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The Unbroken Vow of a Jedi: Chapter 2
That Marrioné
Chapter Summary
After beginning an investigation of an attempted and sloppy kidnapping and learning a shocking truth about the beloved Senator from Naboo, Anakin's resolve to simply protect her is tested. Despite his conflict, the turmoil he faces in the wake of Palpatine's true identity, and the rising bad blood between the chosen one and the Jedi Council, Anakin must protect the newest Chancellor Elect from any further threats before he can discover the true culprit of the kidnapping.
With Padmé requesting support from the Nubian Royal Guard to try to recover an informant that played a vital role in the makings of a Nubian anti-slavery policy, Queen Jamillia expresses her concerns for the crisis on Coruscant. Despite the Senator's immense trust in Anakin's abilities as a Jedi, the Queen, distrustful of the Jedi's intentions in the wake of the unrest surrounding Palpatine's arrest, questions if the young Jedi Knight is capable of protecting Padmé without meddling. In an effort to gain Queen Jamillia's trust, Anakin shines a bit of light to the Queen and Senator, shocking them with the dark news.
Believing that the storm has passed, the young Jedi and noble Senator share a candid conversation and a meal, blissfully ignorant of what has yet to come.
Back to the Present
"Oh, Threepio is running an errand for me," Padmé called out from her office beyond her bedroom after hearing him question after the droid's presence, her statement bringing Anakin back from his reverie of their past. For some reason, every time Padmé referred to 3PO, Anakin could distinctly hear her say 'Threepio' over '3PO.' He had always wondered how he came to such an odd conclusion as they sound exactly the same with one only lacking a sort of endearing quality. Similar to the endearment he heard whenever she called him 'Annie'... He found comfort in knowing that his childhood friend was deeply cared for by the Senator. He briefly wanted to ask, 'You're not tired of him yet, are you?' but refrained in order to yank the mood back to professional between them over the unspoken intimacy they had before. That, as well as because he could hear the propriety in her voice as she petitioned for an audience with Queen Jamillia to the Royal Council of Naboo. Waiting patiently as he could hear her softly speaking to a few voices in the other room, Anakin suddenly felt out of place as if he was intruding upon her life in ways that he wasn't supposed to. That was a much healthier feeling to have over being too comfortable, surely… He shrugged before forcing his mind on other matters.
Stilling himself from his restless pacing, Anakin stopped and pricked his ears onto Padmé's conversation just as he heard the sound of a hologram beginning its feed transmission. Her glorious voice sang without hesitation. "Members of the esteemed Royal Advisory Council, I must humbly request an audience with her Majesty the Queen on matters pertaining to the crisis on Coruscant, in addition to matters concerning a kidnapping attempt that was recently subjugated upon me."
There was a shocked silence. "My lady Amidala, the Queen has been awaiting a transmission from you for almost half a rotation now." An insulted and elderly-sounding voice replied. It reminded Anakin of the elderly advisor Padmé had had as Queen… Sio Bibble was the name. The Governor of Naboo.
Padmé's own voice remained the same. "My apologies, Governor, but the Senate had just recently been released from an directive calling for a lock-down. I left the Senate Building's emergency bunker a little over three hours ago. We were all returned immediately to our households within the Senate District with no leave given to travel to any other establishment outside of the district. We had to remain close to each other in order to communicate, you see, for the Senate has also called for all communications on documented servers to be ceased. With that in mind, I must ask that this entire server be closely monitored while online."
"Of course my lady, it will be done. The Queen will have you now."
There was a moment of silence as the hologram reshaped its light beams to what Anakin supposed would be the image of the Queen.
"Padmé," The Queen said, sounding nearly relieved within her aura of worry. "Why were you unable to inform us? How badly injured are you? Will you still be able to serve this crisis in the Senate?"
"Forgive me your Majesty, this is the first chance I've had to call for your council. In order to protect those present at the Senate Building at the time of Palpatine's arrest, Jedi Master Mace Windu called for an evacuation to the Senate's private emergency bunker. No transmissions were allowed for any cause. And as for my injuries, I am still more than capable to continue with my duties."
The Queen was silent. "So it is true," she said, her voice beginning to sound ancient with the weight it carried. "Palpatine has been charged with high treason. Is it true that the Jedi called for this arrest? And without the approval of the Senate?"
"Yes, it was called for by the Jedi. The Jedi are given the freedom to judge and assert a charge of treason, and from that are able to designate an arrest to bring them before the Court. They acted within their power." Padmé assured. Anakin nodded in gratitude for the Senator's defense of the Jedi before he walked closer to the opening of the hallway to hear the conversation better, hoping he wasn't intruding but wanting rather to be well prepared for his inclusion into the conversation.
"I understand the premise, Senator. I am just dumbfounded that they could have the power to arrest Palpatine."
"The power that he was unrightfully given by the Senate has given too much weight to his name; he is still just a man, and he can and will be replaced." Padmé said venomously, though Anakin knew it wasn't directed towards the Queen. The anger he heard puzzled him. It wasn't public knowledge yet that Palpatine was a Sith lord, but he was very aware of the fact that Padmé had always been against subtracting powers from the Senate to be given to the Chancellor. It was a sentiment that he himself had always found foolhardy. Now who was the fool, he thought bitterly. However, she was wrong when she assumed that he was a mere man. Anakin didn't want to think about how the fair lady would take the knowledge that she served under a demon. "The Republic will bear the shame of his Chancellorship for many years to come."
No, Anakin thought. For the next thousand years. The very war itself might not have happened at all if Sheev Palpatine had never come into political power.
"And yet," The Queen continued. "We do not know the charges that were set against him."
"With all due respect my Queen, it does not matter," Padmé reminded her. "Any charge of high treason suggests that he has betrayed the State of the Republic. The shape or form that that betrayal has taken up is of little consequence to those that must rectify the wrongdoings."
"Agreed. But you must be one of the loudest voices in rectifying those wrongdoings, Senator. We must not allow Naboo to bear the shame of Palpatine's Chancellorship."
"That is an undertaking that I will bear with a viciousness. I assure you." Padmé said resolutely. Anakin briefly felt a twinge of enormous guilt from her before she continued. "I will make sure to allow the Senate to know that out allegiance lies with the Republic, not the Chancellor. Thankfully, our allegiance with the Loyalist cause as well as my reputation for being a staunch opposer of Palpatine's policies has kept the Senate's trust in Naboo's Senatorial Delegation intact." She assured her.
"Though I'm afraid that we must acknowledge that it is only on the Jedi's word that the Chancellor has committed high treason." The Queen rationalized. "I am afraid that we must have evidence of this accusation before any final agreement is to be found."
