It was nearly dawn when Sabé and Obi-Wan reluctantly returned to the palace. They parted ways with a kiss, and Sabé walked quietly through the empty, echoing halls.
She winced when she realised that the guard on duty outside the queen's quarters was Panaka. He met her eyes with cool accusation, and she paused.
"You can't tell me how to live my life, Captain," she told him, her voice hard. He sighed. "Sabé, two nights in a row," he reminded her. "And what about your daughter?"
"I didn't know what was going on, okay?" she hissed. "And Callé was fine with the Queen and the others. And yes, two nights in a row. I'm allowed to live my own life, Captain. I'm not a child any more."
"If you ever were," he murmured. She was hurt by that, he saw it in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sabé, it's just…I don't want to see you getting hurt."
"People always get hurt somehow or other, Mark!" she reminded him harshly, using his first name, something she rarely did. "I don't need you to act like my father. I can make my own decisions." She met his eyes, and it hit her, like a ten tonne weight. "Oh, Gods," she murmured. She raised a hand when he moved to speak. "No!" she said sharply. "I just…I can't hear it. I can't!" She moved past him hurriedly, keying the door open and locking it behind her. Then she fell to her knees, leaning heavily against the door.
Eirtaé, the only one up at that early hour, had looked up when Sabé had come in and now rushed to her side. "Sabé, what is it? Did Obi-Wan say something? What happened?"
Sabé looked at the blue-eyed girl, and gripped her hand. "Did you know that Mark Panaka is in love with me?" she managed. Eirtaé's gaze fell to the floor as she studiously avoided Sabé's eyes. "You did, didn't you?" Sabé demanded. Eirtaé nodded.
"I did," she said softly. "It's obvious, Sabé – the way he looks at you, the way he's always looked at you and looked out for you."
"Do the others know?" Sabé gasped. Eirtaé shrugged. "I know Saché and Yané do," she admitted. "We've talked about it a little. But I'm not sure whether Rabé and Padmé know."
Sabé took a deep breath, then another. "Great ending to a perfect night," she groaned. She stood shakily, and moved through to her bedroom. Eirtaé stopped her with a hand.
"Sabé, don't hurt him," Eirtaé pleaded slightly. "He really is in love with you, and you've only known Obi-Wan for a matter of days." Sabé sighed. "I can't help my feelings," she reminded Eirtaé. Impulsively, she put her arms around her friend and hugged her. Eirtaé returned the hug, then drew away.
"Get some rest," she advised. "It's going to be a long day." Sabé smiled faintly. "Thanks, 'Taé," she replied softly. Then she moved into her bedroom, removing her dress and sliding between the cool sheets. She didn't hear the door open as Eirtaé went to speak with Panaka, and she didn't hear Rabé and Yané look in on her several hours later.
Finally Padmé moved into the room to wake her. Sabé had been crying, the queen noticed with distress, and as she gently shook Sabé, she realised that Sabé hadn't bothered fully undress.
"Padmé?" Sabé murmured, half-awake. She sat up in bed, running at her eyes. "Oh…I guess I'd better get up, right?" Padmé smiled. "Right," she agreed. "You'll need to be there for the parade, but then you can do what you want for the rest of the day, okay?"
"Thank you, Padmé," Sabé said softly. "For today, and for helping arrange last night." Padmé smiled gently. "Hey, you're my friend," she reminded her. "It's the least I could do."
For a moment they looked at each other, then Sabé crawled out of bed. "Which dress?" she asked with a sigh. Sabé smothered a laugh. "The green one," she replied. "You know, with the hood?" Sabé nodded. "Right," she murmured. "The nice one that I can wear whilst still breathing." Padmé chuckled and left, leaving Sabé to rummage through her closet for the gown in question.
She eventually found it, and replacing her undergarments with fresh ones, she pulled on first the light green underdress and then the darker overdress and brushed her hair before tying it back and pulling up her hood.
Then her hands stilled, and she lifted her hand so the light caught on the mother-of-pearl Promise Ring that Obi-Wan had given her the night before. Although she wasn't supposed to wear jewellery with her gowns, Sabé decided to leave it on.
She pulled on the leather boots that went with the gown, and moved into the main area, where the other five, in various states of dress, were running around panicking. Smiling slightly, Sabé leant and picked up Rabé's boot, throwing it at her, then moved to pick up her daughter, who lay in a crib at the window.
"Morning, Callé," she greeted softly, ignoring Rabé's outraged cry at receiving a boot in the face. "And how are we today?" Callé gurgled happily, and Sabé smiled, gently picking the child up.
"Mmuh," Callé laughed, batting Sabé's nose, none too gently. Sabé's eyes lit up. "What was that, Callé?" she asked softly. What did you just say?" But Callé wouldn't repeat the sound, and soon Sabé had to reluctantly place Callé back into the crib.
