Author's Notes: I re-uploaded chapter two and fixed the two mistakes. To
keep people from wondering, Sabé *is* 17 going on 18. Originally she was
16, but lt_ketch09 suggested that she be a little older. I thought that I
had gone over and changed all the chapters. Secondly, Obi-Wan is *not* a
Jedi Knight yet. I must have just typed without thinking, and when I went
over it I missed that mistake. Lastly, thank you to all of you who have
reviewed. I'm glad that you're enjoying this fic because I sure had a lot
of fun writing it.
* * * * * * * * * * *
In all that had happened the night before, Sabé had forgotten that it was the day of the podrace. She slept in later than ever before, and the other handmaidens didn't dare disturb her. Though she'd gotten back at four in the morning, it had taken a great deal for her exhausted body to finally get to sleep. Her thoughts were in constant turmoil, replaying that kiss with Obi-Wan over and over again. She even began to fantasize about what would have happened had they not pulled away. She wondered if that dark look in his eyes was more than she had taken it for. At the time she had been too dazed by the kiss to study it further, but it reminded her of the look books so often described as desire.
Then she would snap back to reality from her childish daydreams and remember all of the reasonable points he'd made. If she was going to be rational, as he seemed to be, then she would admit to herself that she should accept Obi-Wan's friendship; that was all that they could share given the circumstances, and she was eager for any closeness with him. She would finally feel a bit at ease, as if she had accepted that that kiss could never develope anything more.
Then she would lapse into daydreaming again.
When she woke in the morning, her brow was wet with sweat, and all over she felt sticky. Her dreams had been filled with images she couldn't quite recall, but she knew that Obi-Wan had been the high-point of them. Attempting distraction, she glanced at the chronometer on her bedside. The time on it made her gasp in surprise.
Sabé picked up her comlink and clicked it on. "Eirtaé? Rabé?" she hissed into the small device, trying in vain to keep it from slipping in her damp hands.
There was a small sound, then Eirtaé's cheerful voice filled the room. "Sabé, is that you? We were wondering when you'd wake up."
"Why didn't you wake me up yourself?" Sabé demanded as calmly as she could manage. "What's going on? I can hear people talking -- are you having a meeting without me?"
"A celebration," Eirtaé said, a little bit of guilt making its way into her voice. "The little boy won the podrace and we're awaiting Padmé. She and Qui-Gon should be here within a reasonable time. They're coming around thirteen hundred hours."
"Eirtaé, it's thirteen hundred hours right now!" Sabé said shrilly. She threw back the heavy covers of the Queen's bed and stepped onto the lush carpet. "Are you telling me that Padmé will be here any moment, and you didn't even bother to wake me up? Eirtaé!"
"Sorry, sorry. Just dress as quickly as you can. We're outside the ship, looking out for her."
"Don't go outside!" Sabé blurted before she could stop herself. The evil presence that had slowly been making itself known was at an overwhelming state. She couldn't deny the sickness in her stomach and the brief images she'd been seeing. "Visions", she supposed, but she didn't like to dwell long on them.
"Your Jedi is here with us, Sabé, so don't worry. We're safe," Eirtaé said calmly. She clicked off her comlink before Sabé could protest Obi-Wan being called "hers".
She thrust the comlink onto her bedside and ran to the closet. Without anyone to help her dress in any elaborate gown, and the impending danger she felt, she slipped into one of the handmaiden bodysuits and put on a cream-colored cloak to block out the sun. She armed herself with two blasters and picked up the comlink again. "Eirtaé, has Padmé gotten there yet?"
There was no answer, so Sabé let out a groan of frustration. She was running through the Nubian and was down the steps that emanated from the belly of the ship when she realized that her hair was flying loose without Rabé's expert hands to do anything with it. She didn't hesitate to think that it really didn't matter. She felt a sickness in her stomach that was ever increasing, and she had to make sure Padmé got onto the ship safely. When the hot sun hit her eyes, briefly blinding her, she pulled the cloak's hood over her head, creating a little bit of shade of her small face. The air she breathed in was dry and full of sand. She gagged slightly but forced herself to get used to it.
The handmaidens were already helping packages from the large, disgusting creatures that Qui-Gon had used to get to the ship from Mos Espa. When Sabé looked around, she saw Padmé on one of the creatures with a bright smile on her face. Qui-Gon was also sitting on one of these creatures, looking over everyone else. She paused for a moment and began to observe as well, wanting to be sure all danger was at a mininum.
She had taken a few steps towards her Queen when a wave of disgust and disappointment made its way to her from Obi-Wan. Just as the feelings were suppressed, she whipped her head around to see Obi-Wan was now in front of the creature Qui-Gon was riding. His stature was calm and cool, but she could feel the dull sense of his earlier feelings. They must have said their good byes, because Qui-Gon turned the beast around and began once more in the direction of Mos Espa. Sabé resisted the urge to find out why he was doing so, and she decided that she should attend to Obi-Wan before Queen Amidala. Obi-Wan didn't have anyone else; Padmé had two other handmaidens.
When Sabé reached his side, she tugged gently on his arm, letting him know that she was beside him. He broke away from her, but his gaze sought hers out. His eyes were angry and clouded, hiding the hurt that she sensed he was feeling. When he recognized her face behind the hood of her robe, his gaze softened considerably. "Where have you been all morning?" he asked softly.
"Sleeping," Sabé answered. "Obi-Wan, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Obi-Wan said darkly. He stepped away from her, putting about a foot of distance between them. "You should see how your handmaiden is faring."
Sabé wasn't the least put off by his behavior. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Don't just brush me off. I asked you a perfectly legitament question, and I would only expect an honest answer from you."
"It's nothing, Sabé," Obi-Wan said, his tone more forceful than before. His eyes turned to stone, and she sensed him angrily weaving mental blocks around himself.