"I am positive that the Jedi will be forthcoming with the reasons for their accusation." Padmé replied.
Anakin wondered.
"A problem we shall discuss at another time. For now, we cannot take this attempt on your life lightly."
"Agreed, my lady. I have already informed the rest of the Senate within the Senate District of the attempt in order to prepare them should all Senate members be a target. Especially the other Chancellor Elects"
"A wise choice. Was there any indication that this target was posted on you because of your Election for the Chancellorship?"
"I am not sure. As of yet I have heard no reports of any other incidence taking place."
"Very well. I will have the Senatorial Royal Guard dispatched to Coruscant immediately."
"I am grateful for the sentiment, my Queen, but I have already been employed protection from the Jedi. I do, however, still require the Royal Guard for another commitment."
"Continue."
"Our informant for the anti-slavery policy, Court-Ruling 109.477.62, has been captured shortly after my own kidnapping took place. Jamboe Leirg's comlink sent out its distress signal at least an hour after I gave him orders to end his investigations on Tatooine. I knew that he might be targeted because the kidnapper actually tried to apprehend the documents themselves after cuffing me to his transport."
The Queen was silent once more. "This is distressing news. And bewildering. Did the Jedi mandate your bodyguard to investigate the incident on top of protecting you?"
"Not exactly, but he did investigate the scene. He is not allowed to investigate beyond my presence and was given the order that my protection was priority."
"As it should be. I should like to question this Jedi shortly, and I will send the Royal Guard to Jamboe's last known location. He must be retrieved. I will not allow such a paramount Nubian policy be exposed before its time."
"Very well. And I must inform you that Jamboe's comlink is still giving our intel its coordinates. His last known location was around the Ootomian Pabol Trade Route."
"Hutt Space."
"The very same. I will have my people send the link's line to the Royal Guard at once."
"Do just that. Now, I wish to meet with the Jedi assigned to protect you. Maybe he can shed a light on both the accusations against Palpatine and for his investigation thus far."
"Anakin, please enter." Padmé called out to him suddenly.
Anakin stalked quickly into the hallway beside the Senator's private bedroom and stared at the huge doorway that opened into her spacious office room. It was almost a miniature version of her office in the Senate building; light charcoal gray walls and muted cream-colored furniture with a simple, ultra-modern taste that gave promise to the Senator's good civility. Tasteful accents and Nubian knick-knacks lined the gray arches that curved with the wall-window, giving character to the expansive view of the busy-body city. It was a sunny morning with heavy cloud banks. Almost uplifting. A large gray desk sat proud before the window, and Anakin could hardly imagine the tiny Senator sitting behind it, lest she be swallowed by it. The smell was fresh, faintly feminine, and serene. He supposed that the smell was employed with the intention to evoke diplomatic conversations. He took a deep breath of it as he regarded the regal profile of the hologram that stood on top of Padmé's desk. Beside the seated and magnificent Queen stood six cloaked and unsuspecting handmaidens.
For some reason, Anakin's eyes stayed on the handmaidens for a second longer than necessary, an uneasy feeling sloshing over him before he tore his attention back to the Queen.
"Your Majesty," Anakin greeted to the Nubian Queen with a generous bow as he came to stand at Padmé's right side before the desk, subconsciously wanting to be in the good graces of Padmé's Queen. When he raised himself, he stood tall and locked his hands behind his back in respect.
"Master Jedi," The Queen acknowledged, using the honorific as a generality rather than a title of 'Master'. He wasn't sure if he appreciated the distinction.
"Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was the Jedi assigned to my protection."
"Do tell the Council that we are grateful for your protecting our beloved Senator from this unruly attack, Master Skywalker."
"Of course, your Majesty." Now onto the matter at hand. "How may I serve you?"
"Can you please tell me all that you know regarding the Senator's kidnapping?"
"At once." Anakin replied before pulling out the makeshift wrench from his pocket to set it on the desk. "All I know is that the documents the assailant was after was his second priority after the stealing of the Senator. I also know, due to Padmé's description of him, that he was most likely a male, of humanoid origins, and of a slim stature. Injured below the shoulder. From what she told me of his transport as well as when looking closely at this contraption the kidnapper had used to sniff out the safe holding the documents, I deduced that he was acting under the directions of another; possibly an employer in exchange for money. With this in mind, as well as the nature of the policy in mind and the location of the informant Jamboe's own kidnapping, I suspect that this has something to do with the Hutt Clan."
The Queen's eyes darted to Padmé's. "That is truly the worst-case scenario," The Queen said numbly.
Padmé's face paled – a very rare reaction coming from the grounded Senator. "That cannot be – the documents are only known by myself, my Delegation, and Royal Advisory Council. We took too many precautions for the intelligence of the policy to be exposed to the Hutt Clan. We limited the investigation of the slavery system to one investigator to keep under the radar. And we made certain that not a single word of the policy would be documented online. You and I are the only possessors of the only two existing reproductions of the policy-"
"If I may, I remember you saying that the kidnapper had an image up of the policy's cover page – I'm sorry, my lady, but somehow or someway, the policy has come out into the limelight." Padmé's face diminished as he looked down at her, and Anakin was sorry to see it. Her small hands twisted at the plum-colored silken cowl over her loose silvery shirt and similarly colored pants – clothes he hadn't really noticed that she had been wearing the entire time. He couldn't help the appreciation he felt when he observed how the high-waisted pants clung closely to her hips and thighs- oh no no no, we aren't going down that hole, he thought fiercely to himself, suddenly embarrassed for allowing his thoughts to stray so far in the middle of such a pressing discussion before discarding himself of the distraction. "…All that matters now is that we safeguard it by retrieving the informant Jamboe, by figuring out how the kidnapper was able to access the cover page, and by tracking down the kidnapper himself."
The Queen, seemingly pleased to hear of the Knight's concern for their high-priority policy, considered Anakin for a moment as he stood tall before her. Queen Jamillia had heard many tales of the famous Jedi Knight. The name 'Skywalker' had always been twinned with the name 'Kenobi', and together the two names had nearly become synonyms for 'victory'. The word 'Anakin Skywalker' had become infamous to the citizens of the Republic. And the man that stood in the hologram on her receiving end in the Palace Theed fit the fabled name entirely. The owner of the name, like the name itself, was broad and other-worldly. He spoke with power and walked with the purpose of a single-minded soldier, in complete possession of himself and his capable body. When standing next to the Senator in particular, the young Jedi's height and weight gave him a presence that pronounced beyond his commanding gaze and self-assured set of his jaw. His blue eyes spoke of a humanity that overstepped the detachment of a normal Jedi, and his striking facial features accentuated his estimable constitution. Then there was his bright golden hair; it was like a crown on his head that made strangers within his sphere question if he actually existed. The breathtaking absurdity of the young man made one ponder how his Jedi Masters could ever have molded such an elevated spirit. He was a human being that demanded acknowledgement, and from the way her adored Senator would glance at the Jedi for the swiftest of moments almost intrigued the Queen. And yet, with all of the splendor that Anakin Skywalker could summon from a simple stance, the Queen's candor could tear it all down.
