Part 5: Naboo

I was Queen then,

When I stopped my planet's oppression.

Love is beautiful,

But falling in Love is complicated.

I've seen Revenge before my eyes.

Hate. Anger. Suffering.

Someone will die.

This is the outbreak of War.

This is how two, star-crossed lovers fought for their love.

I stand in a rose-covered arbor, overlooking the sparkling lake as the sun begins to set on the Naboo Lake Retreat. Dressed in a white gown made entirely of intricately woven lace, I stand with a veil on my head, looking into the deep, romantic eyes of Anakin Skywalker.

I had never given marriage much thought, but throughout my childhood, whenever I pictured myself getting married, I can promise that I expected a large ceremony and lavish decorations in a beautiful location where my family, friends, and fellow colleagues would look on me with happiness and sparkles of tears in their eyes. Never had I pictured it to take place on the terrace of an isolated island, with only a pair of droids watching on as witnesses to the Holy Man's blessings. Never had I pictured myself marrying a Jedi I had known for years. Never had I imagined us being wed in secrecy, as millions of troopers were being deployed to various systems across the galaxy to fight this new war.

Regardless of circumstance, I realize that I am here, with him, and nothing else matters. I could not imagine a more perfect place to marry Anakin than here, on the terrace of the Lake Retreat, where we shared our first kiss, and our love for each other began to blossom. It was here where I discovered my true feelings for Anakin. It was here where I had first felt his lips upon mine. It was here where I shared laughter, tears, and many other emotions, all for him.

The roses in the gardens below are dying. They have seen their prime and the petals begin to gently fall off and blow in the breeze across the lake. The air smells of the roses and tastes of the lake's fresh saltwater.

As we exchange our vows, we look at each other with very serious, almost sad eyes. It makes me wonder if we are doing the right thing. It makes me wonder if it's worth risking everything, just to give in to our love, especially now that the stakes and dangers are heightened with the course of the war. But even now, it is too late to go back. It's too late to back away as I did before and hide behind my occupation, using it as an excuse to hide from love. We agreed on Geonosis that we would love each other until death. These vows only solidify that.

Anakin smiles at me as the Holy Man blesses us and walks away, leaving us alone on the terrace. I smile back at him, brushing these doubtful thoughts out of my mind.

We take each other's hands. He hesitates for a moment, but then I place my hand into his new, robotic imitation hand.

I notice his smile fades too. Is he sensing the troubling future that awaits us, now that we've given in to our love? Was I seeing his own uncertainty as I look into his deep, darkening eyes?

Not so long ago, I thought our love would destroy us. But something happened to me on Geonosis. Something happened to both of us when we were taken prisoner, placed in the confines of those cells and given time to think. Something happened when we were told we were going to die. We realized that there is not much left for us to lose. And as much as doing this would supposedly destroy us, not doing this would hurt even worse. We'll make it work. It has to work. Somehow.

Once he bends down, and his lips meet mine, my doubts leave my head completely, and there is nothing for me to think about but Anakin, the sunset, and the sound of our love theme blazing through my ears.

Our kiss lasts for a long time. I don't want it to end, but eventually, it does and Anakin and I take a long time to look into each other's eyes. Beyond the lake, the setting, pink and orange sun is reflecting in the gently rippling water. Fog covers the tops of the green, lush mountains.

Looking into each other's eyes, I know it's worth it. It's worth risking everything. It's worth it as we turn and look at the lake, the setting sun dipping down to the horizon. It's worth it, as petals fly off the dying rose bushes and into the air with the gentle, evening breeze. It's worth it, as I look across the lake, tears in my eyes, focusing on the symphony of the two, forbidden lovers, giving in to their emotions and defying the rules of the galaxy.

I had worried about my career all this time. I had worried that I had no time for love, and that I had planets to save, nations to build up. Yet all along, those things seemed to just be accessories, and cover-ups to the things I truly wanted in life—to love and to be loved in return. It wasn't enough that I had proved myself a competent ruler, an intelligent politician. I didn't need the people of Naboo to love me, anymore. All I wanted was Anakin. And it wasn't until I realized that I had to be robbed of everything but him, when I truly realized that he was the glimmer of hope that kept me fighting for my life. He was the reason I placed the wire in my mouth and fought for my future, not the people of Naboo. Had the people of Naboo been my concern, I would have died a martyr for peace, a symbol for people to rise up and avenge my death. So, without him, I would never have fought against the nexu. Without his love, I would have had nothing to live for. It doesn't matter that our marriage is in secrecy. It doesn't matter that we still have our jobs and duties to attend to. I will return to the Senate. He will return to the Jedi temple and be sent off to fight in the war. But knowing we have our undying, eternal love will be enough to keep us fighting through the war, and give us a reason to live, just as it got us through the Battle of Geonosis. I know it would destroy us to do this, but to not do this would hurt even worse.

I hold my husband's hand in mine, thinking of how our love will be affected by the war. I have no regrets. I feel obligated to marry him. It was the only thing I wanted when I thought I was seconds from death. Given another chance at life, a life with Anakin, how could I come back to Naboo with him and not become his wife?

Tears form in my eyes and run down my cheeks. We'll make it work. I know we will. I think to myself as the symphony of our love booms though my ears so loud, so passionately, that it could probably be heard from across the stars.

End.