"Sabé," Yané called. "Have you seen my boots?" Sabé rolled her eyes. "Try under your bed," she suggested. "Where you left them last." Yané nodded slightly, rushing to her room.
"Yané!" Saché shrieked. "You're wearing my hood!" She disappeared after the younger girl, and Sabé winced as the loud noise caused Callé to start wailing.
Years of looking after younger siblings and cousins gave Sabé the insight on what to do. She picked up Callé and gently jogged her, walking about the room and speaking to her softly until she calmed. Then she put her back in the crib and turned on the five who were staring at her, looking as though they were scared for their lives.
"Callé is young," Sabé told them all clearly. "Too much noise will make her shriek. Too much noise will make me shriek, for that matter. Can you all be quiet? If you have a problem, sort it out quietly." Then she turned back to Callé.
Yané noticed a ring glinting on Sabé's finger, and felt that she should speak up – wanting a little to get back at Sabé for the lecture.
"Sabé, you know we aren't allowed jewellery," she said sternly. Sabe's gaze flew to the ring on her finger, and she blushed slightly. "Padmé, may I keep it on?" she asked quietly. The room fell silent again.
"Why?" Padmé felt compelled to ask. She put the finishing touches to her makeup and turned to the handmaiden. She looked at the ring, gasped, and moved across to seize Sabé's hand and hold the ring up so she could see it. "A Promise Ring. Obi-Wan gave you a Promise Ring?"
Sabé blushed, and met Eirtaé's eyes silently. Then she looked back at Padmé. "Yes," she replied softly. "He did." She turned back to Callé. "Come on, little one," she smiled. "Let's get you to the crèche."
She picked her daughter up, and left the room amid stares. She blushed slightly as she moved through the door, and looked up in surprise as Adi Gallia halted right in front of her.
"Oh," she said, surprised. "Mistress Gallia." Adi smiled. "Is this Callé?" she asked in her musical voice. Sabé nodded, and drew the blanket back from Callé's face so the Jedi could see. "She's very beautiful," Adi smiled. "And remarkable colouring." Sabé nodded, cool suddenly. "Yes," she agreed. "But if you'll excuse me, I must get her to the crèche for the parade."
"I was just coming to ask whether you would like to start your training tonight?" Adi inquired. Sabé met her eyes then nodded. "Of course," she agreed. "I'm sure her highness won't mind – she gave me the rest of the day off, after the parade."
"I'll meet you in the gardens then," Adi said softly. "At eight o'clock." Then she was gone, and Sabé stared after her for a moment before moving to take her daughter to the crèche several floors below.
"She'll be fine, Lady Sabé," the woman in charge assured her. "Trust us." Sabé nodded, biting her lip. "I'll be back as soon as the parade is over," she told the woman. "And if there're any problems -,"
"I know where to find you," the woman interrupted, her eyes twinkling. "You're not exactly inconspicuous, Lady Sabé." Sabé shared a glance with her before kissing Callé's forehead and leaving before she changed her mind.
She ran into Obi-Wan and Anakin one floor up, and blushed slightly as she met Obi-Wan's gaze. She smiled at Anakin, who beamed at her.
"Padmé's in her room, Anakin, if you want to see her before the parade," Sabé told him amusedly. Anakin glanced up at his master, who nodded, then ran off. Sabé smiled at Obi-Wan. "You're a good master, Obi-Wan Kenobi," she murmured.
"You're a good decoy, Sabé Belacque," he murmured in reply, moving to kiss her. She put a hand on his mouth. "Not here," she reprimanded. "Anyone could see!"
"Anyone," Obi-Wan repeated. "You mean Captain Panaka." Sabé's gaze fell. "Did everyone know he was in love with me except me?" she muttered. Obi-Wan lifted her chin with a finger. "But you aren't in love with him, right?" he asked anxiously. Sabé stared at him, slightly incredulous. "You ask me that?" she demanded softly. "Obi-Wan, I'm wearing your Promise Ring. I love you so much…" Her voice cracked, and she looked down to avoid meeting his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Obi-wan murmured. "I guess I just don't want to lose you like I lost Qui-Gon." Sabé looked back up at him, her emotions under control. "You're forgiven," she said firmly. "And you're not going to loose me. I don't die easy."
Then she left him, walking away quickly and quietly to return to her queen. Obi-Wan stared after her until he saw Panaka exiting a room that led into the corridor. The men locked gazes; Panaka turned away and walked down an intersecting passageway, and Obi-Wan went looking for his padawan.
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Sabé wasn't there when Obi-Wan, Anakin and the Council left; she was collecting Callé and changing to a different robe, tighter and more uncomfortable. Afterwards she realised that Obi-Wan had meant it to be like that, so they didn't have to say farewell, but at the time she was wholly furious with him.
