I didn't stay long at the banquet after Ahsoka ended our call. I knew she was mad at me for spending time alone with Padme, but why now all of a sudden? She has never been mad at me before for spending time alone with Padme,in fact in the past she had even encouraged it. Maybe it was because she was further along in her pregnancy now and she had more hormones running through her, or maybe because I didn't ask this time? Almost always if I know I am seeing Padme I let Ahsoka know. Whatever it was, I didn't want Ahsoka to be upset, I didn't want anything to harm the baby. And there is nothing going on between Padme and I, that is all in the past, we are just friends now.

I woke up as the sun rose on the day of the festival, I did not get much sleep last night, my mind was busy with Ahsoka. I was still thinking about last night and that she got angry with me. Even though in my mind I don't believe I did anything wrong I don't want her to be angry with me. Even though I was still tired I had a mission to do and protecting the chancellor was going to take a lot of work and a lot of organizing so I had to get up and begin my work. While I had most of the preparations done already I still liked to see them through myself, just to be sure it was done right.

"Anakin my boy, you look tired. Did you sleep at all last night or were you too entertained at the banquet to even get to bed?" The chancellor asked me as he exited his room, I was waiting outside the door for him.

"I left not long after you did sir. I didn't get much sleep last night, so I spent most of my time preparing for today." I explained to him.

"Very well then. What is in the plan for today?" He asked me.

"After you have breakfast you and the Queen will be given royal transportation to the festival and we will stay there as long as you would like. I have extra security at all entry points of the festival as well as hidden guards as civilians throughout the festival."

"Since when did you become so adept at planning in advance?" He asked me while laughing.

"Personally I like to freestyle and go with my instincts, but because I am protecting you, the Jedi council wasn't on board with that." I explained, and the chancellor laughed, I couldn't help but chuckle as well.

"One day Anakin, when you are a member of the council they will look to you for guidance,and that day will come much sooner than you think." He told me then put his hand on my back and led me out of the room.

The chancellor and I headed off for him to have breakfast, and since the chancellor was a dear friend of mine he insisted I dine with him, even saying he would refuse to eat unless I joined him. He was such a good friend to me. After we both ate breakfast we headed to our transport to take us to the festival; since this was a public event we were accompanied by many guards and things were extremely crowded. When we finally arrived at the festival I felt like I could breathe again, I just wanted this mission to be over with and I wanted to be back with Ahsoka, we just got engaged, I wanted to spend as much time as I could with my fiance. The crowd of people cheered when the chancellor and Queen arrived at the festival, then the Queen and the chancellor gave speeches to the crowds and slowly the people went their separate ways to enjoy the festival.

"Please, both of you enjoy the festival, I shall see you both back at the palace later tonight for dinner." Padme told both of us then going off to enjoy the festival herself.

"Oh your majesty if I may have a moment." The chancellor said to her then started to walk over to her, when he caught up with her he turned to me, "Anakin I will just be a moment chatting up an important political matter, please go enjoy yourself for a moment." He told me then turned to the Queen to talk about whatever important matter he needed to.

The Queen was well guarded herself so I know he would be well taken care of while he was with her. I decided to walk around and after passing a few booths I came across a merchant selling a bunch of handcrafted jewelry. I stopped to look at what she was selling when a blue crystal on her table caught my eye. It was the same color of mine and Ahsoka's eyes. As soon as I laid my eyes on it I knew I needed to get it for her; it's almost as if it called out to me.

"Excuse me, how much for this crystal?" I asked.

"I'll part with it for 20 credits." She said.

"Thank you." I said and gave her the credits and took the crystal from the table.

"For the right price I can make it a ring or something else if you'd like?" She offered.

"No thank you." I knew she probably just wanted more credits because I didn't even try to haggle the price.

I took the crystal and put it in my pocket before returning to the chancellor; if I am being honest with myself I shouldn't have even left the chancellors' side. Once I was back at his side we continued to walk around the festival, the chancellor really seemed to enjoy himself, I on the other hand was quite bored from just standing around and guarding him. These kinds of missions were not for me, I was better on the battlefield, the council knew this but because of my friendship with the chancellor I knew that is why I was selected for this mission. Thankfully the chancellor was getting too tired to continue walking around the festival so he wanted to made our way back to the palace where we were staying and I accompanied him to his room where he wanted to retire until dinner with the Queen.

"My boy why don't you come in for a drink?" He offered me. "You look tense."

"Thank you chancellor." I said as I joined him in his quarters for a drink. Once inside a worker of the palace came in and poured us some wine before leaving the room to just the two of us.

"Tell me old friend, did you enjoy the festival?" He asked me.

"I did." I said, it was';t exactly lying to him.

