Once we made it to the Naberrie family lake house, Padmé told me that she was going to show Anakin around. So I took the bags with a guard to our rooms and got the rooms ready with one of the servants. The next day I strolled the grounds until late afternoon, when it was time to eat, a servant named Nandi and I placed fruit in front of Padmé and Anakin.

As I was leaving, I heard them strike up a conversation about negotiations. I shook my head slightly as I left the room. Anakin absolutely loves her, but Padmé won't admit it to herself. I wonder what Obi-Wan would think.

The morning after, as I was brushing my hair, Padmé came in, still in her night gown. I immediately stood. "Do you need something, milady?" I ask.

She smiles softly. "No, Cattleya, I don't," she tells me. "However, I do want to talk to you." My eyebrows furrow as she sits down on the edge of my bed. I sit next to her, facing her. "You have been my handmaiden for many years, and you have become my closest friend." Padmé hesitates, as if wondering what to say.

I place a reassuring hand on her knee. "What is it, milady?" I coax.

Padmé takes a deep breath and continues. "I want you to quit," she blurts.

My eyes widen. "What?" Her statement took me by surprise. She rarely ever says 'I want'.

"I can't fire you, Cattleya, you mean too much to me. But I've been thinking about what my mother had said. I want you to have a life instead of protecting me for the rest of yours." Her brown eyes were staring into mine.

"All I've ever known is you and Sabé and Eirtaé."

"That is exactly what I mean."

I study Padmé. Sadness and urgency is shown in her eyes, making me confused. "I'm not leaving you, milady, especially not in this troubled time. What else is there? What is really going on?"

Padmé's head ducks down. "Anakin believes his mother is in trouble, so I'm heading with him to Tatooine. I wish for you to stay here."

"I'm coming with you, whether I work for you or not, Padmé," I say, looking her dead in the eye.

"There is no way I can deviate your decision?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Cat-"

"No."

Padmé sighs. "We leave in an hour." I nod my head as she stands. Before she leaves the room, she turns around and looks at me. "But you're coming simply as a friend." I smile, amused, as she exits. What am I going to do with her? I think.

I finish brushing my dark hair before I start packing my things. The little I've seen of Tatooine, it was barren and hot. I did not like it. Naboo is far more habitable and tolerable. I change into acceptable desert wear before meeting up with Anakin at the boat.

"Didn't she-?" Anakin starts, but I cut him off.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," I tell him.

He grins slightly and says, "No wonder why you get along with Obi-Wan so well." I'm taken aback by his statement, but I don't reply, simply not knowing what to say.

A minute or two later, Padmé shows up and we leave the Naberrie's lake home. Once back in the city, Padmé was given an H-Type Nubian yacht to take us to Tatooine. We traveled to Anakan's home town, Mos Espa, landing the ship in one of the docking bays. We then went to one of the shops. Anakin tells the droid driver to wait before we walk over to a Toydarian, whom Anakin had said is Watto, repairing a pit droid.

Anakin speaks to Watto in Huttese. The Toydarian looks over him suspiciously, even more so when Anakin picks up the droid. Watto speaks to him in the same language. I then understand him saying, "Jedi." Watto becomes nervous and drops his screwdriver on his foot.

Anakin looks up from the droid as undoubtedly asks for his mother. The Toydarian pauses, gazing up at his former slave. "Ani?" I hear him ask quietly. "Little Ani?" Anakin sets the now repaired pit droid down, not replying, and standing proud and tall. Watto looks at the droid and points to him happily. "You are Ani! It is you!" Watto flies up to him, laughing. "You sure sprouted, huh? A Jedi! Waddya know? Hey, maybe you could help with some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money."

"My mother," Anakin states harshly.

"Oh, yeah," Watto says. "Shmi." He scratches the back of his neck, looking nervous and slightly ashamed. "She's not mine no more. I sold her."

"You sold her," Anakin repeats sullenly with slight disbelief clouding his voice, shifting his weight.

"Years ago. Sorry, Ani, but you know, business is business," the Toydarian explains quickly. "Yeah, sold her to a moisture farmer named Lars. At least I think it was Lars. Believe it or not, I heard he freed her and married her! Can ya beat that, eh?"

"Do you know where they are now?" Anakin asks. I notice Padmé look back and forth between Anakin and Watto.

Watto thinks about it. "Long way from here," he drags out. "Someplace on the other side of Mos Eisley, I think."

"I'd like to know." Anakin dons a grim expression.

Watto sobers up his act. "Sure, absolutely. Let's go look in my records."