Sabé stepped forward, and surprisingly Obi-Wan didn't back away. She put a hand on his cheek and met his eyes. "Why are you hurting?" she whispered.
Obi-Wan's breathing quickened just the slightest bit at her touch. "It's a disagreement I had with Master Qui-Gon."
Sabé nodded absently and began to caress the skin of his cheek, so soft to her fingers. Obi-Wan pulled sharply away. "You shouldn't do that," he warned, his voice strained.
"Why not?" Sabé asked, confused at the sudden change of his posture and the change of his voice. He seemed much more tense as he turned his eyes to the ground.
When he looked back up at her, she caught a glimpse of the darkened eyes that she had seen the night before. This time there was no doubt that it was the look of desire she had imagined in her dreams. She gasped just slightly, shocked at what he was letting her see. When Obi-Wan spoke, his voice was rough and suffering. "Because I can't pretend I don't want you when you're so near. It's harder for me to resist when you touch me, and I don't want to take advantage."
Sabé felt her throat constrict in a nearly painful way. "You wouldn't be taking advantage!" she cried out. She wanted to take his hand in hers, to squeeze gently and let him know that she also wanted him. But he had all but ordered her not to touch him. Her hands lay helplessly clenched at her sides.
"Don't say it," Obi-Wan interrupted. He gave her a half-smile. "It's better this way."
She wanted to ask him how it could be better when she was plagued by thoughts of him, haunted by the texture of his lips and the sweet gentleness in which he had touched her with . . . but he left before she could stop him. She felt shocked at how quickly he had made his escape, but she took a deep breath and tried to manage some semblance of calm. She turned around to see that her fellow handmaidens and Padmé were pretending that they hadn't watched the whole spectacle. She felt relief upon seeing her queen and closest friend, and she ran across the sand to throw her arms around Padmé.
"You are safe, Your Highness," she murmered into Padmé's thick brown hair. "You can't imagine how happy I am. How relieved I feel. We are momentarily safe from the danger."
"What danger?" Padmé asked, looking concerned. Her dark eyes dulled considerably from the twinkling happiness that had been there moments before. Sabé felt guilty for ruining the Queen's good humor for no reason. She was not sure of the feeling she was getting, and they had Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to protect them if it was anything serious.
"Does it matter?" Sabé said quickly, trying to cover up her blunder. "We have escaped it, and that's all that I need to know."
"I need to know more though, Sabé. Tell me what you are speaking of." Sabé did not answer her, so Padmé sighed deeply and tried again, this time a fierce determination in her voice. "As your Que--"
"No, don't! Don't order me, My Lady, don't disgrace me in such a way," Sabé requested, pleading with her eyes. "It is merely a presence I have felt. A premonition. Now that we are leaving, there is no reason to panic."
"Sabé, in the time I have known you, I have learned to trust all of the gut feelings you have. The danger is not over yet. Qui-Gon is going back for a few things including Ani. It may take a few more hours before we leave. The Jedi Padawan has to repair the ship with the parts, I'm sure. Do you know anything more?"
"No, Your Majesty," Sabé said quietly. Listening to Padmé's words carefully, she began to piece things together gradually. Before she could think, she muttered to herself, "That's why Obi-Wan acted like that . . ."
Padmé arched an eyebrow in amusement over the fact that Sabé used a less formal name to speak of the Jedi. "Perhaps when we are comfortable in our quarters you and I can have a long discussion over the happenings since our departure."
Sabé smiled just slightly and bowed. "Why of course, Padmé. It would be terribly rude not to."'
Padmé laughed. "That it would, handmaiden."
"But I'm afraid it will have to wait until we retire. I have some unfinished business to attend to, if you'll excuse me." Before anyone could stop her, Sabé left the small group of her friends and descended the ship once more. She went down to the lowest level of the ship where she knew the electrical parts of the ship lay, knowing that Obi-Wan would be already at work with what he could be doing. From what she had seen, Obi-Wan seemed to try to find something to do with his hands when he wanted to be distracted.
Sabé saw him sitting down working on something, and she plopped right next to him. He started in surprise, then he smiled at her. "You surprised me. You're not supposed to be able to do that to a Jedi."
"You're very distracted, Obi-Wan." Sabé smiled back at him. He began to continue his work, so she decided to just be blunt. "I have some of this figured out, and I want to be able to help you."
Obi-Wan's hands stopped, but he kept his head down. "What do you mean?"
"You have told me of your dislike of Qui-Gon's habit of picking up 'strays'," Sabé said. "Padmé has just informed me that he will be returning for Ani, whom I am assuming is the little boy from the podrace. Qui-Gon just told you, didn't he?"
Obi-Wan stiffened. He went back to work on whatever it was he was doing. "Yes."
Sabé placed an arm on his shoulder. She meant it for a comforting gesture, but just as her skin touched his robe, he twisted around and brought a hand up to pull the hood of her robe back. Sabé let her hands go immediately to his neck, and he kissed her mouth more openly than he had before. His hands went to her waist, and he pinned her backwards, keeping his mouth glued to hers. He trailed one hand up her side, and she was shivering in the most delightful way as he lightly ran it over the fabric of her outfit. It made its way to her hair and began to test the thickness of it. He seemed grateful that she wore it down today.
Sabé knew that what they were doing was rash, but it was more than she could handle. Obi-Wan's hand at her waist was teasing the sensitive spots there, and his other hand was massaging her scalp. She let her hands travel down to his chest, wanting to return the favor and show him exactly what she was feeling. When he felt her hands began to work on his chest, one making its way to his lower abdomen while the other began to feel the muscles of his upper chest and arms, he let out a sharp intake of breath right into her mouth, pulling away from her in shock at her uncharacteristic moves.