"May I speak candidly for a moment, Master Jedi?"
He bowed his proud head.
"Before I continue, I wish for you to know that I have the utmost respect for you, Anakin Skywalker. In saying that, I understand that the nature of this policy might be somewhat important for you considering your life before the Jedi Order."
The Jedi Knight did not waver in the slightest to the eyes of the impressed Queen.
Padmé Amidala's eyes, however, were different. The Senator looked at the Queen in suppressed horror as she shamelessly exposed the young Jedi Knight about his own experience with slavery. The subject was something that Anakin hardly spoke about with Padmé, let alone anyone else. Although she knew that Anakin would never show it, and didn't show it, she could see the subtle hints of the pain he felt at her words as it rippled through his locked shoulders with a tremble before replying to the Queen's intrusion. A certain beast twisted itself into his face that only Padmé would ever be able to see, and its presence pained her greatly. To Padmé, the slightest relocation of any one of his features pronounced volumes. Any altercation of his mannerisms would leave her questioning as to why. The simple reason behind her amazing ability as to why came solely from the fact that she was the only person in the galaxy that actually cherished Anakin's true feelings. No one else - not even the Jedi, who preached against the dangers of emotional feelings - cares about his feelings like Padmé does. Like his mother, Shmi, once did in life.
But to the Queen - nothing had changed.
"…There may be a kernel of truth to that, your Majesty." Anakin allowed stiffly, encouraged by the gentle nod Padmé gave him.
"Then with that in mind, I suppose the Council could not have assigned a more suitable Knight to aid Padmé in this investigation. We also cannot forget your well-known success rates. I am honored that the Council has given us the services of one of the most talented Jedi Knights." The Queen praised him softly. Anakin, however, was unsure of how he felt at hearing the compliment after being coldly reminded of his past. "If it weren't for the crisis concerning Palpatine's arrest, I would have no doubt in my mind that you would aid in protecting our policy and our Senator."
Now he really wasn't sure how to respond. The implication that he would not protect Padmé was the only thing that mattered to him. "Your concerns are valid, but how can I alleviate them?" After all, he agreed that not just anybody can be trusted with Padmé's life. But he wasn't just anybody.
Especially not to Padmé.
The heavy layers of makeup on the Queen's face became solid as her eyes narrowed and her jaw clamped. "For one, the Jedi had arrested the Supreme Chancellor under allegations of high treason during the most pivotal point in the Clone Wars. And another, they have as of yet, been unable or unwilling to publicize as to why. Thirdly, the reasons behind the Clone armies attacking their Jedi Generals still remains to be a mystery. It is very concerning. And finally, I must say that in the wake of a suspected tyrant, I am wary of the Jedi wielding their powers in such a potentially harmful and destructive way. A galactic war is not the time where our leaders should be ripped from their posts. In conclusion, I am wary to allow a Jedi Knight to protect our Senator as well as investigate any matters concerning the anti-slavery policy before more information is known."
Anakin and Padmé's eyes widened as the Queen watched, both completely unprepared for her cold declaration.
Without thought, Anakin immediately began to fumble out his defense. The Queen watched as the pride that was chiseled into his shoulders crumbled in the wake of a... possessive vigilance directed towards the Senator. "Your Majesty, I assure you that I could never harm Padmé, much less could ever bring about the failing of such a morally significant policy."
"It is not you, yourself that I am particularly concerned with, Master Jedi. It is the actions of the Order that you stand behind. I must never allow an outside element to interfere with our course of action-"
His demeanor once again commanded reverence after he collected his gravity once more. "The Jedi would never meddle with a policy; it's unthinkable. My assignment to protect the Senator is exactly as it was when I was assigned to protect her after the assassination attempt that occurred before the vote on the Military Creation Act. The Jedi would act no differently than they did then, and neither would I."
Of course, he would act very differently when it came to his relationship with the Senator herself-
The Queen smiled to herself, finally at the young Jedi's breaking point; his desire to protect Senator Amidala. Now she was able to ask for the goods she wanted to hear. "Then would you at least be willing to tell us the charges that the Jedi have set against the Supreme Chancellor?" The Queen shot back calmly.
Anakin thought for a moment, leaving the room in a deafening silence before sighing. The second Queen Jamillia saw his defiant eyes dart downwards once, she knew he had finally submitted. "Most gracious Queen, we arrested the Chancellor because we came to a shocking discovery. It was something that had lurked under our noses for nearly a decade now; a most despicable truth that unraveled the very basis of our leadership and the truth of the war." Both Padmé and Queen Jamillia looked at each other briefly at Anakin's severe tone, wary of what he was about to say next. "Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's true identity is Darth Sidious; the Sith Lord the Jedi had been searching for."
The room was completely silent for the next several moments as the Queen and Senator absorbed his words.
"That is nearly unfathomable," The Queen whispered, horrified.
"Nearly," Padmé said with hard eyes as Anakin looked at her, gauging her reaction especially.
"With regards to the rogue Clone soldiers," he began begrudgingly, and with a voice that broke twice, "they were compelled to turn against their Jedi comrades due to an implanted programming that we believe resided inside their brains." That's what Fives had pointed to, at least. "This programming was devised by Sidious when he commissioned the Army of the Republic. While the prospect that the Kaminoans were in this plot as well is hard to deny, there has not been an investigation into that matter as of yet." He finished quickly, hoping that they wouldn't invade on the subject any further.
"...oh," was all that Padmé had been able to say before continuing, "He had been planning to exterminate the Jedi for over a decade."
"We discovered this truth of his identity after he tried to turn one of our own to the dark side." He explained a moment later after choosing to ignore the Senator's horrific comment.
"And did this person turn?" Padmé asked after snapping her head towards him in hidden freight.
"No…" He said, flinching at the question that hit too close to home. "…He informed Master Windu of the Chancellor's treachery, and from there Windu, as well as a few other Masters, came into Palpatine's office at the Senate Building in order to arrest him. A Sith Lord is one of the most dangerous and powerful beings in the galaxy. That is why Master Windu called for the Senate to be evacuated to the emergency bunker. Master Windu was... the only Jedi that survived the duel. Palpatine was… successfully subdued." He lied softly.
