Chapter Rating: Meh..PG...it's not getting 'bad' yet.. It may as well be G..but I dunno..whatever!
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Star Wars or any of it's characters... George Lucas does! (lucky man in flannel!) hehe..Anyways...
~JediLeia
Curing the Mute - Chapter 5
~At Breakfast~
Anakin watched as Ami and Obi-Wan laughed and reminisced on days long ago. He felt almost left out. The way Ami's eyes lit up every time Obi-Wan would remember a funny story to share with her. He poked at his blue eggs with his fork and sighed. No mater how hard he tried he just couldn't seem to remember her that well. Now and then a few cloudy images would pop into his head. The pod race. Qui-Gon. Jar-Jar. But somehow, Ami was an image he couldn't seem to recall fully. Sure he remembered her. She was the Queen, after all. But he had absolutely no recollection of him and her personally talking. It was odd and quite frustrating. Anakin's thoughts were interrupted once again by Ami's intoxicating laugh. It was soft, yet sweet. He looked up to see his master clutching his stomach from laughing so much and Ami, wiping tears away from laughing too hard.
Once her laughter has stopped somewhat she looked over at Anakin and smiled warmly. "Oh, Anakin. I forgot about what a prankster you were! My, my. Spiking Master Yoda's juice with rum at age 14 is hardly a gentleman!" she said teasingly. Obi-Wan began to chuckle again. Anakin shrugged and returned his attention to his eggs.
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"Are you sure you don't mind, Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked her.
"Yes I'm sure! Sabé and you need to catch up on old times. She missed you the most out of all of us. I would be more that happy if you and her went out for dinner. Besides, then Anakin and I can get to know each other better as well," Ami replied smiling up at him.
He nodded and thanked her, then left to meet Sabé. Ami smiled as she watched him strut down the long corridor, proud of himself for snagging Sabé. (AN. Don't tell me you haven't seen his little strut in TPM??) As she watched him go, she felt someone watching her. She whipped around to find Anakin leaning on a marble pillar, his arms crossed, staring down at her.
"Hi Anakin. Obi-Wan just left with Sabé," she stated proudly, then continued, "You remember Sabé, don't you? My head handmaiden?"
Anakin nodded, a bored expression written all over his handsome face. Ami frowned. "Come on. Let's go for a walk. We need the air," she said, in a ordering tone. He complied but walked one pace behind her.
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~The Palace Stables-9:30pm~
Ami lay with her hair fanned out in a brown tangle in the hay, while Anakin sat by the nearest wall, staring at her. For the last 2 hours, Ami had done all the talking and now lay watching the stars. (AN. there's a small open courtyard in the stables...lol...)
"And there's libra. And there's capricorn, I think...And there's-- Oh Anakin! A shooting star! Quick, make a wish!" Ami said excitedly. Anakin pretended not to hear. She frowned once again and sat up. "Look Anakin. Stop your stupid wallowing and come watch the stars with me!" she half said, half ordered. She got up and grabbed his hand. When she did a small shock of electricity sparked through them, but both ignored. She pulled him down next to her and made him lie on his back the way she was. She decided not to talk as much as last before, but only point out a few stars and constellations. Anakin nodded and pretended to be more interested.
Another hour went by and Ami hadn't said much. Suddenly the sky lit up in a brilliant white light as a huge star shot across the sky. Ami's eyes were as big as saucers as she grabbed Anakin's hand and watched the star make its way across the dark, midnight blue sky. After it disappeared, Ami asked in a soft voice, "Did you make a wish, Ani?" She was totally oblivious to the fact that she had called him by his nickname. He looked over at her when she said his name and narrowed his sky blue eyes. She smiled up, not realizing his sudden angry facade. "So, did you?" she asked again. He let go of her hand and stood up, in the process, knocking her over. He stormed away, out of the courtyard, and over to a jet black steed. It's dark brown eyes stared back at him. Anakin closed his eyes, because they reminded him of Ami's soft, yet dark chocolate eyes.
He still had his eyes closed when a very ticked off Ami walked up beside him. She shoved him aggressively and gave him a cold, hard glare. His eyes immediately snapped open and looked down at her. She stood there, nearly one and a half heads shorter than him, hands on her hips, her hair full of hay, glaring at him. Anakin's heart of ice melted at the sight of her and fought the urge to burst out laughing. However, a small smile played on his lips and Ami's glare turned into a smirk. She shoved him again, this time more playfully.
