Chapter 25
Ivan whistled between his teeth admiringly as they strolled down the central boulevard leading to the Theed Palace. "Nice place. I wouldn't mind living here."
Looking around him, Obi-Wan had to agree. The architects and landscape designers of Naboo's capital city had managed to achieve what few other places had, in his estimation: to combine luxuriousness with good taste. Everywhere you looked, there were graceful lines in marble and granite, softened by the skillful incorporation of living plants, green and flowered, tucked into nooks, spilling off balconies and climbing up walls, all of which left a pleasant scent in the summer air as they strolled along the paved boulevard. A wide green river flowed languidly to their right. Statues of weathered stone guarded the residences they passed to their left. The general impression the city of Theed made on its visitors was one of understated beauty, rather than ostentation.
Obi-Wan glanced over at his Padawan. Now 16, Ivan had shot up this year and was very nearly Obi-Wan's height now. Obi-Wan had the uneasy feeling that if Ivan continued at this rate, the Master would soon be shorter than the Padawan.
Still, Ivan's gains in inches hadn't been matched by gains in pounds, leaving him looking all angles and corners. It didn't help that he'd been ill recently, either; he still bore dark shadows under his eyes from the long slow weeks of recovery. He'd only just been cleared by the Healers to resume combat training, albeit at a slower pace for a while.
But nothing could dampen Ivan's enthusiasm for visiting new places and meeting new people. His eyes were bright with interest as he studied the people they passed. Citizens of Theed moving in both directions walked slowly on the cobbled stones, the better to enjoy their surroundings, and they stopped frequently to greet acquaintances they saw. Many of them were headed for the Theed Palace, which dominated the view ahead of them. A sprawling stone structure, the palace towered over all the other buildings, a harmonious blend of green-topped domes and turrets and colonnades. Citizens in flowing clothing were walking into the various entrances, watched over by the red-uniformed palace guards posted at each door.
Side by side, Obi-Wan and Ivan crossed the Palace Plaza and climbed the broad steps up to the main entrance, and, after a quick consultation with the attendant in the spacious lobby, were directed down a pillared hall, up a flight of marble stairs and into a cavernous waiting room. Bright sunlight came through the floor-to-ceiling window and striped the elegant furniture arranged in small groupings around the room. They paused a moment to admire the enormous painting that dominated the far wall. It depicted Queen Amidala, looking older than her age in an elaborate dress and headdress, complete with the traditional white-painted face.
Ivan looked up at it in silence for a long moment. "She's pretty," he said at last. "And I bet she'd be even prettier without all the paint."
Obi-Wan looked at him sideways. "Don't do it," he said.
Ivan couldn't hide a small smile from touching his lips. "Don't do what?" he said innocently.
"Don't you dare flirt with her. Please remember that she's the queen of a planet, and that we're here on business."
"Not official business," Ivan reminded him with a grin.
"That's right. Don't make me regret bringing you. I could have left you at the Temple, you know, for the duration of my leave."
"If I'd stayed there one more day, I would have gone crazy with boredom. Besides, I really want to see Anakin's face when he sees his mom again. He's going to be over the moons."
"Don't count the eggs before they're hatched," Obi-Wan reminded him.
"If you say so," Ivan said. "Not to change the subject, but Master, can you please put your hood down now? It isn't detracting attention, it's drawing it."
He had a point; some of the others in the waiting room kept glancing at them curiously. Not only were the two of them the only ones in the room wearing somber shades of brown and white rather than the rich colors the people of Naboo seemed to favor, but Obi-Wan was the only person who had his face covered.
"Trust me, I'd attract even more attention if I did that," Obi-Wan replied.
"Oh come on, it's been how many years since you've been here? Five? Six? Do you really think anyone would still recognize you?"
Obi-Wan cleared his throat and inclined his head toward the opposite wall. Ivan turned and looked at it. Two life-sized portraits hung on either side of the window, facing the portrait of the Queen. One was of Qui-Gon Jinn. The other was of Obi-Wan, looking much as he did now, except with a short Padawan haircut.
"… Oh," Ivan said.
"Let's get on with it, shall we?" Obi-Wan said.