Padmé considered the matter before asking about the details of the very dangerous Sith Lord's imprisonment. The information would be dodgy for those in the know, as well as incredibly sensitive. She chose instead to remain silent and trust that the Jedi could maintain Palpatine until the status quo could be rectified.
The Queen clasped her hands before her, looking grateful. "Then you can give Master Windu a thousand thanks from Naboo for protecting the galaxy from a tyrannical fiend such as Palpatine. Our people will weep with a heavy conscience for many years to come." The Queen said with a bow and a cracked voice. "My trust in the Jedi have been restored, and I pray that they release as much information concerning the Sith Lord as possible. We will require evidence, as well…"
Anakin nodded. "That should be no issue."
"Of course. Please inform the Council that, in the midst of the distrust the Jedi will face, Naboo will stand behind them and be their ally to help alleviate their pains. I understand that the Jedi Temple had been under attack, and many Jedi have fallen as a result. Please send the Jedi High Council my thanks, appreciation, and my apology as a result of these crimes committed by the Sith Lord."
"I will do as you ask, your Majesty, and I will continue to investigate the matter surrounding the Senator's kidnapping to the best of my ability, and I will uphold the will of the Senator and yourself as best as I can. I will protect the Senator with my life. No harm will ever come to Padmé, I promise you." He said with an intensity that touched the Queen. The Jedi Knight meant his words with every fiber that made him.
Padmé, on the other hand, stared at the Jedi's determined profile and heated stare at the Queen with a timid curiosity, her face and body flushing wildly at the young Jedi's impassioned declaration. Suddenly self-conscious in Anakin's presence, Padmé tottered to her left in the aftermath of her feeling that a foot of space between her body and his was much too small. Anakin felt the same but knew that any movement he made would've been too noticeable.
"So it would seem, Master Jedi. With this terrible new knowledge, I will allow you to continue to care for the well-being of our Senator. But before I call for the final word of this meeting, I must ask; do you think that the attempted kidnapping could have had anything to do with Palpatine's arrest? The timing is too close for comfort, and I would like to think that maybe you could alleviate our worries."
Ignoring the rising temperature of his body next to Padmé's, Anakin pondered the prospect carefully. It was alarming to consider that this half-hazard kidnapping of the Senator took place the morning following the fall of the most powerful man in the galaxy. It seemed nearly ridiculous to him to think that, during such a pivotal and high-stakes moment, something as comparatively mundane as a political abduction by a C-grade bounty hunter could even happen. Though he knew better than most that the galaxy they lived in had the most special knack for juggling numerous problems at once. He thought that it especially found pleasure in shrugging most of those problems his way, but quickly recognized that that was quite an egotistical way of looking at it. Smiling beyond that thought with a sense of self-satisfaction, he wondered that maybe he was in the thick of it all because he was good at resolving those issues. Though the only issues he had been resolving as of the past three and a half years had been for battles' sake.
But the issue he now faced with Padmé's safety once again threatened was something he wanted to resolve as quickly and painlessly as possible. He swore to himself then that the injuries that now blemished her body would never return when he was done here.
But that didn't mean he would ever know all of the answers so early in the game. "I'm afraid that I cannot give a sure answer, your Majesty. There are too many aspects to consider, but I most assuredly cannot deny the probable likelihood that the two events may be linked."
The Queen rocked back in her chair, the stiffness in her upper body relaxing from the weight of her worries. "Then we will have to leave you to your investigation in the hopes that either you or the Royal Guard will be able to uncover this dangerous mystery."
"Many thanks for sending the Guard to recover Jamboe, your Majesty." Padmé said with a graceful and practiced bow before her shining eyes fell onto Anakin. "I have complete faith in both their efforts as well as Master Skywalker's."
"As do I. And finally, I wish to part this meeting with a request, Senator."
Padmé waited expectantly.
"All I ask is that you attend an official hearing of the Senate as soon as the opportunity presents itself. This war must now see its inevitable end."
"I agree whole-heartedly, my Queen. We cannot allow attempts on my life to deter our cause, nor can we allow this devastating crisis to cripple to inner workings of the Republic. With the Sith lord no longer dealing his hand as the leader of both sides in the Clone Wars, the conflict must come to a close."
The Queen smiled at Padmé with pride and camaraderie. "Your sacrifices are forever honored, Padmé. Please take care of yourself. I will inform your family immediately on the matter."
Padmé grimaced suddenly, looking wary for a moment before recovering. "Thank you, Queen Jamillia."
"Your Majesty," Anakin bowed deeply before the holo-transmitter went dead. Padmé let out a frustrated sigh as Anakin looked down at her silently. Her conduct was always air-tight when in anyone else's companionship. It was only in his that she allowed herself length from the leash that was her Senatorial demeanor. And he tried not to think too much about that. She wasn't really aware of her habit, so there was no need to cry for a pound of flesh for the error, despite the unwelcome pleasure he garnered from the thought.
What Padmé Amidala was thinking and how she expressed her thoughts was precious to Anakin.
"I'm afraid that this conversation has only doubled my fears," she nearly cried as she rubbed the back of her sore neck.
This aggrieved him. "I'm terribly sorry that I had to be the one to tell you about Palpatine. I really didn't want to," he admitted quietly.
Her reply was genuine and affectionate. "Better from you than someone else," With one last rub she began to turn opposite from the desk and back towards the hallway before stopping hastily when Anakin lurched his body in front of hers. She gasped softly as he did this, the rapid movement and new proximity startling her.
The young Senator withered at the heat of the Jedi's gaze, suddenly very overwrought. "I meant what I said when I promised Queen Jamillia that I would protect you at all costs," he announced with the quietest voice, and Padmé wondered idly if it had ever been that deep before.
"I-I know that, Anakin, of course," she said with a pat on his upper arm and became flustered when she felt how hard his arm was. She just couldn't win.
"And I will do my best to make sure that your hard work is not ruined. If there has ever been a policy that has deserved to be passed, it's that one." He said with a naked admiration and esteem mirrored in his big blue eyes.
Padmé had to gulp several times before she could reply. "Thank you," she whispered, enormously grateful for his praise before recovering. "But I must warn you; the Senate will be clambering over each other, all of us, in shock and disorder and desperation. I must apologize in advance for the countless political wedges you will find yourself in as I make my rounds."
His face relaxed into a warm smile. "It will be no issue, my lady. Besides, I'm sure it will be rather entertaining to see you eloquently talk down to your colleagues and air your opinions as you always do."
