If Ozara thought she'd feel totally and completely terrible when she agreed to marry Skandar; she felt much worse as she listened to Gail and Esma plan her wedding. They were completely blissful, planning their only son's wedding was a happy moment for them. It broke her heart to know that if they knew her true reasons, their little bubbles would shatter.
She dreaded every moment, counting down the days – not in anticipation, but in a wanting to get it all over with. The wedding was not as she always wanted, it was rushed and patched together – although, quite elaborately done. She always wanted a simple wedding, looking forward to seeing the man who was waiting for her at the end.
But the man she loved was on the other side of the galaxy, completely unaware of what she was about to do. When he did find out, she knew he would be livid. She only hoped that after a time he would forgive her – no, knowing him, he probably wouldn't. She felt like crying, she couldn't bear it if she lost him forever... but losing what he dreamed seemed somehow more important. She would not destroy his dreams.
She wondered vaguely what he was doing at that moment. Was he talking to Qui-Gon, or Obi-Wan. Or was he already taking Padmé back to Naboo – she felt slightly jealous if that was the case, but then reminded herself of just what she was doing. She had no right to be jealous of Padmé, she'd probably be better for him anyways. On a whole, she was unhappy. All she wanted was to call it all off, and run to Anakin as quickly as possible, allowing his mind and soothing presence to calm her. Alas, it was not to be. And after that weekend, it would never be.
"Ozara?" Gail's voice broke through her thoughts, "Ozara!"
"What?" Ozara's dazed voice replied.
"Mother has a question for you, do you intend to answer, or are you just going to sit there and stare at that vase until she makes up your mind for you?" Gail teased, motioning at a nearby vase that Ozara had indeed been staring at intensely.
"I'm sorry, what was it you said, Esma?" Ozara inquired.
"I asked what you thought of this one?" Esma asked, holding up a red bouquet of flowers "You and the color red seem to be made for each other." she held the bouquet up to Ozara's blushing face.
"It sounds marvelous." Ozara replied quietly.
Esma raised an eyebrow, "You've said everything sounded marvelous all day. Its almost as if you have no opinion." she touched Ozara's arm concernedly, "Is something wrong, Ozara. You don't exactly seem yourself."
Ozara smiled, "No, I'm fine. Its all happening so suddenly, I just suppose I'm still reeling from the shock of it all." she said with a sheepish look.
Her soon-to-be mother-in-law smiled warmly, "Just as long as you'll be happy, Ozara. I for one know Skandar will be." she said.
"I will be, I'm sure" she said halfheartedly, adding in her head: 'Because Anakin will no longer be in danger' Esma smiled and talked to the florist for a moment, leaving Ozara to herself.
Gail chuckled, "Sometimes I wonder if you are reconsidering your decision." she muttered.
"What does that mean?" Ozara asked, pretending to look at a mysterious looking plant nearby. It was hideous whatever it was.
Skandar's sibling tilted her head, "You start talking, or we start talking about your marriage, and all of the sudden your eyes grow sad and your mind begins to wander. I have to say, I have never met a girl who has let her mother, or mother-in-law, make so many decisions. What happened to that dream wedding of yours that I heard so much about when I was a child? Its as if it's vanished into thin air! And I'm not convinced that my brother has that kind of influence over you." she explained.
Ozara looked at her incredulously, "I have no idea what you mean. I'm very happy with my decision to marry Skandar. And if I wasn't, you'd know. As for my 'dream wedding' – your mother has exceptionally fine taste, and I agree with her." she said, trying to remember just what it was that she had allowed Esma to pick out for her hair-arrangements.
Gail rolled her eyes and sighed, "Really? Because last I looked I could have sworn you hated it when someone compared you and red. You prefer blue!" she said.
"Not anymore I don't." Ozara replied, 'They remind me too much of a certain pair of eyes which will probably never look at me the same again.' she thought, but she would never reveal that to Gail. There was no need.
"Very well. There's obviously no arguing with you, you will always contradict me." Gail said with a shrug.
Ozara was grateful the girl dropped the subject, as it only made the fact that she had – in her mind – sold herself short, harder to deal with. "What about this?" she asked holding up a decoration out of sheer exhausted willpower. She actually didn't care anymore.
Gail's look was incredulous, "Only if you have suddenly taken a liking to all things hideous." she quipped, "That is worse than Skandar's favorite piece of art."
"Well, I tried to be helpful." Ozara replied, effectively taking herself out of the equation of planning her wedding. Gail rolled her eyes again.
Ozara wished Leiana was there for her to confide in, to tell that she really didn't want to do this... all this secrecy was really taking a toll on her sleeping patterns.
"We are disembarking on Naboo now." a robotic voice echoed over the P.A. System, announcing the fact that the long trip from Coruscant was over.
"Well, I'm glad. I thought we'd never get there." Anakin whined.
"That's only because you are counting down the hours until you can see your precious Ozara." Padmé replied in a teasing manner, "I honestly never knew how much she distracted the both of us last time. I somewhat missed her."
Anakin chuckled, "You missed Ozara. She'll be flattered." he said, "After she gets over the incredulous look I'm sure would be on her face."
"She doesn't like me very much does she?" Padmé asked.
He sighed, "I think it might have been her jealousy that got in the way last time. To her you were in an interloper, threatening our friendship." he replied, "But I think she likes you now. Even if she seems somewhat distant."
Padmé smiled, "Jealous? That's funny. I wouldn't peg her as the jealous type. She seems too cool, calculated, and calm, her head always level and right where she wants it. Her answers quick and ready. She is probably the most mature girl of her age I've met. Even if she does ramble quite a bit with those answers." she said.
