Diary of a Handmaiden 4–Following Protocol–Eirtaé's Diary--Entry 5

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I'm feeling better now. I had a chance to speak with the younger Jedi a bit today. His name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I must admit he is as intelligent and interesting as he is handsome. I told Sabé all about our conversation to cheer her up. She's stuck being the Queen at least until Padmé returns and she's even more bored than the rest of us. It wasn't really much of a conversation, but I got him to tell me what his Master has told him about where they are and what the plan is and everything, and I described it to Sabé in as close a mimic to his voice as possible. (That voice could really make you melt, by the way. His, I mean, not my imitation.) She loved it, I could tell. Of all my fellow handmaidens, Sabé is the only one who I feel really close to. And she said something interesting today. I mentioned somehow (it must have slipped out) that I felt like the others didn't really like me.

"Like you, Eirtaé? Of course we like you. All that stuff about you being bossy is just teasing. You put us all to shame; you're the perfect handmaiden. If anything, we're just jealous or whatever because we know we should know everything you say before you say it but we don't."

That was news to me. I've never really been one for teasing. Mother used to tell me I was "oversensitive" and maybe she was right. (I always hated when she said that–it made me feel like some bratty little kid. Actually, it still does.)

When I think about it, nobody is ever hostile about what they say or anything. And I guess it could be like that old cliché–they're not laughing at me, but with me.

Of course, I can't really picture laughing at being called "Airy-taé," which is a play on my name and my habit of telling everyone what to do. I've always wanted a nickname, but that isn't exactly what I had in mind. At least they've only called me that behind my back. I'm not sure what I'll do if they ever say it to my face.

Especially now that I know self-defense. And I'm actually sort of good at it. <–>

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