that we need less corruption," Zelina said with a shrug. "If there weren't so many corrupt politicians, then there wouldn't be so much of a problem."
Padme nodded. "Yes, corruption is a problem. But in response to what you said Anakin, the trouble is that people don't always agree."
"Well then they should be made to," Anakin said seriously. Padme and Zelina both looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"By whom? Who's going to make them?" Padme challenged.
"I don't know, someone—"
"You?" Padme accused.
"Of course not me!"
Well this is getting interesting, Zelina mused, watching them both with mild amusement as they went back and forth. However, Zelina also eyed Anakin, curious to see what he would say next.
"But someone," Padme said a little softer.
Anakin nodded. "Someone wise," he said as sensibly as he could.
"Sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me," Padme said, looking away.
"Well…if it works…" Anakin said matter-of-fact like.
Padme stared at him in shock for a few moments before Zelina started to see Anakin's control slipping and he smirked.
"You're making fun of me!" Padme cried as both Anakin and Zelina started to laugh.
"No, no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a senator!" Anakin exclaimed as he laughed, looking away. Padme gazed at him adoringly and Zelina's smile slipped just ever so slightly before she wrestled it back into place, not letting her gaze leave the two.
Zelina sighed, standing up. "Well, not that lunch is over, let's go do something. Other than swimming of course, I just got used to feeling dry again," she chuckled.
"I've got an idea," Anakin said, mischievousness lighting up in his eyes as he stood up quickly.
"Oh, and what exactly would that be?" Padme asked, standing up as well.
"You'll see," he said with a grin before he took off over the hill that rested in front of them.
Zelina sighed. "I'm sorry Padme, I awoke the beast, he's probably going to do something stupid now," she said with a smile.
"Well we should give him some credit, he might actually come up with something fun," Padme said with a laugh.
"Well, it might be fun for us to watch anyway," Zelina laughed as they both trudged their way up the hill as fast as they could.
What they found was an amusing sight for Zelina to see.
Anakin did his best to balance on the back of a shaak, arms flailing as the creature bucked and scampered through the field in front of them.
"Whoa-oh, easy!" Anakin said loudly before he started laughing, doing his best to keep his footing. Padme and Zelina started laughing.
"That's actually very tempting to try," Zelina laughed as they both watched the shaak skit away, Anakin somehow managing to stay on its back. He wasn't even using his hands.
Suddenly, the shaak gave a rather violent buck, and Anakin was thrown in the air. Zelina's smile disappeared in an instant as the shaak tossed him in the air again with its snout before Anakin landed on the ground. As if the fall hadn't been enough, the shaak promptly ran over him. Her heart stopped as she saw Anakin try to pick himself off of the ground just for his strength to fail him. He collapsed, unmoving on the ground.
Zelina didn't know when she had started running towards him. She just knew that she was now, Padme close behind.
"Anakin!" both Padme and Zelina cried repeatedly, their calls overlapping and frightening some of the other shaaks away.
"Ani, are you alright?" Padme called, the worry thick in her tone. Zelina's concern was past words.
Zelina reached him first. She grasped his shoulder's, turning him over to find him perfectly fine and grinning at them. He started to laugh and Zelina felt her face heat up.
"You little brain-bolted, dag nerf-hearder! Koochoo! E chu ta!" Zelina said, throwing a few insults his way calling him an idiot, as well as an inappropriate Huttese insult at the end as both Padme and Zelina whacked at Anakin. He continued to laugh before he took Padme hostage, grabbing onto her and rolling away. Padme ended up on top, and they all laughed before settling into a comfortable silence. Zelina sighed, laying down in the field and letting Padme and Anakin have their moment as she stared up at the sky.
It had been a good day.