She smiled appreciatively for a moment before continuing, "This will be a most difficult year for the Senate, as well as the Jedi. The entirety of the Republic must begin the recovery process… no matter…" She hesitated, biting the inside of her lip in angst. "Annie," she said suddenly before stepping even closer to him, "is it really true that he was the Sith lord the Jedi had been searching for?"
Anakin took a deep breath, furrowing his eyebrows in humiliation. "Yes. He was the Sith lord. And he was under our noses, with each and every one of us unable to sniff it out until the damage had already been done." No longer able to stand his proximity to her, he walked away from her out of the office and towards the stairs that led to the veranda, fighting the urge to pace. "It would be a lie if it was said that I didn't bear more responsibility than the others," he cursed, hiding his body further within his cloak, suddenly self-conscious of the size of his body within the open room as he towered over the small Senator who came up from behind him to tentatively touch his shoulder again with her good hand. "I was around him the most - I should've easily sensed the evil that-"
"You mustn't blame yourself; we were all responsible for playing to his machinations. And, in his twistedness, he played your troubles to his hand and gave you exactly what you've always wanted. I'm so sorry he did that to you." She said with remorse. For the longest second, it looked as if she was going to say more, but Anakin wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it.
"Many people throughout the galaxy never had a real father figure; I'm not special in that regard."
"No, but he also gave you an invaluable friendship that was outside the dogma of the Order."
"In that, I should've relied more on you. You are my most precious friend, Padmé." He said as he looked down over his shoulder at her before turning to meet her eyes completely, uncaring that the conversation once again lost its professionalism. Her eyes seemed to melt a little as he looked into them. "But with that, you are rather biased when it comes to my character. I'm not the good person you think I am, despite my desire to be,"
"On the contrary, I'm a rather cagey person, you know?" She quipped lightly.
"More shrewd than anything really. If you weren't you probably wouldn't be standing there," he reminded her.
"That's very true," She laughed despite her companion thinking stoutly that it was far from a laughing matter.
"Attempts on your life are not something to laugh at," he snapped, his tone much sharper than he had intended it to be, suddenly fiercely protective.
She hardly batted an eye. "I think it's rather amusing,"
"Sorry," he allowed, lowering his eyes to the floor. She brushed it off with a pleasant smile and a flick of her small hand. He almost cried at just how easy and terribly pleasant it was to be around her despite his boorishness and crackling temper. He wasn't quite sure what exactly was wrong with himself. There was no reason to be so testy, he thought absently as he stared at her leveled face. In fact, he was beginning to experience his appalling memories of the last twelve hours begin to lose meaning and clarity the more he spent time with the well-adjusted Senator. She grounded him, and he welcomed the effect.
"But please, Annie; don't let yourself despair over him. The man was never worth your time." She patted his shoulder, and before he knew it his hand had shot up to cup it where it was, only staying there for a second before awkwardly patting it and bringing it from his body and back to her side. Again, she didn't even bat an eye, very smooth about the encounter as he fumbled, oblivious to the blush of adoration within her luminous cheeks.
"I will try my best. I suppose I will pay for it in time through my own attempts to relieve the entire crisis," He allowed, entirely unconvinced but simply wanting to ease her worry for him. He thought that 'despair' was a strong word, though.
"Until then, I hope you aren't too bothered to help me alleviate it myself in the next upcoming week or so."
"As long as there's someone out for your hide I'm more than happy to waste my time with you my lady." he shot back, amazed at how quickly his ruinous mood flipped over onto its back for her to rub its belly. She was like a shot of dopamine to his system, an exact contrast to his dark former mentor. "Even if that includes wasting away in the wasteland of politics."
Padmé wanted to laugh at his little jab, but a sigh of frustration came out instead as she contemplated her concerns. "While I really do not want to bring the subject back to that traitorous..." diabolic shatbag- "demon of a man," she growled eloquently as she made her way to the center of the veranda to take an easy seat within the circular couches, "Just how exactly was it finally brought out into the light? The undebatable fact of his identity, I mean. It's not that I don't trust the Jedi; I just think it would greatly benefit my understanding if I knew how it unfolded. I know the Senate will be asking around for proof, and it would give me an edge to know the specifics."
As his eyes followed her movements, he knew immediately that he could trust her with everything that he knew, as he always could have. While Anakin did harbor some resentment for Padmé's altruistic reasoning, especially when regarding both of their lives, he knew he couldn't think of a time when she had ever broken his trust in practical matters. Impersonal matters, at least. Regardless, he felt that he was unable to speak about Sidious' seduction. For a reason that remained unknown to him, he felt that the temptations given to him by the dark lord was deeply personal and shameful, uniquely when it came to Padmé. He remembered the panicked look she had when he told her and the Queen that Sidious had tried to induct a Jedi into his teachings. A look of doubt, he thought sickly.
If there was anything that the resilient warrior could not stand to fail, it would be Padmé's trust in him. Glossing over the issue with a partial truth was the way to go. "He attacked us in a manner that only a Sith Lord would have the knowledge or power to do."
One could never disregard the experience of wallowing in the freezing static of Force lightning.
"Why was he attacking? Especially after refraining from showing his true identity for the entirety of his life… something must have finally challenged his hold on…" She mused to herself, contemplating the situation deeply.
"Yes, he was cornered. As I said, many Jedi Masters had gone to his chambers to confront him with the intent to make him relinquish his hold on the Senate." He lied uneasily. "You see, by that point, we had finally been tipped-off by the Jedi he tried to turn about his true identity, and we made haste to to take action before the vote in which the Senate could grant him more power would occur." He paused, frustrated. "I believe we were… ill-prepared to confront him."
"'We?' You were a part of this?"
He hesitated. "No, not really." Ignoring her confusion, he continued. "I had been ordered to remain in the Council Chambers by Master Windu, but I refused to remain there. I knew they were ill-prepared, and I joined them in error of my orders. I probably would be in a heap of trouble if my stunt didn't pay off," he chuckled darkly, his irritation with the Order ever-growing.
"What do you mean?"
"I helped aid Windu in his… capture." he said simply, his voice void of the pride he wished he felt.
"Oh," She said softly, not expecting such a confession. She could tell that he was glossing over the specifics, but felt it unwise and beyond her place to call him out for it. He had already given her more than enough information as it was. He hadn't really expected himself to confess that to her either, for that matter, and he regretted it as soon as it escaped his lips.
