Chapter 36

~Almost two years later~

Soft white moonlight reflected off of the rippling waters, the low continuous buzz of insects humming quietly in the background. Anakin rested his arms on the banister, looking down into the well-kept garden below - not that it presented any danger. The estate was beautiful, to say the least, and the mission more like a paid vacation. It was improbable that two master and padawan teams were necessary to provide the minimal security needed for what was essentially a social retreat for many senators. However, the Chancellor had requested Xanatos and Anakin, along with Obi-Wan and Ben, telling them that they were more than welcome to enjoy the grounds when free. And it so happened that most of their time had been idle. They made regular patrols of the grounds, but their presence had only been requested at a few formal gatherings. Both Xanatos and Anakin understood that it was as close as the Chancellor could get to forcing a gift on the teenager for his coming eighteenth life day, and it had made it difficult for them to relax and enjoy themselves.

"Are you ready to switch?"

Anakin stirred at his friend's voice. "Sure, nothing out here except bugs, but I don't think they will eat much."

Ben laughed as he perched up on the railing. "Well, I could use some fresh air, bugs or not."

"This is so boring," Anakin groaned, leaning down to rest his chin on his arms.

"Not all assignments involve peril, intrigue, or nearly getting killed," Ben pointed out. "This is actually a nice change of pace. And remember, a Jedi shouldn't crave adventure and excitement."

Anakin looked up at him. "Are you auditioning for a Council position or something?"

"You wouldn't want to sit on the Council?" Ben asked.

Anakin found himself grimacing at the distasteful thought of spending days trapped in the Council chambers, his least favorite place in the galaxy; but there was something alluring about the respect and honor a seat would hold.

"Right now, I would just settle for not babysitting senators, miles from civilization," he replied.

"When do you think you will be back from Tatooine?"

Anakin turned his face toward Ben again, wondering about the jump in conversation. His curiosity was even more piqued at the look of intense concern on the older padawan's face.

"We are only going to spend about a week there. My master needs to get back for a small amount of physical therapy and observation before we are cleared for full duty."

Ben nodded, looking down to study the ground as he fell silent.

"Why do you ask?"

"Master told me that the Council is sending me on my first solo mission when we return." Ben shrugged. "I don't want him to be alone while I am gone."

"Don't worry, we'll keep him occupied," Anakin said, pushing away from the balcony and stretching up to his full height. "So, wow, a solo mission …"

"Yeah, it kind of took me by surprise."

"I'm sure you'll do fine." The old stirrings of jealousy began to bubble up in the pit of Anakin's stomach again, and he banished them to where they belonged. Would he ever be free from them? He knew that Ben had never seen their apprenticeships as a competition, and neither did their masters, but sometimes it was hard to not feel that way. Although Ben was older, Anakin had been an apprentice longer. It always hurt just a little bit to see Ben given the go ahead to move on in his training before him. "Well, I should get in there."

Anakin started for the doorway, pausing at the sound of clattering footsteps along a walkway. Something familiar drifted in with the breeze, permeating his senses through the Force, and he turned toward it.

"Milady, please slow down. It's terribly dark."

A woman appeared along the walkway nearly running with full skirts hiked up to her knees. She turned back to someone the two padawans could not see and called out. "We are late, Corde."

She was nearing the garden and the path, Anakin knew from unfortunate experience, was covered with gravel. "She's going to fall," he whispered before launching himself over the balcony and landing gracefully below.

"Anakin, wait."

Ben landed behind him just as the woman, predictably, slipped, tossing up gravel as she stumbled backwards and landed on the ground with a thud.

Anakin rushed forward, stooping down next to her and surveying for any injuries through the Force. "Are you alright, Milady?"

She looked up, light glinting off of chocolate brown eyes, and Anakin inhaled sharply. "Padme," he whispered.

Anakin could see surprise in her eyes at the use of a familiar name. Opening and closing his mouth to explain, he found he could only smile. He felt giddy, like he was going to fall into those eyes and lose himself as he stood, reaching out his hand to help her up. The gentle touch he remembered from childhood now electrified him as her hand grasped his. She was soft, and the brush of her skin sent awareness skittering through his arm and feelings of warmth washing over him. Suddenly, he felt a presence in his mind, an amused query from his mentor. Cursing himself for not paying attention to his shields, he felt heat rising in his cheeks. Thankfully it was dark and she would not notice he was blushing.

Realizing he was still holding onto her hand tightly, he dropped it, mumbling, "Forgive me, Milady."

"I usually go by Amidala in political circles," she said, and he felt himself sink, the bubble of his elation bursting at the simple knowledge that she didn't recognize him. "Thank you for helping me." Her eyes darted to his braid, and back to his face. "Padawan …"

"Skywalker," he supplied, at the prolonged pause.