"Why so smug?" she asked cocking her head to one side and grinning.
//No particular reason...// Anakin thought to himself, still smiling. When he didn't answer, her smile disappeared, replaced by a look of frustration. She pushed past him and ran out of the stables and out into the open field. Hot tears of anger and frustration poured down her face.
//Why am I letting him get to me?// Ami thought angrily to herself. She ran to the nearest tree and sat on the large swing, her handmaidens had put there years ago. They used to take turns swinging on it; two would sit on it, while the other two would push. She dried her face with the sleeve of her dress and began to swing back and forth, although never letting her feet leave the ground. She looked up at the sky again and it seemed to be much darker. Ominous even. She shivered and rubbed her arms. //Great. Of all days I forget to bring a sweater, it just *had* to be today!// She watched as Anakin walked out of the stables, following her. His eyes dark and sad. He walked slowly toward her then took a seat next to her on the swing. Ami looked up into his hard face. His blue eyes now as dark as the sky.
"What ever happened to that sweet boy I met in Tatooine?" she started. She waited for him to acknowledge her, but when he didn't she continued anyway. "Look, Anakin. You can't keep to yourself like this. It's unhealthy!"
She looked up again and say hurt and anger building in his eyes. She took a deep breath and continued. "Anakin. I know you miss her. Trust me, I know how you feel....I do....Please get out of this terrible state and say something. Anything. Please, Ani?" Her eyes filed with tears and she took one of his large hands in hers. He pulled his hand away and stared at her long and hard. Suddenly a deep voice filled her head. It was Anakin's voice, *in* her head. He wasn't speaking but communicating in her head.
//HOW WOULD YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LOSING SOMEONE! YOUR A QUEEN! YOU GET PAMPERED EVERYDAY OF YOUR BLOODY LIFE!// his voice was loud and almost fighting. Anakin closed his eyes briefly in guilt. He didn't mean to come out so arrogant and selfish.
Ami began to cry but kept on talking. "How dare you accuse me of being pampered! It is *not* easy being the Queen! I have to make decisions for an entire planet! You think being a Queen is just about sitting on a throne and going to parties, don't you? Well, it's not! And as a matter of fact, I *do* know what it feels like to lose someone. When I became Queen at age 14, I had to leave my old life behind. My mother, father, my sister, my *friends*. They may not be dead, like your mother, but I will never see them again! The Senate makes sure of that. They hide their location from me, because they think I will become a weak ruler if I show emotion. So, damnit, Anakin. Stop being so selfish and let the people who care about you into your life!"
With that she jumped off the swing and ran away. Away from him, and
from the pain.
~*~~*~~*~~*~
"Who was the last one to see her?" Captain Panaka asked, looking at the room full of worried people.
"Anakin was with her last," Obi-Wan said lowering his head.
"Anakin Skywalker? Your Padawan? The mute boy?" asked various voices in the crowd. Anakin glared at them then bit his lip.
//It's my fault. I should have run after her. Oh, Ami. I'm so sorry.// he though bitterly to himself. Obi-Wan heard his thoughts and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. //Don't feel bad, Anakin. It's not your fault.//
//But it is....It's all my fault...// Anakin thought to himself, however Obi-Wan overheard. He put both hands on either side of his shoulders, and looked Anakin straight in the eye.
//Anakin. What happened? What did you do to make her run away?// his master inquired with a serious stare. Anakin sat down on the cold marble floor and covered his face with his hands. He rocked back and forth as if he was a child, scared of the dark. His mind flashed images of the nights activities. The star gazing, the shooting star, her smile, her eyes, the swing, his angry insults, her running away in tears. Obi-Wan 'watched' in shock and stooped beside his apprentice.
"Oh Anakin...... You have to find her...." his voice seemed distant and removed to Anakin's ears. He sobbed silently and continued to rock back and forth. As the room began to clear out, he heard his master talking to another woman. Sabé. //She must hate me. They all must hate me.... What have I done? Oh Force, what have I done........//
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Ok, that's all for now. Wow guys, I'm really sorry but with summer
school and all I'm so busy...glares at readers....>>YES I go to
summer school, and I did *not* fail...I'm just getting a credit for next
year so I can have a spare! I promise to update more when I get a break!
Thanks for reviewing so far! Please continue to do so and I'll add my other
chapters soon... Thanks!R&R!!! R&R!!!!! waves hand in your
face like a Jedi>> You *will* review...HA! ~JediLeia