Sabé didn't let this stop her. She moved her mouth down to his jawline and began to trail wet kisses on the skin there. She tasted the saltiness of him, and the flavor made her crave him all the more. Her hands began to move more boldly. Obi-Wan brought his lips down to her ear, and he sucked on her earlobe. She stopped her own ministrations and made the same sound in her throat from the night before that she didn't recognize. Though his movement was slight and effortless, it created fires within her that wouldn't be easily suppressed. The desire she had been feeling was now at a thousand fold, overwhelming her senses and muddling all coherent thoughts in her mind.
"You really should leave," Obi-Wan whispered through heavy breathing, keeping his lips so close to her neck that her spine tickled and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. "You should leave before we lose control, Sabé." He darted his tongue out to touch the sensitive skin underneath her earlobe. "I think I'm very close to losing control."
Sabé nodded, understanding his words. He lifted his body from her own and sat up again, his breathing still loud and echoing in the small room. He immediately resumed his work, his hands trembling just slightly.
She found that she was hotter than she liked, and her desire for Obi-Wan had increased to a nearly intolerable level. Still though, she kept her ground. When she had regained her breath, she spoke the words she had longed to since she left his room the night before. "What should we do about this?"
Obi-Wan sighed and stopped what he was doing. "I've told you before, there's too much keeping us apart. When we arrive on Coruscant, we may never see each other again."
"We can't afford to start anything," Sabé said obediantly. "It's just a hormone thing, I'm sure." She paused. "Are you sure?"
Obi-Wan hesitated just briefly, but it was enough to satisfy the longing in her heart despite the words he spoke next. "Yes. The attraction between us I cannot deny, but I cannot give in to it. I am a Jedi Padawan, soon to be a Jedi Knight. I can't let an affair ruin that for me."
"I wouldn't want to ruin that for you," Sabé said quickly. "I would always feel guilty." She paused once more. "We should make a pact."
Obi-Wan turned around, his eyes intense and smoldering. "A Jedi always keeps a pact."
"Then give me your hand. We'll do this very simple." Obi-Wan complied, and she ignored the warmth of his skin, compelling her to feel it further. "We will not give in to our hormones." Before she could stop herself, she added, "Until there are no restrictions keeping us from being together."
"We will not give in to our hormones until there are no restrictions keeping us from being together," Obi-Wan repeated solemnly. Sabé couldn't help it -- she burst into a fit of giggles. The tension between them shrunk at such a fast pace that she was aware of just how crazy it had been driving her. The sense of relief that she felt made her feel giddy and prone to laughter. She wondered if Obi-Wan could also hear the tears that nearly made it to the surface in her fit. It was hard to decide which to do -- cry with desperation or laugh with relief.
"What?" Obi-Wan asked indignantly.
"You! Me! This is so corny," Sabé managed to gasp out.
"Corny or necessary?" Obi-Wan reminded her.
Sabé stopped laughing slowly and stood. She resisted the urge that she felt in his presence, resisted whatever it was that wanted her to throw herself in his arms.
Sabé winked at him and shook her head in mirth once more. She left the room in a bright mood considering the circumstances. She felt relieved now that she knew there was no way they would be tempted to do anything further. They had also cleared up whatever it was that had haunted her through the night. She was much more at ease now that she knew he felt just as helpless around her as she did around him. But the pact seemed to make things easier. It put restrictions on them that were necessary, as Obi-Wan had said.
It had been so long since she retreated to beneath the ship, that all of the supplies had been taken on board, and the handmaidens and Queen were settled comfortably in the Royal Chambers. Sabé typed in the security code and the doors slid open for her to see Rabé, Eirtaé, and Padmé enjoying some wine.
"We were going to wait for you before we started," Padmé explained. She took a sip of her wine and smiled calmly at Sabé. "You do know that your lipstick is smeared and your hair is a mess, right?"
Sabé was far from caring. She sighed and sat down on the couch across from Padmé and beside the other two handmaidens. "Aren't you too young to drink, Your Highness?"
Padmé did the mature thing and stuck out her tongue at Sabé. "Would you care to tell us what pressing matters you had to rush off to earlier?"
"I'm sure they have nothing to do with any certain Jedi Padawans," Rabé added innocently.
Sabé laughed. She settled back into the couch with a sigh and took a sip of the wine that Eirtaé offered her. "We just had a little . . . um . . . *talk*." Sabé smiled. "I feel much better about things now."
"I'm sure you do," Rabé muttered.
Sabé snickered. "Right. No, I mean . . . things have been very confusing."
"What's been going on since I left? Start from the beginning," Padmé instructed. Her smile was carefree, and Sabé was struck with how young she seemed. Just a week before Padmé had looked like she had the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders, and now she seemed so much happier.
"Your Highness?" Sabé said a little timidly. Padmé nodded at her, indicating she could speak. "If you don't mind, I would like to speak to you in private."
Padmé sensed that this was more than just a frolic with a handsome man, so she snapped her fingers at Rabé and Eirtaé meaningfully. The two grumbled and shot Sabé evil looks as they left the room.
"Feel free to tell me everything, Sabé," Padmé said quietly. She set down her glass and leaned forward on the couch, wanting to catch every one of her handmaiden's words. Her eyes were less gay, and now they held a touch of the exhaustedness Sabé had seen before she left.
"The Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I began speaking together the other day. This led to that, and he recognized that I have Jedi blood in me. I don't expect you to understand, because I did not when he first explained it to me, but I have powers that exceed the limitating by over two thousand."
Padmé nodded absently, not understanding exactly what she meant, but knowing the implications of it. "And?"
"Obi-Wan offered to teach me a few things of the Jedi. He tells me that he thinks it's destiny we met. The will of the Force, if you will. I did not understand very much, so we . . . connected."
"Oh!"
"No!" Sabé said quickly when she saw the widened eyes of Padmé. "It's nothing like that. I just merely mean . . . it wasn't physical, it was mental. His mind and my mind became one. It's very difficult to explain. Anyway, through this connection he transmitted memories of his training into my own memory. I'm not completely sure how he did so, so don't ask. I have been going over the memories to further my knowledge of the Jedi Council and the Jedi themselves.