Anakin laughed, "It's all a show. She's not calm, or cool, or calculating. And if you asked her, she'd be the first to tell you. She is constantly berating herself on various topics which she need not to worry her little head over. So, sometimes she's confusing." he said, then thought for a moment, "Think of it this way: she is quite witty and clever, reaching the topmost heights of her vocabulary in the most eloquent of fashions – it's when she opens her mouth to explain where she came up with whatever it is that she's thinking that it all falls apart and she is trying catch up."
Padmé laughed, "Interesting way of explaining it." she said, picking up her bag, and leading the way out of the door. "I now understand how you understand her." she continued, "Because you're in her mind, you get to see it all first hand."
Anakin nodded emphatically, chuckling, "I suppose that is why." he replied as they stepped off the transport.
When they arrived at the palace, Anakin was immediately told that he had a waiting hologram from Coruscant.
"That was quick, it seems you are in demand, Ani." Padmé said sarcastically.
"I'm simply too important for them to be able to handle anything without me." he retorted.
Padmé told him that she would be with the Queen, and he left, following the messenger.
When he arrived at the holoroom he was led to a room by Zhane – who was eagerly chatting to Anakin about Ozara. Anakin found it somewhat humorous the young boy's fascination with the girl, understanding what it was that made Ozara remind her of himself.
"Here you go" Zhane said, "I hope your holo goes better than hers did."
"Why what happened?" Anakin asked.
"She left crying." Zhane answered.
Anakin nodded, he knew exactly what the boy was talking about, "I'm sure it will. She received some bad news." he said, patting Zhane on the shoulder, "Thanks for your help, Zhane."
Zhane smiled and walked away as Anakin went inside the holoroom.
"Playback message selected." the robotic voice echoed into the small room. Anakin waited but was soon greeted with a blue image of Obi-Wan – looking quite put out.
"Anakin. I can only hope that you have received this message before its too late, but I have bad news. Its regarding Ozara." Obi-Wan's' voice betrayed his concern, and Anakin's happy mood disappeared as his brow furrowed in worry.
'What's happened? Too late? What's going on?'
"She's about to make the worst decision she probably has ever made. For some odd reason, and I'm not sure why as I cannot understand it myself, Ozara has been lead to believe that you are to be expelled from the Jedi Order over what happened on Geonosis." Obi-Wan's voice explained as he looked over to his left, "Well, she has decided to take matters into her own hands... Anakin I don't know how to say this without sounding completely heartless." he seemed to have a hard time continuing, leaving Anakin in absolute agony as he said: "She's getting married."
If Anakin felt as if he had just been stabbed a moment a go, he felt now as if he had been gutted. 'What?' he asked in his mind, but Obi-Wan answered his unasked question even through the recording.
"Apparently Skandar, you remember him, proposed to her after Geonosis, and when she heard that you were being expelled, she accepted him. Now I don't know who told her that you were being expelled, as no one has heard it. Qui-Gon even said that the Council has not said anything about expelling you, and that they even mentioned it to him." Obi-Wan said, "But whoever told her, she believed. She's getting married on Benduday, if you leave as soon as possible you may be able to stop her."
Anakin quickly figured out what day it was – it was Zhellday, which meant he had one day to get to Ergon before the wedding if he hurried. He listened to the last of the message.
"I'm sorry old friend. I don't know what started this. But I hope you can get there first. I'm leaving now, as Qui-Gon and I have been invited. I'll see you there." and with that, Obi-Wan was gone.
Zhane was surprised when he saw Anakin practically rush out of the holoroom, he had hoped nothing was amiss – but the Padawan's haste told a different story.
"Zhane!" Anakin got his attention, "I need you to do something for me. Ozara's in trouble."
Padmé waited at the steps of the palace, quite confused as to why it was that Anakin was late. She sighed, hoping that whatever the message was that it wasn't too bad.
"Senator Amidala?" a young boy's voice sounded behind her. She turned, coming face to face with Zhane.
"Yes? I'm her." Padmé replied.
"I have a message for you from Anakin. He's sorry to tell you but he won't be able to escort you to the lake country, but he's on his way to Ergon." the boy said.
Padmé was surprised as she listened to what Zhane told her – maybe she'd underestimated her message to Ozara after all.
When Senator Peregrine's transport landed on Ergon, Leiana was surprisingly earnest to get home as quickly as possible. To her dismay, however, Tristan and Nadia were looking forward to going to see the Solos as soon as they landed. The argument went on for five minutes on the landing pad, Leiana not budging from what she wanted - then again, neither did her parents.
"Ozara's probably there, you talk to her when we go to see them." Nadia said.
"I just want to go home." Leiana replied, "Can we please go home?"
Nadia and Tristan exchanged a look at the girl, she was acting more like Ozara than herself at that moment - but she didn't care, she needed to get home now.
It was Tristan who made the decision, "Very well, Leia, if you insist. Take the children back to the house, we'll meet you there later tonight. Though if we have Ozara when we return, then all I can say is 'I told you so'" he told her.
"Don't worry. I'm just homesick is all." Leiana replied, taking Marius' hand and walking in the opposite direction.
When Leiana arrived home, she wasn't surprised to find Ozara had returned not shortly before, complaining of a headache.
"That Solo woman's been dragging her all over town, looking for things for her wedding. All the last minute planning is wearing the girl out." Bethe, the housekeeper, said.
"Thank you, Bethe. I'll take that up to her." Leiana replied, taking the tray out of the woman's hands and ascending the stairs. The children were all too happy to be home, and began running around the house as she left - Bethe chasing after them telling them to quiet down.
Leiana couldn't help but smile at her younger siblings, gently knocking on Ozara's door. She braced herself when she heard the faint "Come in"
I'm so sorry I left you with another cliffhanger, but the next sequence is simply too long to write here