The silence in the room deafened him. Stalking towards her desperately, he looked at her with a hidden anguish that tore at her heart. "Please forgive me," he begged. He needed her to forgive him, to know that he surely wasn't a devil, sadist, monster, brute, beast or any and all of the above - to convince himself that he wasn't, despite sometimes feeling the severed heads of the Sith lords sit on his shoulders like two demons whispering in his ear, mocking the simmering firewalls of his Jedi training as he stood in the presence of the most blameless and perfect being before him. If anyone's forgiveness was going to mean anything to him, and was going to alleviate the guilt within his troubled soul, he knew that it would be Padmé's forgiveness. The desire to keep the conversation within a professional boundary had disintegrated - damn propriety! He so rarely ever saw her; he needed this, he needed her to-
Her resounding confusion burst across her bruised and beautiful face. "Annie, there's nothing for me to forgive you for-"
"Please stop calling me that. I can't stand it when you call me that." It was a name that no longer fit him - a name that he no longer deserved as he saw it.
For the first time this evening, the hurt in her eyes was visible. If he had felt guilty before, then guilt's older, uglier sister came into the room to sock him in the face. "I'm sorry - it's hard to break old habits sometimes."
Frustrated that he had made her apologize when it was him begging for forgiveness, he quickly separated himself from the situation with a quick inhale and a squaring of his shoulders. "No, my lady, you should not be the one apologizing over my inappropriate attack. Please do not let it bother you."
Padmé felt the shift in the mood instantly, but her soft smile never faltered. "No harm done," She lied. "Now, hopefully-"
"Miss Padmé?" Came a chipper voice from the entryway. "I have returned with the files from your official office as you have requested." When the droid shuffled into the room and spotted Anakin, his arms jerked up in surprise and excitement. "Master Anakin! Thank goodness you're alright! We have heard terrible news of the ongoing crisis, and we simply feared the worst."
"Thanks 3PO, and I'm in perfect health. Just a little tired and hungry. Probably grimy as well."
"If that's the case, then I can have Threepio order us some quick food. I'm rather peckish myself and I don't really want to wait through a meal prep and cook time if that sounds good to you."
Anakin smiled, still professional. "That would be greatly appreciated, my lady."
"It would be no problem."
Before Padmé let Threepio deliver on their orders, she asked the little droid to release the significant drapes lining the marbled pillars of the veranda, complaining lightly that the intense twelve o'clock sunlight was straining her eyes and bad for her concussion. Anakin had to admire the beauty of the ancient penthouse as he made himself comfortable from across the Senator - and as far away from her in the seating arrangements as possible. The apartment had been completely renovated by Nubian interior designers to best compliment the culture of the young incoming Senator when she had first taken up the head of the Senatorial Delegation. The sound of the bubbling fountain in the center of the room was peaceful, and the two statues of the glorious moon goddesses of Naboo were noble and tall, the surfaces of the divine ladies' wing tips glistening as they cut through the breeze beyond the particle energy shield. It was light, airy, and full of creamy, regal colors. Tasteful.
As the food was delivered to them by a bustling Threepio, Anakin sat in resigned silence as Padmé continued to make small talk with the droid as he relayed the successes of his day-duties. With the Senate Building steadily becoming an icy no-man's land, the Senators that stubbornly maintained their political functions had been circulating droids with oral information as well as a satchel of datapads. The teetering protocol droid that belonged to Senator Nix Card had gone unnoticed by the pair until it tripped into Artoo with a seemingly juicy argument ensuing if Threepio's protests told them anything. The meal she had ordered for the two of them was a meal Anakin could get behind; a simple, nearly greasy dish of potato and slye wedges with a side of pikota beans and a main course of juicy tofu steak bites. When he had received the dish, the Senator was rewarded with a pleased smile and a nod of acknowledgement for her consideration, to which she shook her head before saying that she had been craving the dish for some time now.
"And as for Senator Chuchi's requests, she was very adamant that her notes on the matter be addressed as soon as possible. She apologized for 'pestering' you with the issue as she had put it, but-"
"No, I understand completely. There is a drought of trust now more than there has ever been. And I completely agree with her."
"As do I, Mistress. There really is no reason I can see that we should assume that the Senate Building shouldn't be repopulated. After all, I don't believe this form of communication is very effective - using droids as if they were messenger birds! Not that I mind in the least, my lady. After all, I think it's wonderful to make connections-"
"I must respectfully disagree." Anakin cut in with a frown before the duo turned to notice him. "The depth of Palpatine's influence is still rather unknown; officially, at least. Though I'm sure you have a few 'loyal' and conniving Senators on your mind," he said with a nod towards Padmé's knowing frown. "The Jedi don't want to assume that the Chancellor didn't set up a counterattack in the event of his failure; the Senate Building just may be a nest filled to the brim with his supporters who have their new directives."
"Unless of course he never imagined that he could lose; men like Palpatine have a frightful ego. It could have been that he completely dismissed an outcome that he thought impossible." She argued stoutly, a small 'v' forming between her brows.
He almost smiled at her attempt, but the disturbance he held for her apparent lack of self-preservation made him clamp his jaw in perturbation.
"Besides," she resumed, cutting in before he could finish inhaling for another rebuke, "What makes you think he wants to destabilize the Republic through its formal foundations? If he were to target the Senate, that is exactly what he would do. Although I could imagine that he would see the Senate as a necessary grasp on the numerous systems - should he have gained complete power, that is - I can imagine a plot to disband the Senate once he gained enough power, but only then. To destroy everything that he had been building up would be wasteful which was something he never was."
"I understand how you would see it that way," he began, "But you're still viewing him as a politician. He was a Sith first and foremost; and, while he would've never been wasteful should the effort speak for his own power, I believe that his need for revenge would be greater; that is the way of the Sith."
"Revenge? He already tried to enact his revenge against the Jedi - I think you should be more worried about yourselves than about the Senate." She pointed out.
"Yes, but he would also want revenge against the 1,000 years of the Sith's extinction, which came about not only at the hands of the Jedi, but also by their source of political power - the Republic. You said so yourself that Palpatine is the type of man that has a frightful ego. Why would he want his power to belong to anyone else besides himself?" He pointed out patiently. "I think you're only arguing against the point because it's keeping you from where you want to be; in the thick of it all to debate the night away as you always have." He raised his eyebrow at her as she remained unperturbed, but he could feel that he was getting to her. Feeling more relaxed, he leaned back into the crescent sofa at his back, digging into the center of the dish container's top to fish out his utensils. "Senator, we must come to terms with the fact that we really don't know what is going on. We have been blind to it all until less than twelve hours ago. We need to be cautious."
"But what if we are supposed to be sitting ducks?" She asked suddenly.
The question confused him. "Supposed? You mean, as if we are still riding another one of his schemes?"
"I don't want to underestimate him again," she said with a sudden guilt in her eyes.