"Inevitably, I became eager for more knowledge. What he gave me through the memories was not enough. I sought him out and had him give me a midi- chlorian count test. Neither of us could think of any reason why I was not given to the Jedi Council as an infant. He told me that he thought I had been denied of my birth right, and so he offered to begin training me in the ways of the Force."
"And did you accept?" Padmé asked.
"How could I refuse?" Sabé took a deep breath and continued. "He tought me how to use their weapon, the lightsaber. We weren't going to duel, but things got out of control. He seemed surprised that I caught on so quickly. I almost won too, but at the last minute he knocked my lightsaber out of my hands and pulled a move I wasn't prepared for. He pinned me to the ground beneath him, and at that precise moment Captain Panaka decided to make an appearance."
Padmé moaned in dismay.
"I know," Sabé said. She still blushed at the memory. "He had glanced at the security cameras and mistook Obi-Wan's and my sparring for . . . well, from what I gathered, he thought that Obi-Wan was trying to take advantage of me. I told him that it was not the case, so then Panaka went off on me again. He said that I had put the entire mission in jeopardy because I was attracted to some guy and wanted to be alone with him. I did not explain to him about the bond Obi-Wan and I share. I know that Obi-Wan will not tell any secret we reveal to him, intentionally or otherwise, you must understand, Padmé. I did not feel comfortable explaining any of this to Panaka. He would not understand as I know you will, Your Highness."
"I will speak to him for you then, Sabé. He cannot fire you without my consent. I will tell him that I know of the complete situation, and that I am not in a position to disclose information."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Sabé smiled slightly before she plunged in to continue. "The next night -- last night -- I went to him again. He wasn't too keen on working with weapons after the previous night's escapades. He taught me how to meditate, and, oh, Padmé, I wish I had learned before! The level of peace you are at . . . it's impossible to describe. It's a feeling beyond comprehension unless you have experienced it."
Sabé blushed slightly as she lavished on, and she quickly began to tell her story again. "Afterwards we kissed." She smiled in a school girl way. "Padmé, it was wonderful! I've never felt like that before . . . I mean, I *have* been kissed before, of course, but not like *that*. It was magical." Sabé sighed wistfully.
"Is that it?" Padmé asked, looking a little dreamy herself. She was positively beaming, sharing in the happiness that Sabé felt.
"Oh, no!" Sabé pushed away her memories and droned on. "He pulled away in the middle of it. I thought it was going to be some grand moment, but it wasn't. He told me that we couldn't be together, and he was right. He's six years older than me, he's a Jedi, we'll probably never see each other again after this, and . . . well, he thinks that *I'm* the Queen of Naboo."
"Oh, Sabé--" Padmé began sympathetically. She looked guilty, and Sabé nearly felt incredulous. She then remembered Padmé's tendency to blame any misfortunes that happened on herself.
Sabé held up a hand. "No, I don't want to hear it. Even without that misunderstanding, there's still no way we could ever try a relationship. He's training to be a Jedi Knight, and that is a reason enough in itself."
"If you feel this way then what happened earlier today?"
Sabé smiled wistfully again. She felt her cheeks warm slightly and her stomach tumble as she remembered the passion he had shown her briefly. "I went down to comfort him in a private matter between Obi-Wan and Master Qui- Gon."
"Things didn't turn out the way you planned?" Padmé suggested dryly.
"Do they ever?" Sabé retorted in the same tone. "I put my hand on his shoulder, and before I knew it I was pinned beneath him and his lips were on mine. If I thought the night before was anything, today it was . . . *wow*. I've never felt that way before, not with any other man. I really honestly felt as if Obi-Wan *wanted* me. As if he desired me."
"Oh, Sabé, plenty of men do! You're just too blinded by your job to see it."
"Be that as it may, I'm sure any man that I have after today's encounter will never measure up to Obi-Wan Kenobi." Sabé sighed miserably. "We can't be together. We broke apart before things got to out of control. He has to have a lot of self-restraint, more so than any other man I've heard of. I was ready to just give myself to him then and there, without any thought of the consequences. I was reacting in ways I've never dreamed of. You know how in those romance books Rabé forces us to read the women always feel so out of control? That's exactly what I felt. My hands . . . well, they were doing things I'd never even *imagined* them doing before."
Padmé giggled, the dreamy look back in her eyes. "That sounds so romantic. You've been swept off your feet by your Knight. Well . . . your almost- Knight. He sounds very passionate."
"He is!" Sabé paused. "We made a pact though."
Padmé groaned. "Please tell me you're lying."
"It was for the best, Padmé. We both will stick to it; we're that type of people. I can't allow myself to spin out of control again, and he can't allow his dreams of being a Knight to be shattered."
Padmé was smiling at Sabé, and her eyes were just slightly damper than normal. "You're sacrificing a lot," she said softly. "I would never be strong enough to do that. Not with someone like Obi-Wan after me."
Sabé felt tears spring to her own eyes. "You're not helping, Padmé!"
"Oh, sorry," Padmé said, swiping at her eyes fiercely. "I didn't mean to upset you. I think you're doing the right thing, and I hold a lot of respect for your doing so."
"Thank you, M'Lady. That means more to me coming from your mouth than any other," Sabé said sincerely. She smiled wickedly suddenly, remembering the wording she had used in the pact. "But, I'm afraid I did not tell you everything, M'Lady."
Padmé grinned, she sensed Sabé's pleasure, and she couldn't help the good humor that she felt in return. "Well now's your chance."
"I restricted the pact. Once he is a Jedi Knight, and once he knows that I am not the Queen of Naboo but merely a lowly handmaiden, we can try to start something."
Padmé smiled once more. "You're a smart girl, Sabé."
