Chapter 9: Return to Naboo
A/N: Destiny Changer, please see the end of chapter 2 for a Padmé/Anakin kiss.
Blitz, Padmé is not fully herself at this point. She is angry that the twins are orphans. In addition, she no longer trusts Obi-Wan. After all, as far as she is concerned, he is part of the reason, along with most of the rest of the Jedi Order, why Luke and Leia are orphans, and she doesn't understand why Obi-Wan only cut off Anakin's arm and legs but didn't move him out of harm's way. Obi-Wan said he loved Anakin. If he truly loved Anakin, he would have either (a) moved Anakin out of harm's way or (b) cut off his head, neither of which Obi-Wan does. Obi-Wan walks away, letting Anakin burn alive, which is quite painful for her to watch. That and she was still sort of in shock from what she saw earlier, because after seeing yourself getting strangled because of the presence of someone else, you're going to after the person that indirectly caused your strangulation. She also can't believe that while the Jedi encourage honesty, Obi-Wan is willing to lie to the children of Anakin and thus try to turn them into the uncaring droids that she sees the Jedi Order as being currently made up of, the only exception being Master Qui-Gon Jinn. And she blames herself for allowing Anakin to get himself into the mess in the first place. Obi-Wan is the Jedi she's the maddest at, besides Master Yoda, and he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
When the ship landed safely in the swamps of Naboo, Padmé quickly said, "Captain Panaka, take Eirtaé and Rabé to free Yané and Saché. Bring them here. Sabé, Anakin, the two of you are coming with me. Jar-Jar, you go find the other Gungans and inform them that Queen Amidala of the Naboo wishes to speak to them."
"What about the Jedi?" Anakin asked.
"They have some issues to work out," Padmé replied. "Now, come on. We have to sneak into the training building."
"She's crazy," Sabé hissed at Anakin.
"No, she's the most amazing person ever," Anakin countered.
Padmé blushed. "Focus," Sabé called over to her friend.
The two groups that disappeared soon reunited at the ship. Padmé, Sabé, Eirtaé, Rabé, Yané, and Saché quickly changed into their battle outfits.
After emerging from the ship, Padmé saw Anakin sitting sullenly by himself. "Why am I not good enough?" He asked quietly.
"Ani, what do you mean?" She asked.
"Obi-Wan doesn't like me, and neither do the rest of the handmaidens. Even Queen Amidala doesn't like me," he said softly. "But I don't understand why. Is it because I was a slave?"
Padmé sat down beside him and pulled him against her side. "Ani, just be the helpful boy you were back on Tattooine," she murmured. "Obi-Wan will learn to like you. As for the rest of the handmaidens, who cares what they think. As for Queen Amidala, here's some insider info—she does like you, a lot. The only opinions you should care about are yours, your mother's, and mine and not anyone else's. And your mother and I both care very much about you. Besides, Obi-Wan worries too much."
Anakin nodded and pressed his head against her shoulder. "Padmé, are we going to have to fight?" He asked in a soft voice.
"I'm afraid so, Ani," she replied honestly.
He nodded and said, "I'll keep you safe. I promise."
Padmé nodded and squeezed his hand. "Keep yourself safe too," she murmured.
He nodded and said, "Alright, I will, Padmé. I promise."
The two friends glanced up when they heard Obi-Wan Kenobi say, "Hi Anakin. Hi Padmé."
"Hello, Obi-Wan," Padmé said in a frosty tone.
"Hi, Obi-Wan," Anakin was much more enthusiastic in greeting the young Jedi.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and said, "Padmé, can we go for a walk?"
She nodded reluctantly. They were soon out of Anakin's hearing. "Look, I get that you don't trust me. But I don't understand why," Obi-Wan said simply. "Will you tell me why?"
"Not yet, after we freed Naboo," she replied coldly. "It isn't just you that I don't trust. It's the whole Jedi Order, except for Master Qui-Gon, that I don't trust. Anakin doesn't count because he hasn't officially joined the Order."
"That's harsh," Obi-Wan murmured, before heading off in search of Jar-Jar and Master Qui-Gon.
"But true," Padmé whispered, before rejoining Anakin, who was now debating with 'Queen Amidala' on the subject of freeing the slaves on Tattooine.
'Queen Amidala's' main priority was freeing Shmi Skywalker—the rest of the slaves could wait. Anakin thought they should all be freed as soon as possible.
Padmé quickly sat next to Anakin and said, "So, is everyone ready?"