"You have a point," He nodded, suddenly nervous before shaking his head. "But he's been subdued-"
"You said so yourself that he might have put plans into motion after his capture!" She protested angrily, seeing the fault in his argument like a nexu would see a scurrying creature from a mile away. "But for all we really know, we still might be blind to whatever plot the vile man has left behind. Therefore, all we really know is that we know nothing, so why make our jobs to bring light upon the confusion that much harder by disrupting our designated floor?"
He sighed, nodding in an attempt to hide his annoyance. "I am not as talented as you are with the art of arguing, milady. But I digress. You can't expect that everything happening could possibly be to his design, either. It's impractical. Between storming into the Senate Building or staying here - 'sitting duck' or not - which plan of action do you believe is more cautious?"
"But staying where I was almost kidnapped is hardly the ideal of safe."
"That's why I've been assigned to you." As well as another reason, he thought stalely. But Anakin didn't want to dwell on the Council's mistrust of him any longer, so he chuckled instead of grimaced. "If you want to go to your home world of Naboo, then by all means, make my job that much easier."
"I do not think-"
"You want to be in the thick of it all. I know. So this is the only place for you now." He said before adding a perfectly disinterested, "Milady."
"It is not that I want to be in the thick of it all, it's that I have to. Queen Jamillia herself has requested my unfailing involvement to make sure the Republic regains its inner-functions." She said pointedly to his deaf ears. He shrugged.
"What you want and what is required of you has always been a topic that we seem to revert to," he mumbled to himself, dejected. She didn't miss it despite this, and he knew he hit the mark when she finally brought her undivided attention back to her food.
During their argument, Threepio had remained glued where he was, looking back and forth between his Maker and his Mistress in resigned confusion.
Padmé looked up at him expectantly, somewhat ignoring the slightly smug Jedi with his recently recovered dignity.
The droid lit up at her appraisal. "Yes, well, as I was saying-"
"Sorry for interrupting you before, Threepio." Anakin quipped with a self-satisfied smile.
The droid stared back at him evenly, waiting for his turn to speak. "Well, as I was saying-"
"We're listening," Anakin said, seemingly bored with the conversation to hide the fact that he was in the most mischievous mood all of a sudden.
At this final interruption, Padmé looked back at the Jedi Knight from her gaze on the droid in exasperation. He was terribly charming when he reverted to his boyish mischief, and it perturbed her greatly, wanting none of it. She could feel the ever-growing discomfort they both felt at the near intimacy of the conversation prior to their parley, and only now after having discussed a topic as stark as the political labyrinth of the late Sheev Palpatine was that discomfort finally starting to wane. The old man was quite the turn-off. In addition, it was obvious to her that he was the one that desired to keep the neutrality between them the most, what with his constant bombing of disinterested gestures and impassive 'Milady's'. Coupled with the fact that he hardly made eye contact with her. And to now have to fight the desire to laugh at his antics and bite down a personal observation that she wanted to say irked her. It felt like he was constantly shifting between lunging himself at her and adding another brick to the wall between them. She always knew he was an individual with a wide range of emotions that he would allow to get the better of him, but she herself was not like that at all, and the whip-lash made her annoyed.
She failed to notice the warmth of her blush as she said defensively, "You need to learn to be nicer to Threepio."
He looked back at her innocently. "Sorry, milady. It's hard to keep from teasing an old friend."
Suddenly feeling as if she intruded on something that was personal to him, Padmé broke her stare from him quickly.
"I could never quite keep up with your sense of humor, Master Anakin." Threepio quipped back in good manner. "Back to what I was saying, while I do understand that the Senate wishes to take certain precautions such as straying from the Senate Building, I fail to reason why comlinks are being replaced by word of mouth from droids. What if a malfunction occurred and the information that one Senator was trying to communicate was wrongfully translated! The misunderstandings that could happen!"
"You know better than most, Threepio, of the power information networks such as Holo-Net News has. Not even comlinks are completely impenetrable." Padmé said gravely.
"Oh, those filthy reporters!" Threepio suddenly exclaimed. "Spreading untruthful rumors about you, Mistress. Why, if there is anything that must be handled by the Senate, I must say it would have to be that nexus of bloodthirsty newshounds."
Anakin's face remained innocent as he pretended to not know what Threepio was talking about.
She nodded. "Yes, and with the entire galaxy hearing news of the Supreme Chancellor's arrest, I'm afraid that the news will make Palpatine into a political martyr." Now looking towards Anakin with the most committed of expressions, she continued, "Before anything is put out there, it must be expressed that he was a Sith Lord, and it must be explained in simpleton terms on what exactly a Sith Lord is. At the end of the day, it is unfortunate to know that citizens of the Republic can take either side of the story thanks to the ill-advised information they are exposed to. Sith or no Sith; I would advise the Council to procure as much evidence for his dark affiliation as possible. This isn't something that should be covered up if we want the people to fear him as they should. Reverence for him would stand behind everything the man stood for." She said confidently before it faltered, a strange look of puzzlement crossing her face. Briefly, Anakin wondered how he easily deciphered her expressions better than any politician could ever hope to. "What... exactly is a Sith Lord, in simpleton terms?"
He nodded solemnly, not really wanting to explain the core of the Sith's ways after having seriously considered the ways of the Sith in a strictly utilitarian fashion, even if only for a mere second or two. Or… had it been longer than a second? He couldn't really remember that exact moment, now that he thought about it. But he did remember Windu's face-
He remembered that red and purple.
"…All they need to know is that they wish to unbalance the natural way of things. That is their sole intent. Chaos, violence, submission… that is what they inherently crave."
"It sounds as if you're quoting someone." She noticed quietly.
"I'm paraphrasing a metaphor he once told me concerning a valley, a river, and a riverbank. Yoda, I mean." He replied absently. "It described the functions of the Jedi, for the most part."
"Sounds like a poetic metaphor."
He looked back towards his tofu steak bites, his focus failing him, seeing at nothing at all. "You can explain it as extreme anti-altruism." Was his detached reply.
"'Extreme Anti-Altruism,'" She tested slowly, murmuring to herself. "Yes, that will be a perfect concept to stick to, one that can be repeated. A good main point that would have a chance of not being forgotten in the midst of conflicting opinions."
"Unless some people don't know what Altruism is." He joked weakly.
She shrugged delicately, suddenly afraid of the far-away look in his eyes. "That's an issue they will have to keep between themselves and their ego."
"Yes, ego," He whispered, a failed attempt to act as if he was still active within the conversation. In truth however, he was a mile and a half away, glazing his mind's eye over events that came to pass nearly eleven hours ago.
There was something about red and purple.