Her face lit up, eyes widening in surprise as she placed the name. She began to search his face excitedly. "Ani?"

He grinned again, nodding his head. "Yes."

"Oh my, look how much you've grown." He could hear Ben cover a snort of laughter in a well-placed cough that drew her attention. "Forgive me for being rude. Who is your friend?"

"This is Ben'dek Itires, Obi-Wan's padawan," he explained, wondering why Ben had to be there at this moment.

"Obi-Wan is here also?"

"Yes," he said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. She was losing interest in him.

"I would like to speak with all of you, but I am terribly late right now. I need to go."

"Allow me to escort you, Milady." He turned, offering his arm, and she slipped hers around his elbow. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight until he had an opportunity to speak with her more. "Are you okay out here, Ben?"

"Sure, I'll just keep the bugs company."


From all appearances, Xanatos was watching over the crowd of senators dancing and socializing below. In reality, his attention was focused on one pair he had seen enter from outdoors. The chaotic rush of emotions he had sensed from his padawan just moments before was alarming, but not surprising. This was Anakin, after all. Xanatos had been able to guide Anakin to see the truth with Palpatine, now proud of how expertly the padawan seemed to navigate the wearying waters of political manipulation. It now appeared that he had another lesson to teach. He sensed Obi-Wan walk up beside him and turned to where the younger Jedi stood, arms crossed in front of him.

"The senators are going to think you are hiding out up here. You haven't come down all evening."

"I am not sure how they would respond to a Jedi walking with a cane as their protector."

"None of them seem to doubt Master Yoda's capability," Obi-Wan replied.

Xanatos saw the younger man's lips twitch up in a grin and scowled. "You aren't helping." He returned his attention to the small gathering, his keen eyes once again searching out his young apprentice. Anakin was still with the woman, her arm still wrapped around his.

"What is so fascinating, Xan?"

"The trouble brewing right under our noses," he answered without looking away. He pointed Anakin out to Obi-Wan. "Do you know who she is?"

"I believe that is Senator Amidala of Naboo …"

"The queen he used to have a crush on?" Xanatos squeezed his eyes shut as though dreading the answer to the question.

"Yes … but Xan, that was years ago. He was a child …"

"He wasn't having very childish thoughts about her just a moment ago, and now is shielding very heavily." Xanatos let out a deep sigh. "I suppose another talk is coming." Obi-Wan let out a chuckle and Xanatos smiled at him mischievously. "You laugh, but one of these days, Ben is going to finally do something completely unpredictable, and I can only hope I am there to see the look on your face." Xanatos paused, letting out a laugh of his own. "On second thought, I know I will be there. I will be the first person you come to for help."

"Come," Obi-Wan said, ignoring the tease. "I will introduce you to your padawan's new love interest."

Xanatos pushed back from the railing before taking one step. He grimaced as he leaned against the cane in his hand for the next step. It was entirely unnecessary. The broken bones had been set and healed. He was more than capable of walking on his own. "I don't suppose you would look the other way if I tossed this over the balcony."

"The healers said another week before it can bear your full weight," Obi-Wan chided. "Besides, it might hit one of the senators and then we would have to explain that to the Council."

They waded through the sea of brilliantly colored gowns and rustling silk, both nodding and offering pleasant smiles as they passed. Anakin's silence was disconcerting to Xanatos. He had deliberately cut his mentor off, leaving the Jedi master with only a haunting echo of strong emotion.


"I don't know how late we shall be," Obi-Wan said. "So, don't stay up on our account,"

Ben could tell that both Xanatos and Obi-Wan would rather do just about anything than spend the late evening fraternizing with senators, but the Chancellor had requested their presence at a smaller, more private reception given for a few close supporters.

"Yes, Master," he replied. "Enjoy yourself."

Obi-Wan let out a light chuckle as his face bent into a frown. "I always do." The sarcasm in his voice betrayed that he was partially envious of his apprentice who would have the option to return to their rooms and have a quiet evening instead of talking politics.

From the corner of his eye, Ben could see that Xanatos and Anakin were also speaking with each other. And from the irritation clearly etched on Anakin's face, it was apparent his friend was less than pleased that they had to leave.

"Are you coming, Anakin?" Ben called.

Xanatos rested a hand to his apprentice's shoulder, sharing a final parting word, before hobbling off to join Obi-Wan, pressing his cane very deliberately to the ground. Anakin reluctantly followed after Ben.

"Your poor master is so frustrated with that cane," Ben observed.

"It wasn't my fault the speeder crashed," Anakin snapped defensively. "I might have been driving, but …"

"Did I say anything?" Ben stopped walking and planted both hands on his hips. "Did I point a finger?"

"No." Anakin took a deep breath, relaxing as he let it out slowly. "It's just not fair that we are being sent back to our rooms like children. We are Jedi also."