"Yes, well . . ." Sabé trailed off with a supposedly modest shrug, looking around her in a cool mannered way. She finally broke into a smile, something striking her mind. "How much information should we tell Eirtaé and Rabé?"
"Oh, I think we shouldn't tell them anything . . . until the time is right," Padmé replied, the same wicked glint in her eyes. "Maybe make them work a little for it."
* * * * * * * * * * *
In all that had happened the night before, Sabé had forgotten that it was the day of the podrace. She slept in later than ever before, and the other handmaidens didn't dare disturb her. Though she'd gotten back at four in the morning, it had taken a great deal for her exhausted body to finally get to sleep. Her thoughts were in constant turmoil, replaying that kiss with Obi-Wan over and over again. She even began to fantasize about what would have happened had they not pulled away. She wondered if that dark look in his eyes was more than she had taken it for. At the time she had been too dazed by the kiss to study it further, but it reminded her of the look books so often described as desire.
Then she would snap back to reality from her childish daydreams and remember all of the reasonable points he'd made. If she was going to be rational, as he seemed to be, then she would admit to herself that she should accept Obi-Wan's friendship; that was all that they could share given the circumstances, and she was eager for any closeness with him. She would finally feel a bit at ease, as if she had accepted that that kiss could never develope anything more.
Then she would lapse into daydreaming again.
When she woke in the morning, her brow was wet with sweat, and all over she felt sticky. Her dreams had been filled with images she couldn't quite recall, but she knew that Obi-Wan had been the high-point of them. Attempting distraction, she glanced at the chronometer on her bedside. The time on it made her gasp in surprise.
Sabé picked up her comlink and clicked it on. "Eirtaé? Rabé?" she hissed into the small device, trying in vain to keep it from slipping in her damp hands.
There was a small sound, then Eirtaé's cheerful voice filled the room. "Sabé, is that you? We were wondering when you'd wake up."
"Why didn't you wake me up yourself?" Sabé demanded as calmly as she could manage. "What's going on? I can hear people talking -- are you having a meeting without me?"
"A celebration," Eirtaé said, a little bit of guilt making its way into her voice. "The little boy won the podrace and we're awaiting Padmé. She and Qui-Gon should be here within a reasonable time. They're coming around thirteen hundred hours."
"Eirtaé, it's thirteen hundred hours right now!" Sabé said shrilly. She threw back the heavy covers of the Queen's bed and stepped onto the lush carpet. "Are you telling me that Padmé will be here any moment, and you didn't even bother to wake me up? Eirtaé!"
"Sorry, sorry. Just dress as quickly as you can. We're outside the ship, looking out for her."
"Don't go outside!" Sabé blurted before she could stop herself. The evil presence that had slowly been making itself known was at an overwhelming state. She couldn't deny the sickness in her stomach and the brief images she'd been seeing. "Visions", she supposed, but she didn't like to dwell long on them.
"Your Jedi is here with us, Sabé, so don't worry. We're safe," Eirtaé said calmly. She clicked off her comlink before Sabé could protest Obi-Wan being called "hers".
She thrust the comlink onto her bedside and ran to the closet. Without anyone to help her dress in any elaborate gown, and the impending danger she felt, she slipped into one of the handmaiden bodysuits and put on a cream-colored cloak to block out the sun. She armed herself with two blasters and picked up the comlink again. "Eirtaé, has Padmé gotten there yet?"
There was no answer, so Sabé let out a groan of frustration. She was running through the Nubian and was down the steps that emanated from the belly of the ship when she realized that her hair was flying loose without Rabé's expert hands to do anything with it. She didn't hesitate to think that it really didn't matter. She felt a sickness in her stomach that was ever increasing, and she had to make sure Padmé got onto the ship safely. When the hot sun hit her eyes, briefly blinding her, she pulled the cloak's hood over her head, creating a little bit of shade of her small face. The air she breathed in was dry and full of sand. She gagged slightly but forced herself to get used to it.
The handmaidens were already helping packages from the large, disgusting creatures that Qui-Gon had used to get to the ship from Mos Espa. When Sabé looked around, she saw Padmé on one of the creatures with a bright smile on her face. Qui-Gon was also sitting on one of these creatures, looking over everyone else. She paused for a moment and began to observe as well, wanting to be sure all danger was at a mininum.
She had taken a few steps towards her Queen when a wave of disgust and disappointment made its way to her from Obi-Wan. Just as the feelings were suppressed, she whipped her head around to see Obi-Wan was now in front of the creature Qui-Gon was riding. His stature was calm and cool, but she could feel the dull sense of his earlier feelings. They must have said their good byes, because Qui-Gon turned the beast around and began once more in the direction of Mos Espa. Sabé resisted the urge to find out why he was doing so, and she decided that she should attend to Obi-Wan before Queen Amidala. Obi-Wan didn't have anyone else; Padmé had two other handmaidens.
When Sabé reached his side, she tugged gently on his arm, letting him know that she was beside him. He broke away from her, but his gaze sought hers out. His eyes were angry and clouded, hiding the hurt that she sensed he was feeling. When he recognized her face behind the hood of her robe, his gaze softened considerably. "Where have you been all morning?" he asked softly.
"Sleeping," Sabé answered. "Obi-Wan, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Obi-Wan said darkly. He stepped away from her, putting about a foot of distance between them. "You should see how your handmaiden is faring."
Sabé wasn't the least put off by his behavior. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Don't just brush me off. I asked you a perfectly legitament question, and I would only expect an honest answer from you."
"It's nothing, Sabé," Obi-Wan said, his tone more forceful than before. His eyes turned to stone, and she sensed him angrily weaving mental blocks around himself.
Sabé stepped forward, and surprisingly Obi-Wan didn't back away. She put a hand on his cheek and met his eyes. "Why are you hurting?" she whispered.
Obi-Wan's breathing quickened just the slightest bit at her touch. "It's a disagreement I had with Master Qui-Gon."