It felt wonderful to let his legs go and run at his full speed. To lurch his long leg before him with all of his might with his other leg striding far behind him as he lunged across the colossal plane of the Senate floor. The floor was made with an expensive, nearly glossy gray material that was flawless and smooth, accented only by a satin red carpet. The spires were noble. The arches were grand. Kingly. And truly a pleasure to charge violently across. One appreciates running especially after being cooped up. Everything about Coruscant screamed 'safe.' A part of Anakin was revolted with it. It rebelled against the serenity. Safe. There was just no room to run, no room to fight.
There was a reservoir… and it trickled down his spine. It was hot, very hot. Excruciatingly so. But it was fed by his running. But it couldn't be sated.
Anakin Skywalker was born to run, to fly, to move. To be immersed within the action of the moment. He had always been almost addicted to the power he felt from his physical form. He was young after all, and his energy was a wellspring. Then there was the power he felt from flying. Especially behind the cockpit of his Jedi star-fighter, the control he felt was overwhelmingly satisfying. The speed. The inertia. The energy. The freedom he was granted when he fell through the air. The pleasures one was bestowed upon by the privilege to wield a saber, a pleasure one had to fight for, refine for. Surely, there were many ways in which Anakin had been able to feed the need for power in his life. It was, however, a need that not even his Jedi teachings could purify from him. There had been a pit within him that had been notched haphazardly by his life on that desert bowl. Within the simple mind of an innocent boy, that pit had been filled by his mother, the only controlled thing in his life; her love never changed. He always knew where the ground beneath his feet was when he was with her. His home, she was.
But when his life began anew as a Jedi Padawan, that pit had been left barren. Over time, he learned to fill it with a keen desperation as he honed his powers, eagerly learning and adapting. As his strength within the Force grew, as his skills with his lightsaber grew, and as his body grew, it fed that pit. The power of his growth fed his pit. Then, as a Jedi Knight, the victories from war had begun to fill it with a murky substance. As he became restless over the years, it became stale. But he could still sate it.
Even after the sopping pit had been denied the love of the one he desired the most - the only thing that could have purified that murky, simmering pit.
That is, until it had been denied the little pleasures that fed it. The power that fed it. Anakin Skywalker hated to stand still, and when the Council halted his progress because of their baseless distrust and fear of him, the pit began to boil thickly.
The voice of Mace Windu taunted the flaming pit with a deafening roar.
"If what you have said is true, then you will have gained my trust."
After having that sentence repeated constantly within his head after the conversation had already long ended, the desolation that it left in his heart had made him cry for the smallest of moments. The tears made the Council room swim at he watched. No matter how much Anakin had tried to forget that unforgiving sentence as he had paced in the Council Chambers, it continued to effortlessly pound hotly in his ears.
Gained his trust? Hadn't he already gained his trust? Wasn't he his comrade? Hadn't he been there as Anakin grew into the Knight he was now from the little boy from Tatooine? Had there been no acceptance within the Master's heart for a man that had given up his early years of adulthood in the midst of countless battles? Had there been no room for fellowship towards a man who had lost his beloved mother, gave up a woman that was quite possibly his soulmate, and gave up his life in submission for the Order? A man that had forsaken a self-fulfilling identity for them? A man that…
A man that no longer had anything to lose.
Only gain.
Only gain-!
The pit bubbled victoriously, hungrily, achingly.
And in the midst of that sentence blaring in his ears, Anakin realized that no one stood behind him. No one.
But Palpatine.
So if he had to chose between red and purple…
Back to the Present
"You're a thousand lightyears away," a wistful voice said dreamily, no longer apprehensive as she stared at her forgotten sweetheart, unwittingly entranced as she looked upon him while he sat in a haunted silence, unaware of her existence. Anakin's eyes suddenly lurched towards her as if he sought her while still within his deep contemplation. His eyes cleared up many seconds later, a chagrined feeling bringing a certain paleness to his face as he realized that the good lady had witnessed his… remembrance.
"Why won't you chose blue?" He asked her softly, unable to stop himself. His dark mood engulfed his lungs, conditioning his upper back to slack forward as the haunted feeling seeped deeper upon him. His dirtied hair fell over his darkened eyes, but there was still a softness within them as they looked at Padmé's. "Because between red and purple, I would've chosen marionné."
Padmé thought for a moment that he had given her a puzzle to solve. Marionné? How did he remember that Nubian flower? And why was he speaking in riddles to her? The apprehension came back to her as she stared at him, confused and unsettled, shivering under his steely gaze and bringing her garment closer to her skin in caution. "What… do you mean? Red, purple, blue, marionné? Anakin, what are you-"
His glare narrowed, becoming very intimidating all of a sudden before he seemed to snap out of his alien behavior as she watched. "Oh, just another Jedi metaphor," he assured her with a voice that was much too cheery when it was served between a straining jaw.
"Explain it to me," she commanded with an irritated snap.
His generic smile faltered for a moment before a wicked smirk took its place. "Never. Just Jedi business. Don't worry about it." Before she could try and make any more demands he quickly added, "Surely you can grant your beaten bodyguard a small, indulgent joke?"
Padmé was bewildered by the enchanting man, staring at him blankly as his anxiety increased under such scrutiny. She firmly believed that this was the most thrilling and confusing conversation she had had probably ever, and she wanted more of it. It was like she was being mentally stimulated by the foreign vibes she felt coming off of him. It was invigorating, but she knew it would only be a matter of time before he shut himself down from her once more. The thought sobered her.
But unlike Master Mace Windu, Padmé was unaware of the pit brewing. Although the more older and wiser consciousness within her head told her that his behavior was not that of an entirely stable person, she reminded herself that Anakin had had been forced to slaughter the soldiers he was sworn to protect after they had turned against him. None of that sounded like a recipe for a healthy mentality to her. She considered the very insightful notion that he was traumatized as a result of this Order 66.
All of her rationalizing for Anakin's morbid trance was perfectly sensible. She didn't have a reason to fear him yet.
Note: The summary above is NOT supposed to be like the movie openings I swear they're just normal summaries I ain't that self-important
Bruh if none of this makes any sense I got u just straight up tell me odds are I'm more confused about it than you
(And for anybody who cares) You can expect a new chapter at least twice a month. If not then that means I need to take my time with the story line. The story went from existing solely for romance to turning into a fully-fledged pot roast of plots and political crisis' so I'm still weeding out where I want to take things. Consistency is my priority.
*Also I spell Anakin's pet name as "Annie" because that is how it's spelt in The Phantom Menace script, the Attack of the Clones Script, the Revenge of the Sith script, and all of the movies respective *canon novels.