I write this as commanded by my good friend, Padmé Amidala Naberrie, the
former Queen and Senator of Naboo. She
is one of the best friends I have ever had. This chronicle will be a sister to the stories written by my friends –
by all of us – for Padmé's babies, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
My name is Saché Mariorette. I
am twenty-six years old. This is my
story, It's not as long, perhaps, as
the others' tales, but it is fulfilling, which is all I ask.
Everyone else will be starting at the beginning – that is, our
beginning, when we were all chosen to be handmaidens for Princess Amidala, or
Padmé as we knew her. My story,
however, does not start until after that, Nothing spectacular happened to me whilst the Trade Federation had
control of our planet. For that, you
should look to Padmé's story, and Eirtaé's – Sabé's, even. Even Yané and Rabé have more interesting
memories of that time. I have none but
sadness, Sadness for my planet's
suffering, and for my friend's.
No, my story truly began when I was eighteen. I was the quiet handmaiden. I never said much. But when I
was eighteen, as were Sabé, Yané and Padmé, Padmé was voted out of office. We six – plus Tallé, Eirtaé's daughter by
Qui-Gon Jinn – moved to a beautiful house in the country. We were still very much a group.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, two Jedi who saved our planet in
the Trade Federation boycott, often visited. Padmé was very much in love with Anakin, and he with her. Sabé, Padmé's dearest friend, was very much
in the way of falling for Obi-Wan.
Yané and Rabé, both very much the innocents, didn't ever pair off with
anyone. They never told anyone, but I
suspect that they did – with each other. I don't think anyone else noticed, so I never said anything. Padmé and Sabé, as always, were best
friends, and Eirtaé never really noticed much anymore. She grew much more solitary, only really
coming alive with Tallé. When she lost
Qui-Gon, just a few days after they had discovered each other, she was almost
destroyed. I was the closest to her, I
think.
We led a relatively simple life. We got on well with the neighbours, and we still were all best
friends. Then one day, I met Tac.
I was twenty then. I went for a
walk by the nearby lake – there were lots of lakes, but this was our favourite
– when he was there one day. I didn't
realise he was there until I was almost on top of him. I cursed myself – so much for my handmaiden
training. A few short years, and I'd
slipped.
"Oh," he exclaimed, turning as I stopped. "Hello."
"I'm sorry," I stammered. "I
didn't mean to disturb you." I turned
away, intending to leave, when he called for me to stop. "What's your name?" he asked. I almost told him that my name was not
important, out of undying habit, but then I remembered that I was no longer a
handmaiden.
"Saché," I replied. He frowned
slightly. "You're one of the girls on
the hill, aren't you?" he queried. I
nodded. "I've heard about you
girls. Are you all, like, twins or
something?"
I had an insane urge to giggle. We'd often been mistaken for sisters – we were all so alike, after
all. "No," I managed to say. "Not quite."
"So…what are all their names?" the man asked curiously. I smiled – he sounded like Anakin, a
little. "And what about the little
girl, and those two men?"
"Let me guess," I said. "You
have a little brother or sister who has seen us going to and fro and wants to
know everything there is to know?" The
man hung his head. "Something like
that," he acknowledged. "By the way,
I'm Tac."
I nodded. "Okay. We're Sabé, Yané, Rabé, Eirtaé and
Padmé. The little girl is Eirtaé's
daughter, Tallé, and the men are Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker."
"The Jedi who saved the planet a few years back?" Tac asked. I nodded again. "So you're one of the Queen's handmaidens," he guessed. I made a sharp movement. "You are, don't deny it," he continued. "So which one of you was Queen Amidala?"
"I should really be going," I said forcefully. "I'm due back anytime now."
"Padmé," he proclaimed. I
whirled around on him. "Queen Amidala
no longer exists," I reminded him. "Padmé is my friend, and you will not
tell anyone anything about her, do you understand?" I don't get angry much, but when I do, I'm worse than Yané.
"Sure," Tac replied hesitantly. "I'll just be leaving now." "No,
I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't
mean to be angry. I'll be better?" he turned, smiling, and we walked around the
lake for hours, finding out about each other.
When I returned to the house, hours later than I said I'd be, Sabé met
me with raised eyebrows. I blushed
slightly, and she asked no questions.
I saw him for weeks after that until he finally kissed me. It was like nothing else I'd ever felt. I finally realised why Eirtaé was almost
broken-hearted when Qui-Gon was killed. If she had loved him half as much as I loved Tac…
About three years later, he asked me to marry him. I accepted, and we were married before Sabé
and Padmé left to be Naboo's senators. I hated doing it – I knew that Eirtaé would feel worse when we three had
left – but I moved out and moved into Tac's home.
We lived in bliss for two years. Then Padmé returned, married to Anakin, and confided in us that she was
pregnant and that Anakin was possibly turning to the dark side.