"Please Anakin, be honest with me here."

"It was pleasant, I just-"

"You prefer to be on the battlefield, don't you?" He finished for me.

"I have enjoyed your company sir, but yes. The battlefield is more exciting for me." I answered.

"I take no offence to that." He said and laughed, "Once you hit my age you will prefer this sort of thing over a battle. Did I see you buy something easier?"

"Um, yes I did." I said reaching into my pocket and pulling out the crystal I had bought for Ahsoka and showed him.

"My, my, how beautiful." He said admiring it, "Is this for a special someone?" He asked, smirking at me.

"You know that is forbidden for me." I said laughing.

"Well I have always known you to be a rule breaker." He said laughing and taking a sip of his drink.

"No, while on Tatooine I was with my step-brother and his girlfriend, he wanted to propose to her but he couldn't find a ring he liked, I thought this might work for him." I lied to him and finished my drink.

"How thoughtful of you. This is a beautiful crystal, she must be very special."

"She makes him very happy." I answered, not entirely a lie. Ahsoka does make me very happy and the crystal is for her.

"If you don't mind my boy I think I will lay down for a while before we are expected at dinner with the Queen."

"Yes sir." I said getting up from my chair and started to head to the door.

"Oh yes, the Queen wanted me to remind you that you are invited to this dinner as a guest, not just my bodyguard." he said before I left his room.

"Of course sir." I said then gave him a small bow before I left.

I went straight to my room and secured my door before I took out my communicator to talk to Ahsoka. When she did answer she was covered by her cloak.

"Hello Master." She greeted me.

"Hey Snips, how are you?" I asked her.

"I am well Master, thank you for asking." She was being very formal with me, "I am on base on the moon." She informed me; that is why she was being so formal, she was on base probably surrounded by clones.

"That's good, how is the mission going?" I asked her.

"Very well. Construction has been going much faster than we expected, by the looks of it, it seems we will be done a few weeks before we originally planned." She told me, "I am going through and making sure everything is going according to schedule, I do this about once a week."

"Way to stay on top of things Ahsoka. I am proud of you." I told her. She gave me a quick smile. "Alright well if you are busy now I don't want to hold you up. Check in with me later okay?"

"Yes Master." She said before ending the call.

I know it wasn't our scheduled time for a personal talk but i was still hoping to be able to talk to her for a little bit. I missed her. And I know I would probably go crazy waiting in my room before going to dinner with the Queen and the Chancellor. I decided to take a stroll through the gardens to clear my mind and maybe meditate for a little bit. I made my way to the gardens and started to walk through the flowers and the trees.

"I thought I would be alone out here." I said out loud and turned around to see Padme standing back a few feet. She wasn't wearing the makeup and her formal outfit as Queen, instead she was dressed the way she did back when she was a Senator.

"I could say the same thing as I came to take a stroll in my gardens." She said walking up next to me. "How are you Anakin?" She asked me.

"I am very well your majesty, how are you?" I asked her as we continued to walk.

"We are alone Anakin, you may call me Padme." She said and laughed, "And I am doing very well, thank you for asking. Did you enjoy the festival?"

"Yes I did. Your planet is extremely peaceful and beautiful, I see why you like it here so much." I told her.

"It is, I wanted to raise the baby here. Away from all the war. I even considered giving up my career in politics."

"Really?" I asked her.

"Of course, as soon as I found out I was pregnant, all I wanted to do was be the mother that baby deserved, I wanted to spend every moment I could with him or her."

"One day Padme, you will make an excellent mother." I told her.

"I am not sure about that anymore." She said as we continued to walk.

"What do you mean?"

"Like you have dedicated your life to the Jedi order, I have dedicated mine to Naboo." She explained, "As long as the people of Naboo want me to be their Queen, my full attention and duty will be to them."

"So you're saying you'll never marry or have children?" I asked.

"Not exactly, I won't marry or have children while I am Queen. If one day the people of Naboo find someone else to rule better than I, I will gladly step down and settle and maybe marry and maybe one day have children."

"I know you Padme, you would give your life for your people as well as your happiness. But you should put your happiness first too sometimes."

"Like you have?" She asked and laughed.

"I am happy Padme." I said and laughed along with her.

"I know you too Ani, ever since you were that little boy you've wanted more in life then what you were given. Right now you may be happy with the order but one day you're going to realise you want more." She told me.

"Maybe, but I think I've found everything I have been looking for." I told her, and I have, with Ahsoka. I never expected to love her as much as I do and I never thought in a million years I would become a father.

"We shall see." She said and smiled at me.

"In ten years we'll look back and ask ourselves if we have made the right choices."

"Well I am glad you plan on keeping me in your life in the next ten years." She smiled at me before she went on her own way.