They approached the desk where a dark-haired handmaiden dressed in a flowing gown of olive-green velvet was processing visitors. They'd agreed beforehand that Ivan would do the talking, so Obi-Wan hung back a bit.
"Can I help you?" the handmaiden asked them politely when their turn came.
It was Rabé; although she had changed somewhat since he had last seen her, Obi-Wan recognized her instantly by her darker complexion and the unusual accent that marked her as a native of Naboo's distant Southern Reaches.
"Oh, I think you can," Ivan said in a low voice, leaning his elbows on the counter and giving Rabé his best coy smile.
Rabé looked surprised for a moment, but then she hesitantly smiled back at him. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, I guess we'd better start with business," Ivan said, pretending great reluctance, and Obi-Wan ground his teeth in annoyance. "We're here to see the Queen."
"I see. Do you have an appointment?" Rabé asked, although she undoubtably knew they didn't.
"We're members of the Mining Guild," Ivan said. "We need to speak with the Queen about the legislation that was just passed regarding environmental restrictions on opening new areas for mining."
"The Queen already met with representatives of the Mining Guild," Rabé said. "Earlier this morning."
"We represent a minority view," Ivan said. "We weren't given a place in the delegation, but we have some information we need to bring to the Queen's attention. If we could have just a few minutes with her …"
Rabé was already shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but the Queen is on a very strict schedule and any meetings need to be scheduled in advance."
"Yes, of course. Tell me- What did you say your name was?"
"I didn't." She hesitated, then shrugged. "It's Rabé."
"Rabé," Ivan murmured, looking directly into her eyes. "Yes, that suits you. Rabé. Tell me, Rabé, does the Queen trust your judgment?"
"I…" Rabé's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but after studying Ivan for a moment, her expression cleared and she lifted her chin a bit. "Yes, of course she does."
"Then I have no doubt she trusts your judgment enough to let you make an exception to that little rule," Ivan said smoothly. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Rabé began to look a little flustered. "Well... of course I agree, and I'd like to help you, but I'm not sure if I should...?" Her voice trailed off uncertainly.
Obi-Wan sighed, losing patience with the charade, and stepped forward, pushing his hood back just enough to let her see his face. "We would appreciate any help you could give us," he said quietly.
Rabé got her first good luck at him, and her jaw dropped open slightly as her eyes darted between his face and his portrait on the wall behind him. To her credit, she recovered quickly, adopting a businesslike attitude.
"I can't make any promises, but I will see what I can do," she said formally. "Please excuse me." And with that, she slipped out the room.
When she was gone, Obi-Wan turned to glare at Ivan.
"What?" Ivan exclaimed.
"You know what!"
"You said don't flirt with the Queen. You didn't say anything about handmaidens."
Obi-Wan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Flirting isn't against the Code, you know," Ivan pointed out.
"Maybe it ought to be," Obi-Wan said.
"You don't really mean that, Master."
Obi-Wan softened a bit. "Perhaps not. I just want to… spare you grief. You know that, right?"
"I don't mean anything by it, Master. I'm just having a little fun."
"I know," Obi-Wan said. "You don't know yet how quickly a little fun and flirting can turn into…" He shook his head. "Just be careful, Padawan. I don't want to see you get hurt."
Ivan opened his mouth and then hesitated, as if debating whether it was proper for him to ask his Master for further clarification, but Obi-Wan pre-empted this by adding, "And besides, might I point out that she is 20 years old and you are only 16?"
"I'm very mature for my age, you know," Ivan answered, slipping back into his former flippant tone. Then he was struck by a sudden thought. "Hold on, Master. How is it that you know exactly how old she is?"
"Because I was stuck on a ship on Tatooine with her and some of the other handmaidens for days, and we had nothing better to do than talk to each other. I can even tell you that her favorite card game is Crash or Fly and her biggest pet peeve is people who talk too loudly into their comlinks."
"Stuck on a ship for days with a bunch of pretty girls, and all you did was play cards with them, huh?" Ivan teased.
Obi-Wan sighed again. "Might I point out that at that time, Rabé was 15 and I was 25? If you're too young for her, I'm too old for her."
"Uh-huh." Ivan did not sound convinced, but just then Rabé reappeared through the door and approached them.