Sabé nodded absently and began to caress the skin of his cheek, so soft to her fingers. Obi-Wan pulled sharply away. "You shouldn't do that," he warned, his voice strained.
"Why not?" Sabé asked, confused at the sudden change of his posture and the change of his voice. He seemed much more tense as he turned his eyes to the ground.
When he looked back up at her, she caught a glimpse of the darkened eyes that she had seen the night before. This time there was no doubt that it was the look of desire she had imagined in her dreams. She gasped just slightly, shocked at what he was letting her see. When Obi-Wan spoke, his voice was rough and suffering. "Because I can't pretend I don't want you when you're so near. It's harder for me to resist when you touch me, and I don't want to take advantage."
Sabé felt her throat constrict in a nearly painful way. "You wouldn't be taking advantage!" she cried out. She wanted to take his hand in hers, to squeeze gently and let him know that she also wanted him. But he had all but ordered her not to touch him. Her hands lay helplessly clenched at her sides.
"Don't say it," Obi-Wan interrupted. He gave her a half-smile. "It's better this way."
She wanted to ask him how it could be better when she was plagued by thoughts of him, haunted by the texture of his lips and the sweet gentleness in which he had touched her with . . . but he left before she could stop him. She felt shocked at how quickly he had made his escape, but she took a deep breath and tried to manage some semblance of calm. She turned around to see that her fellow handmaidens and Padmé were pretending that they hadn't watched the whole spectacle. She felt relief upon seeing her queen and closest friend, and she ran across the sand to throw her arms around Padmé.
"You are safe, Your Highness," she murmered into Padmé's thick brown hair. "You can't imagine how happy I am. How relieved I feel. We are momentarily safe from the danger."
"What danger?" Padmé asked, looking concerned. Her dark eyes dulled considerably from the twinkling happiness that had been there moments before. Sabé felt guilty for ruining the Queen's good humor for no reason. She was not sure of the feeling she was getting, and they had Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to protect them if it was anything serious.
"Does it matter?" Sabé said quickly, trying to cover up her blunder. "We have escaped it, and that's all that I need to know."
"I need to know more though, Sabé. Tell me what you are speaking of." Sabé did not answer her, so Padmé sighed deeply and tried again, this time a fierce determination in her voice. "As your Que--"
"No, don't! Don't order me, My Lady, don't disgrace me in such a way," Sabé requested, pleading with her eyes. "It is merely a presence I have felt. A premonition. Now that we are leaving, there is no reason to panic."
"Sabé, in the time I have known you, I have learned to trust all of the gut feelings you have. The danger is not over yet. Qui-Gon is going back for a few things including Ani. It may take a few more hours before we leave. The Jedi Padawan has to repair the ship with the parts, I'm sure. Do you know anything more?"
"No, Your Majesty," Sabé said quietly. Listening to Padmé's words carefully, she began to piece things together gradually. Before she could think, she muttered to herself, "That's why Obi-Wan acted like that . . ."
Padmé arched an eyebrow in amusement over the fact that Sabé used a less formal name to speak of the Jedi. "Perhaps when we are comfortable in our quarters you and I can have a long discussion over the happenings since our departure."
Sabé smiled just slightly and bowed. "Why of course, Padmé. It would be terribly rude not to."'
Padmé laughed. "That it would, handmaiden."
"But I'm afraid it will have to wait until we retire. I have some unfinished business to attend to, if you'll excuse me." Before anyone could stop her, Sabé left the small group of her friends and descended the ship once more. She went down to the lowest level of the ship where she knew the electrical parts of the ship lay, knowing that Obi-Wan would be already at work with what he could be doing. From what she had seen, Obi-Wan seemed to try to find something to do with his hands when he wanted to be distracted.
Sabé saw him sitting down working on something, and she plopped right next to him. He started in surprise, then he smiled at her. "You surprised me. You're not supposed to be able to do that to a Jedi."
"You're very distracted, Obi-Wan." Sabé smiled back at him. He began to continue his work, so she decided to just be blunt. "I have some of this figured out, and I want to be able to help you."
Obi-Wan's hands stopped, but he kept his head down. "What do you mean?"
"You have told me of your dislike of Qui-Gon's habit of picking up 'strays'," Sabé said. "Padmé has just informed me that he will be returning for Ani, whom I am assuming is the little boy from the podrace. Qui-Gon just told you, didn't he?"
Obi-Wan stiffened. He went back to work on whatever it was he was doing. "Yes."
Sabé placed an arm on his shoulder. She meant it for a comforting gesture, but just as her skin touched his robe, he twisted around and brought a hand up to pull the hood of her robe back. Sabé let her hands go immediately to his neck, and he kissed her mouth more openly than he had before. His hands went to her waist, and he pinned her backwards, keeping his mouth glued to hers. He trailed one hand up her side, and she was shivering in the most delightful way as he lightly ran it over the fabric of her outfit. It made its way to her hair and began to test the thickness of it. He seemed grateful that she wore it down today.
Sabé knew that what they were doing was rash, but it was more than she could handle. Obi-Wan's hand at her waist was teasing the sensitive spots there, and his other hand was massaging her scalp. She let her hands travel down to his chest, wanting to return the favor and show him exactly what she was feeling. When he felt her hands began to work on his chest, one making its way to his lower abdomen while the other began to feel the muscles of his upper chest and arms, he let out a sharp intake of breath right into her mouth, pulling away from her in shock at her uncharacteristic moves.
Sabé didn't let this stop her. She moved her mouth down to his jawline and began to trail wet kisses on the skin there. She tasted the saltiness of him, and the flavor made her crave him all the more. Her hands began to move more boldly. Obi-Wan brought his lips down to her ear, and he sucked on her earlobe. She stopped her own ministrations and made the same sound in her throat from the night before that she didn't recognize. Though his movement was slight and effortless, it created fires within her that wouldn't be easily suppressed. The desire she had been feeling was now at a thousand fold, overwhelming her senses and muddling all coherent thoughts in her mind.