"Correction, we are Jedi padawans." Ben started walking again. "Besides, I thought you were tired of babysitting senators. Do you really want to spend more time with them?"

"No," Anakin admitted. The next words were spoken in a whisper that Ben could barely understand. "I just know she'll be there."

They spent the rest of the short walk in silence before coming to the joint accommodations provided for the two Jedi teams. Ben entered first, pulling his robe off before settling onto the sofa in front of a Shahmat board placed on the tea table. Anakin sunk down into a chair keeping his eyes fixed on his booted feet. Ben knew he needed to do something to break his friend out of his moping.

"So, can I start calling you 'Ani' when we get back to the Temple?" he asked.

"Whatever you want … Ben'dek," Anakin replied in an unconvincing, mumbled monotone.

"If that's the best you can do, then something is really bothering you."

Anakin looked up, startling Ben with the look of uncertainty hanging in his eyes. "She hardly recognized me, Ben. I've thought about her so much since we last saw each other ... and she had forgotten me completely."

"You need to do something to take your mind off her. Do you want to go spar?" Ben suggested. "I'll let you win."

Ben was rewarded with the first hint of a smile. "I usually do win," Anakin said with his normal cockiness. He straightened up before glancing to the door and back at Ben conspiratorially. "I heard there is a club not too far from here. We could go get a drink."

"We don't have transportation."

"It's within walking distance."

"Our masters told us to stay here."

"Did they?" Anakin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was assumed," Ben replied firmly. "Besides, you're underage."

"Not on this planet." Anakin smiled, a deep pleading in his eyes and Ben wondered how long it had taken Xanatos not to be duped by that expression. "Besides, I'll be eighteen in less than a month."

"No."

"Geez, Ben! Do you ever get tired of playing it safe?" Anakin exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "We are doing nothing illegal, and I know Obi-Wan allows you to drink. We are only going to have one drink … maybe two … we will be back before our master's return."

Ben moved one of the light-colored pieces before carefully spinning the board to play the opposing side. He was determined to ignore any more of Anakin's pleading.

"Fine. Stay here," Anakin snapped. "I am still going."

As Anakin exited the room, Ben surveyed the dark pieces on the board, unable to concentrate on his strategy. There was too much trouble Anakin could get himself into but was that really his problem. He let out a deep sigh as he stood up and snatched his robe. Yes, it was his problem.

"Wait up, Anakin," he called down the hallway.

"You're coming?" Anakin asked hopefully, waiting as Ben finished putting on his robe.

"I am going to regret this," Ben said sternly.

"You worry too much."

Anakin slapped him on the back as the pair walked down the corridor. They followed the directions Anakin had been given, Ben suddenly leery about how he had come about the directions. First off, it was further than anticipated. Second, the directions led them through the forest to a small grouping of about six rickety buildings.

"I thought you said this was a club."

"Okay, maybe more of a tavern. They said it is where the local workers get together." Anakin shrugged. "What? Too humble for your more refined tastes?"

They entered the dimly lit room, drawing immediate stares from the usual patrons. Ben grabbed Anakin's arm and dragged him to the counter. "Two ales," he said, quickly ordering.

Two foaming mugs were sat down on the counter, their contents sloshing in a thin trickle over the rim.

"What is this?"

"A drink," Ben replied.

"A boring drink," Anakin groaned.

"Precisely," Ben said, smiling in triumph. "You can never be sure of what is put in anything else."

As Anakin sniffed at his drink, Ben took a lengthy swig before asking, "So, how did you meet this woman who seems to have such a hold on you?"

"It was the mission where Master Qui-Gon was killed by the Sith, and when I was brought to the Temple. She was the queen of Naboo at the time, but posing as one of her handmaidens." Anakin's features lifted, the same goofy grin as before turning his lips up. "She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I thought she was an angel."

"And here I thought you didn't trust politicians," Ben said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't trust the Chancellor," Anakin clarified. "I trust Padme."

"I see. You haven't seen her in nine years, yet are certain you trust her?"

"You just don't understand, Ben …" Anakin grew quiet, staring into his drink. Not for the first time, was annoyed by his friend's tendency to grow quiet or change the subject when questions got difficult. He was about to speak again when Anakin suddenly looked up, his interest obviously piqued by something he had seen out of the corner of his eye. "What's that?"

Ben looked over at the drink that had been sat in front of a nearby patron, a burly fellow who looked like he had much more experience drinking than the two youth beside him. The drink glowed a fiery orange, like a small flame sitting in the glass.

"It's called a Titian sunrise - a local flavor," the bartender replied.

"Sounds safe enough … I'll …"

"Anakin," Ben warned in a low voice.

"I'll have one … and so will my friend." Anakin smiled broadly as the drinks were set in front of them. "Come on Ben. It's just one drink. You need to loosen up a little."