"I'm sorry gentlemen, but the Queen is unable to adjust her schedule today," she said in tones of polite regret. "Why don't you contact Yané and set up an appointment for some other day?" Neither of them missed the subtle wink she gave them as she spoke.
"I understand. Thank you for trying," Obi-Wan said, bowing politely to her.
"You can take the east exit," Rabé said, pointing to a door opposite from where they had entered.
"Thanks anyway," Ivan said. "And by the way, you look fabulous. I really like that dangly jewelry thingy in your hair…"
Obi-Wan seized Ivan's arm and steered him firmly toward the door, leaving Rabé laughing quietly behind them.
They hadn't gone far along the deserted corridor when a door, designed to blend seamlessly into the wall, opened and a young blond woman in an identical olive green dress poked her head out and beckoned to them silently. Eirtae, Obi-Wan remembered. She gave a warm smile of recognition to Obi-Wan, and her eyes flicked over to Ivan with curiosity as they approached.
Once through the door, they found themselves in a long, narrow corridor. "This way," Eirtae said as she led them down to the end and gestured for them to precede her into an elegant sitting room, complete with ornately carved chairs arranged around a low table.
"Please make yourselves comfortable," she told them. "Queen Amidala is in a meeting with her advisers right now, but she will join you as soon as she is able. Would you like some refreshment while you wait?"
"Yes, thank you," Obi-Wan replied, and within a few minutes of Eirtae's departure an older woman and a well-maintained little droid arrived to serve them tea and cakes. The woman had beautiful manners and was solicitous in getting them whatever they wanted, not to mention she had the amusing habit of addressing the droid as if it were human, a trait Obi-Wan had noticed in Captain Panaka - and Padmé herself - during the Trade Federation crisis. Perhaps it was a common attitude among the Naboo.
"There's something about this place, these people," Ivan said thoughtfully half an hour later as he leaned back in his chair with a satisfied air, having eaten far more than was good for him. "They're just so… so…"
"Civilized," Obi-Wan finished for him.
"The ultimate in compliments, coming from you," Ivan said, grinning.
The woman and the droid came back in the room just then and began to efficiently clear away the dishes. It was only a few minutes after she left again that the double doors swung open and two handmaidens entered – Eirtae again, with another girl Obi-Wan didn't recognize – and took up their positions on either side of the door. Obi-Wan got to his feet just as Queen Amidala herself entered. Beside him, Ivan did the same.
Although she didn't look any taller than Obi-Wan remembered her, Queen Amidala made a striking figure nonetheless. Her petite frame was draped with a rich purple gown that fell to the floor in graceful folds, contrasting with long bell-shaped sleeves and a sash in the same velvety olive green fabric her handmaidens were dressed in. A golden headdress fit snugly over the top of her head, leaving shiny wings of smooth dark hair visible on the sides as they met and twined into a soft knot at the nape of her neck. As before, her face and neck were painted white with small red beauty dots on either cheek, and the distinctive painted crimson split in her lower lip that signified eternal remembrance of Naboo's less-than-peaceful days long ago.
Obi-Wan caught himself studying her face carefully, to ascertain that it was Padmé Amidala he was looking at and not a decoy, but apparently there were no security concerns today. She was subtly different from the last time he saw her; her face reflected more maturity, and the gown was slightly fitted to show curves she hadn't had before, but it really was her. As one, he and Ivan bowed to her.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," she said, moving forward and clasping his hand in hers. "It has been far too long. What a pleasant surprise." Her voice, although formal and measured, nevertheless managed to convey real warmth.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Your Highness," he answered. "Congratulations on your re-election."
"Thank you." Her eyes moved expectantly toward Ivan, and Obi-Wan introduced the two of them. For once, Ivan restrained himself and kept his tone polite rather than flirtatious. Obi-Wan breathed a silent sigh of relief. At least some of his lectures were sinking in, then.
"Please, sit down," Queen Amidala urged them. Her handmaidens moved silently to stand behind the Queen as she carefully perched on the edge of the carved chair facing the Jedi. The handmaidens stooped and draped the Queen's long skirts gracefully around her, working so discretely that Obi-Wan hardly noticed what they were doing until they were done.