"You really should leave," Obi-Wan whispered through heavy breathing, keeping his lips so close to her neck that her spine tickled and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. "You should leave before we lose control, Sabé." He darted his tongue out to touch the sensitive skin underneath her earlobe. "I think I'm very close to losing control."
Sabé nodded, understanding his words. He lifted his body from her own and sat up again, his breathing still loud and echoing in the small room. He immediately resumed his work, his hands trembling just slightly.
She found that she was hotter than she liked, and her desire for Obi-Wan had increased to a nearly intolerable level. Still though, she kept her ground. When she had regained her breath, she spoke the words she had longed to since she left his room the night before. "What should we do about this?"
Obi-Wan sighed and stopped what he was doing. "I've told you before, there's too much keeping us apart. When we arrive on Coruscant, we may never see each other again."
"We can't afford to start anything," Sabé said obediantly. "It's just a hormone thing, I'm sure." She paused. "Are you sure?"
Obi-Wan hesitated just briefly, but it was enough to satisfy the longing in her heart despite the words he spoke next. "Yes. The attraction between us I cannot deny, but I cannot give in to it. I am a Jedi Padawan, soon to be a Jedi Knight. I can't let an affair ruin that for me."
"I wouldn't want to ruin that for you," Sabé said quickly. "I would always feel guilty." She paused once more. "We should make a pact."
Obi-Wan turned around, his eyes intense and smoldering. "A Jedi always keeps a pact."
"Then give me your hand. We'll do this very simple." Obi-Wan complied, and she ignored the warmth of his skin, compelling her to feel it further. "We will not give in to our hormones." Before she could stop herself, she added, "Until there are no restrictions keeping us from being together."
"We will not give in to our hormones until there are no restrictions keeping us from being together," Obi-Wan repeated solemnly. Sabé couldn't help it -- she burst into a fit of giggles. The tension between them shrunk at such a fast pace that she was aware of just how crazy it had been driving her. The sense of relief that she felt made her feel giddy and prone to laughter. She wondered if Obi-Wan could also hear the tears that nearly made it to the surface in her fit. It was hard to decide which to do -- cry with desperation or laugh with relief.
"What?" Obi-Wan asked indignantly.
"You! Me! This is so corny," Sabé managed to gasp out.
"Corny or necessary?" Obi-Wan reminded her.
Sabé stopped laughing slowly and stood. She resisted the urge that she felt in his presence, resisted whatever it was that wanted her to throw herself in his arms.
Sabé winked at him and shook her head in mirth once more. She left the room in a bright mood considering the circumstances. She felt relieved now that she knew there was no way they would be tempted to do anything further. They had also cleared up whatever it was that had haunted her through the night. She was much more at ease now that she knew he felt just as helpless around her as she did around him. But the pact seemed to make things easier. It put restrictions on them that were necessary, as Obi-Wan had said.
It had been so long since she retreated to beneath the ship, that all of the supplies had been taken on board, and the handmaidens and Queen were settled comfortably in the Royal Chambers. Sabé typed in the security code and the doors slid open for her to see Rabé, Eirtaé, and Padmé enjoying some wine.
"We were going to wait for you before we started," Padmé explained. She took a sip of her wine and smiled calmly at Sabé. "You do know that your lipstick is smeared and your hair is a mess, right?"
Sabé was far from caring. She sighed and sat down on the couch across from Padmé and beside the other two handmaidens. "Aren't you too young to drink, Your Highness?"
Padmé did the mature thing and stuck out her tongue at Sabé. "Would you care to tell us what pressing matters you had to rush off to earlier?"
"I'm sure they have nothing to do with any certain Jedi Padawans," Rabé added innocently.
Sabé laughed. She settled back into the couch with a sigh and took a sip of the wine that Eirtaé offered her. "We just had a little . . . um . . . *talk*." Sabé smiled. "I feel much better about things now."
"I'm sure you do," Rabé muttered.
Sabé snickered. "Right. No, I mean . . . things have been very confusing."
"What's been going on since I left? Start from the beginning," Padmé instructed. Her smile was carefree, and Sabé was struck with how young she seemed. Just a week before Padmé had looked like she had the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders, and now she seemed so much happier.
"Your Highness?" Sabé said a little timidly. Padmé nodded at her, indicating she could speak. "If you don't mind, I would like to speak to you in private."
Padmé sensed that this was more than just a frolic with a handsome man, so she snapped her fingers at Rabé and Eirtaé meaningfully. The two grumbled and shot Sabé evil looks as they left the room.
"Feel free to tell me everything, Sabé," Padmé said quietly. She set down her glass and leaned forward on the couch, wanting to catch every one of her handmaiden's words. Her eyes were less gay, and now they held a touch of the exhaustedness Sabé had seen before she left.
"The Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I began speaking together the other day. This led to that, and he recognized that I have Jedi blood in me. I don't expect you to understand, because I did not when he first explained it to me, but I have powers that exceed the limitating by over two thousand."
Padmé nodded absently, not understanding exactly what she meant, but knowing the implications of it. "And?"
"Obi-Wan offered to teach me a few things of the Jedi. He tells me that he thinks it's destiny we met. The will of the Force, if you will. I did not understand very much, so we . . . connected."
"Oh!"
"No!" Sabé said quickly when she saw the widened eyes of Padmé. "It's nothing like that. I just merely mean . . . it wasn't physical, it was mental. His mind and my mind became one. It's very difficult to explain. Anyway, through this connection he transmitted memories of his training into my own memory. I'm not completely sure how he did so, so don't ask. I have been going over the memories to further my knowledge of the Jedi Council and the Jedi themselves.
"Inevitably, I became eager for more knowledge. What he gave me through the memories was not enough. I sought him out and had him give me a midi- chlorian count test. Neither of us could think of any reason why I was not given to the Jedi Council as an infant. He told me that he thought I had been denied of my birth right, and so he offered to begin training me in the ways of the Force."
