Chapter 24: Padmé's Jealousy
Two days later, Sola was at the palace. Padmé, knowing her sister was coming, had disguised herself as a handmaiden for the day.
When Sola entered, Padmé led her older sister into her study. "Padmé, what's wrong?" Sola asked bluntly.
"Nothing," Padmé snapped, her back to her sister as she stared out the window.
"Padmé, I know you better than that," Sola said.
"Do you really want to know what's wrong?" Padmé asked, tears sparking the corners of her eyes.
Sola nodded. Padmé whirled and glared at her older sister. "I'm jealous of you, Sola," Padmé said.
"Why? You're the queen, you've got everything," Sola pointed out.
"No, not everything, you got the one thing I want, that I need," Padmé replied.
"A family, but you still have us," Sola replied.
"No, the chance to hold your children," Padmé whispered, as tears slid down her face.
Sola stared at her younger sister. "When I was holding both of your daughters, I saw my twins, your niece and nephew, Leia and Luke, being held by the two women who had raised them—Breha Organa, queen of Alderaan, and Beru Whitesun Lars of Tattooine—instead of me," Padmé said. "And I hated it. It made me sick. That's why I gave your daughters back to you and fled the room."
Sola wrapped her arms around her little sister gently.
"I'm sure you got to hold them, when they were born, Padmé," Sola whispered.
"No, I didn't," Padmé broke away from the embrace, her tears once again sliding down her face.
"I died, within seconds giving birth to Leia, I think, maybe it was Luke, I don't know, because of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda," she finished.
"Wasn't Obi-Wan Kenobi one of the Jedi who saved Naboo?" Sola asked.
Padmé nodded. "Please never tell anyone, not even Darred," Padmé begged. "I need to have the twins. Those nine months I got with them were the best nine months of my life."
Sola nodded and said, "I won't. I promise."
"Thank you, Sola," Padmé hugged her sister again and then began to cry yet again.
"What's wrong, little sister?" Sola asked.
"I miss them so much," Padmé sniffled.
"What are you talking about?" Sola asked.
"Six years ago, our time, I went to the twins' time," Padmé whispered. "I met them. I fought alongside them. I protected them. I was the mother they needed and I should have been for them. I got them back. And then I had to come back. I never checked in with Mom and Dad or anybody in that time since I was dead."
Sola nodded. "Knowing you, I get the feeling those twins can handle anything," Sola declared confidently.
"Even kidnappings?" Padmé asked, trembling.
"What are you talking about?" Sola asked.
"Someone is trying to kidnap Leia, and I can't do anything, the only way I know she's safe is through Master Qui-Gon," Padmé explained.
"But you're not Force sensitive," Sola asked.
"Unlike most non-Force sensitives, I've received enough Force training to communicate with the twins, and possibly Anakin Skywalker, who is not my boyfriend, and can also sometimes see Force ghosts, but only in my dreams," Padmé explained.
Sola nodded.