"I would have liked to arrange a warmer welcome for you, after all you have done for my people," Amidala said, placing her hands lightly on the carved armrests of her chair, "but I can see you preferred not to be publically acknowledged. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"
"You must forgive us for the unorthodox nature of our arrival, Your Highness," Obi-Wan said. "I did not feel it would be proper to visit you openly and create the impression that I was here as a representative of the Jedi Order."
Amidala looked surprised. "Who are you here representing, then?"
"A mutual friend of ours. Anakin Skywalker."
"Anakin?" Her formal tone slipped for a moment, and the name passed her lips sounding higher, more girlish. More like Padmé the handmaiden than Amidala the queen. "Nothing is wrong, I hope? He is still in training?" Unconsciously, her exquisitely manicured hands tightened on the arms of her chair.
"He is still in training," Obi-Wan assured her. "He is under the tutelage of Master Jinn and I'm told he is making a great deal of progress. It didn't take him long to catch up to his peers in the Temple."
Amidala relaxed noticeably. "I am pleased to hear it," she said.
"But we are concerned about him, Master Jinn and I," he continued. "He isn't doing well on a more personal level. He... misses his mother. When he left Tatooine, he promised to return one day and free her, and I believe the guilt weighs heavily on him because he has been unable to fulfill that promise."
Queen Amidala's eyes widened in surprise. "Then... Shmi is still on Tatooine?" She shook her head slightly. "Forgive me, Master Kenobi, but I had thought the Jedi would return to retrieve her as soon as it was feasible. That did not happen?"
"It was not possible," Obi-Wan said. "We have strict policies in place that forbid us from providing any monetary support to families who give their children to the Order. I am sure you can appreciate the reasoning behind it. We do not want to give the impression that we are buying children. They must be given to the Order freely, without expectation of reward, or we would be no better than slavers ourselves."
"Yes, I can see why that would be," the Queen said slowly.
"Given the unusual circumstances, Master Jinn sought to help Shmi nonetheless," Obi-Wan continued, "but he was hampered not only by the Jedi Code, but also by the laws of the Republic itself. It is of course illegal to use Republic funds to buy slaves, even if you plan to free them. The Republic cannot afford to so provoke the systems that thrive on the slave trade. To do so would invite war."
"And yet, Master Qui-Gon freed Anakin," Amidala pointed out.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, he managed to get around some of the problems because he didn't use Republic funds to do it - he won Anakin's freedom as part of a bet, a bet that was already necessary to make in order to fulfill his mission to get you safely to Coruscant. And he was careful to hide his identity as a Jedi and a representative of the Republic."
The Queen was silent for several long moments, staring down at her hands as a slight frown puckered her forehead.
"Then if someone else wished to free Shmi," she said at last, forming the words slowly, thoughtfully, "someone independent from the Order... surely there could be no objection?"
"I could not ask such a thing of anyone, Your Highness," Obi-Wan said quickly. "It would not be proper."
"There is no need to demure, Master Kenobi," the Queen said. "I prefer straightforwardness. You came all this way to speak to me. If you seek my assistance, please say so."
"I came here with no expectations, Your Highness," Obi-Wan said, "only hopes. As for your assistance, allow me to say that although Anakin has not seen you in many years, he still speaks of you often. You seem to have made quite an impression on him."
"It would be helpful if you were to contact Anakin and speak to him as a friend," Ivan put in, "Perhaps provide words of support and advice. We think the contact would be welcome and could do him some good, in the absence of his mother."
"I would be happy to do so, if you think it would help. But if I wished to offer more material help for Shmi, would you not accept it?" Amidala pressed. "The laws of my people also forbid public funds from being used to purchase slaves, but I have funds of my own, now that I have received compensation for my first term as Queen, and I am free to spend them as I wish."
"Of course, you must do what you think is right," Obi-Wan said, "but I do not like to think of you returning to Tatooine for such a purpose, Your Highness, with all the dangers inherent in such an endeavor."
"No," Queen Amidala admitted. "I cannot abandon my duties here." She leaned forward slightly, and Obi-Wan was struck by the intensity that suddenly flashed in her brown eyes, and the strength in her voice as she continued: "But I am certain that if you and I worked together, we could find a way. We could give her the gift of freedom. For Anakin."
Obi-Wan smiled warmly at her in agreement. "For Anakin."
TO BE CONTINUED