"And did you accept?" Padmé asked.
"How could I refuse?" Sabé took a deep breath and continued. "He tought me how to use their weapon, the lightsaber. We weren't going to duel, but things got out of control. He seemed surprised that I caught on so quickly. I almost won too, but at the last minute he knocked my lightsaber out of my hands and pulled a move I wasn't prepared for. He pinned me to the ground beneath him, and at that precise moment Captain Panaka decided to make an appearance."
Padmé moaned in dismay.
"I know," Sabé said. She still blushed at the memory. "He had glanced at the security cameras and mistook Obi-Wan's and my sparring for . . . well, from what I gathered, he thought that Obi-Wan was trying to take advantage of me. I told him that it was not the case, so then Panaka went off on me again. He said that I had put the entire mission in jeopardy because I was attracted to some guy and wanted to be alone with him. I did not explain to him about the bond Obi-Wan and I share. I know that Obi-Wan will not tell any secret we reveal to him, intentionally or otherwise, you must understand, Padmé. I did not feel comfortable explaining any of this to Panaka. He would not understand as I know you will, Your Highness."
"I will speak to him for you then, Sabé. He cannot fire you without my consent. I will tell him that I know of the complete situation, and that I am not in a position to disclose information."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Sabé smiled slightly before she plunged in to continue. "The next night -- last night -- I went to him again. He wasn't too keen on working with weapons after the previous night's escapades. He taught me how to meditate, and, oh, Padmé, I wish I had learned before! The level of peace you are at . . . it's impossible to describe. It's a feeling beyond comprehension unless you have experienced it."
Sabé blushed slightly as she lavished on, and she quickly began to tell her story again. "Afterwards we kissed." She smiled in a school girl way. "Padmé, it was wonderful! I've never felt like that before . . . I mean, I *have* been kissed before, of course, but not like *that*. It was magical." Sabé sighed wistfully.
"Is that it?" Padmé asked, looking a little dreamy herself. She was positively beaming, sharing in the happiness that Sabé felt.
"Oh, no!" Sabé pushed away her memories and droned on. "He pulled away in the middle of it. I thought it was going to be some grand moment, but it wasn't. He told me that we couldn't be together, and he was right. He's six years older than me, he's a Jedi, we'll probably never see each other again after this, and . . . well, he thinks that *I'm* the Queen of Naboo."
"Oh, Sabé--" Padmé began sympathetically. She looked guilty, and Sabé nearly felt incredulous. She then remembered Padmé's tendency to blame any misfortunes that happened on herself.
Sabé held up a hand. "No, I don't want to hear it. Even without that misunderstanding, there's still no way we could ever try a relationship. He's training to be a Jedi Knight, and that is a reason enough in itself."
"If you feel this way then what happened earlier today?"
Sabé smiled wistfully again. She felt her cheeks warm slightly and her stomach tumble as she remembered the passion he had shown her briefly. "I went down to comfort him in a private matter between Obi-Wan and Master Qui- Gon."
"Things didn't turn out the way you planned?" Padmé suggested dryly.
"Do they ever?" Sabé retorted in the same tone. "I put my hand on his shoulder, and before I knew it I was pinned beneath him and his lips were on mine. If I thought the night before was anything, today it was . . . *wow*. I've never felt that way before, not with any other man. I really honestly felt as if Obi-Wan *wanted* me. As if he desired me."
"Oh, Sabé, plenty of men do! You're just too blinded by your job to see it."
"Be that as it may, I'm sure any man that I have after today's encounter will never measure up to Obi-Wan Kenobi." Sabé sighed miserably. "We can't be together. We broke apart before things got to out of control. He has to have a lot of self-restraint, more so than any other man I've heard of. I was ready to just give myself to him then and there, without any thought of the consequences. I was reacting in ways I've never dreamed of. You know how in those romance books Rabé forces us to read the women always feel so out of control? That's exactly what I felt. My hands . . . well, they were doing things I'd never even *imagined* them doing before."
Padmé giggled, the dreamy look back in her eyes. "That sounds so romantic. You've been swept off your feet by your Knight. Well . . . your almost- Knight. He sounds very passionate."
"He is!" Sabé paused. "We made a pact though."
Padmé groaned. "Please tell me you're lying."
"It was for the best, Padmé. We both will stick to it; we're that type of people. I can't allow myself to spin out of control again, and he can't allow his dreams of being a Knight to be shattered."
Padmé was smiling at Sabé, and her eyes were just slightly damper than normal. "You're sacrificing a lot," she said softly. "I would never be strong enough to do that. Not with someone like Obi-Wan after me."
Sabé felt tears spring to her own eyes. "You're not helping, Padmé!"
"Oh, sorry," Padmé said, swiping at her eyes fiercely. "I didn't mean to upset you. I think you're doing the right thing, and I hold a lot of respect for your doing so."
"Thank you, M'Lady. That means more to me coming from your mouth than any other," Sabé said sincerely. She smiled wickedly suddenly, remembering the wording she had used in the pact. "But, I'm afraid I did not tell you everything, M'Lady."
Padmé grinned, she sensed Sabé's pleasure, and she couldn't help the good humor that she felt in return. "Well now's your chance."
"I restricted the pact. Once he is a Jedi Knight, and once he knows that I am not the Queen of Naboo but merely a lowly handmaiden, we can try to start something."
Padmé smiled once more. "You're a smart girl, Sabé."
"Yes, well . . ." Sabé trailed off with a supposedly modest shrug, looking around her in a cool mannered way. She finally broke into a smile, something striking her mind. "How much information should we tell Eirtaé and Rabé?"
"Oh, I think we shouldn't tell them anything . . . until the time is right," Padmé replied, the same wicked glint in her eyes. "Maybe make them work a little for it."