Once Sabé and Obi-Wan had returned, Yané and Rabé invited us all to the
lake for a picnic. We were all there –
from Jedi to Tallé. We were having such
fun. Then Tallé, who was swimming out
on the lake, got caught up in the weeds and went under. Anakin struck out for her immediately, but
by the time he got to her, it was too late. Tallé was dead.
My thought's instantly turned to Eirtaé, and I ran to her with
Padmé. But she shook us off, and walked
to the house. Uncertain, we followed
her, led by Padmé. Rabé, the youngest
of us, held my hand tight. Padmé
screamed when she reached the kitchen, and I, who was right behind her, almost
fainted when I saw what Eirtaé had done to herself.
The knife clattered from her hand as she fell to the floor,
unconscious. Two bloody cuts had been
slashed across her wrists. Obi-Wan
dashed to her, and bound the cuts with a towel. Then we rushed her to hospital.
I couldn't stay there – I had to return home to Tac, who had no idea
what had happened. He was horrified
when I told him – he'd become close friends with Eirtaé through me. He loved Tallé like a daughter almost.
He hugged me close as I wept for my friends, and for my unborn son. The next day, I returned to sit vigil with
my unconscious Eirtaé. I was joined by
the others as light crept into the sky.
She awoke several days later. The doctors wouldn't let her out until they were convinced of her mental
sanity. I knew she was sane. Padmé knew, Sabé knew, the others all
knew. But we had no power to do
anything.
She was let out for Tallé's funeral. It was a cold, miserable affair. Tallé's tiny body was cremated in front of us as Eirtaé stood silent,
not crying. I stood by her, supporting
her, as all the other's stood with their partners – Padmé with Anakin, Sabé with
Obi-Wan, Rabé and Yané together. Tac
stood to one side, respecting our deep friendship.
It rained when we left the cremation hall. The doctors were waiting outside for Eirtaé, and took her away
from me. I felt like I'd lost a sister. It was ridiculous, I know, but that's how I
felt.
Three months later, Anakin Skywalker turned to the dark side of the
Force and became Darth Vader. Padmé was
sent into hiding by Obi-Wan with Sabé – I don't know where they went, I agreed
with Obi-Wan that I shouldn't know. I
would protect my Queen at all costs.
Darth Vader came to us when Yané, Rabé, Tac and I had gathered to
talk. He came in, in his black suit and
gazed at us.
"Where is my wife?" he asked. "We don't know, Anakin," Tac replied bravely. "Go find someone who does." Vader observed him curiously, then held out a hand. Tac grasped his throat, then flew against
the wall and lay on the floor, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. I gasped, growing white. I tore my gaze from my husband's dead body and
turned to Anakin.
He looked at me as if he expected me to say something, but my training
kicked in and I held my tongue. Not so
much could be said for Yané.
"You bastard," she hissed, starting for him. "You sick, twisted monster." Vader merely held his hand out to her and squeezed the air. She dropped down dead in a few moments of
suffocation. Then Vader turned to
us. Rabé let a sole tear fall down her
cheek.
"Where is Padmé?" Vader asked again. "We don't know," I whispered. "Obi-Wan never told us." He
nodded, unsatisfied, and left the room, his black cape swirling. As soon as the door shut behind him, I ran
to Tac and Rabé ran to Yané.
We were lucky to be alive, I knew, but at that moment I didn't feel
lucky. I felt torn apart inside. I finally knew exactly how Eirtaé had felt,
how Padmé must now feel. I looked at
Rabé, met her eyes, and knew that she felt the same as me.
We ran. We ran to warn Eirtaé,
but Vader had already been there. Eirtaé lay dead on her bed, a peaceful smile on her lips. I realised that she was with her love, where
she had always waited to be. Then we
fled the hospital and its aura of death.
We didn't know where to go. Naboo was no longer safe for us, and we couldn't get a transport. So we went to the swamps and swam to Otoh
Gunga, the only place we knew we'd be safe. Anakin – Darth Vader couldn't go down there, with his mechanical
breathing kit.
I end this now by saying that Rabé and I will live here for the rest of
our lives, strangers among a strange people. Obi-Wan will soon come to say goodbye, to tell us if anyone is still
alive, to take our stories to Padmé. That is, if Obi-Wan is still alive. We've had news that the Jedi are all but destroyed, by the 'Emperor' and
his pet Sith.
My name is Saché Mariorette, and this is my life. I have led a far happier life than many of
my friends, I know this. I just hope
that the end of my life will not be as pain-filled for me as the last few
months. My baby is due in two months,
and Rabé is adjusting. I hope that
somehow, Luke and Leia, those little babies, will find joy and knowledge in
this entry. I have had so much joy in
my life, I hope that some of it will spill into their lives. I would hope to someday be able to see them
myself, but the realist in me knows that will never happen.
Good luck, dear children. I hope
that you will be able to pass from under the shadow that Darth Vader will cast
over your futures. I give you my love.