Padmé, Rabé, Saché, Yané and Eirtaé wouldn't meet her eyes as she came storming in. "You knew, didn't you?" she demanded. "You knew he was leaving, and you didn't tell me!"
"He asked us not to," Padmé told her clearly, turning in her seat at the mirror. Rabe rapped her head and Padmé sat straight, sighing as Rabé pulled her hair over an improbable headdress. Sabé stared at them for a moment, then went to sit next to her dozing daughter.
"Why don't you go out, Sabé," Eirtaé suggested. "I can look after Callé for an hour or two – you ought to have some time to yourself." Sabé gave a dull laugh. "I've had precious little else since I found Callé," she remarked. "Isn't motherhood supposed to stop that?"
Yané shrugged. "So enjoy it," she commented. "Callé will be safe with Eirtaé, and you should have some time to yourself."
"It will do you good," Rabé spoke up softly, persuasively. Sabé threw up her hands resignedly. "I'll go," she agreed. "I'll just change into something more comfortable."
She moved into her room, and allowed a tear to fall. Then she wiped it away determinedly, and stripped herself of her gown and pulled on a simpler thigh-length tunic and matching leggings. She dug out her knee-high boots from the closet, and tugged them on. Leaving her hair as it was, she returned to the main room. Padmé, Yané, Rabé and Saché were preparing to return to the celebrations, and Eirtaé was sitting comfortably beside Callé, a book in hand.
"I'll see you all later," Sabé smiled slightly, disappearing through the door.
"She needs to get out more," Saché sighed. Padmé gave her a look. "Every time Sabé gets out she gets hurt," the queen remarked wryly. "I'd really prefer it if she didn't 'get out' more, Sache."
Sabé left the palace through one of the less-used side doors, looking up and down the deserted street before making her way towards the centre of Theed, where music was being played and almost all of Naboo seemed to be congregating.
As she emerged into the main street, Sabé was instantly overwhelmed by all the colours, noises, and people. She hadn't been allowed to go to any of the other large celebrations of Theed in her life – for the Queen's coronation she had been babysitting the younger members of her family – and this was bigger than most other celebrations.
She walked slowly, savouring the smells and sights, passing row upon row of stalls and entertainment, sometimes stopping to watch jugglers, or to run her hand over a particularly bright piece of cloth or toy on a stall.
People jostled past her, laughing and smiling, and Sabé laughed to herself as she lifted herself onto a low wall, watching all of Theed pass her by. She felt, for the first time in her life, as if she really was part of Naboo.
Then she heard an announcement from the large square to her right. She turned on the wall to look at it, and grinned when she saw a huge banner proclaiming an acrobatics competition, to be watched by the Queen herself.
"Might as well," she murmured to herself wickedly. She jumped from the wall and made her way across the streams of people to the square, quickly locating the woman in charge.
"I want to enter," she said by way of greeting. The woman looked up in surprise from the clipboard she held. "Another one?" she asked rhetorically. "Okay, name?"
"Lady Sabé," Sabé replied. The woman frowned slightly. "I need your last name too, Sabé," she prompted. Sabé raised an eyebrow. "Just put me down as Lady Sabé," she said firmly. The woman pursed her lips, but nodded, and scrawled the name on her form. "Age?" she demanded. "Seventeen," Sabé replied. The woman raised an eyebrow. "You look younger," she commented. Sabé shrugged a little, self-consciously. "Okay then, Sabé, what music would you like?"
"What do you have?" Sabé countered. The woman rifled through her sheets of flimsi, and ripped a page out, handing it to Sabé. Sabé read through it quickly. "Number nine," she said at last. "I want number nine." The woman took the sheet back from Sabé cautiously. "You sure about that?" she asked carefully. "I mean, that one's really fast – no one else has chosen it, and…"
"I've used that music before," Sabé flashed her a smile. "When am I up?" the woman checked a chronometer. "In about ten minutes," she replied. "There's a waiting area through there," she nodded at a tent. "You can watch the others, then we'll call you."
Sabé nodded and pushed through the crowds to the tent, aware of the slightly incredulous look that the woman sent after her. Then she was in the tent. There were at least a dozen other competitors warming up in the tent, but Sabé was content to sit down in a chair and watch them.
"Hey, don't I know you?" came a voice from next to her. She turned, startled, to see a young girl sitting in the chair next to her. "Aren't you one of the Queen's handmaidens?"
"Uh, yes," Sabé replied, nonplussed. "Sabé." The girl smiled. "I'm Mata," she introduced herself. "So, you're going to compete?"
"Yeah, I did some time in a circus a while back," Sabé replied. "And I do a lot of martial arts, so I kept in shape." She shrugged a little self-consciously. "What about you?"
"Oh, I do gymnastics at school," Mata breezed. "And I really love stuff like this – you know, a chance to show Naboo what I'm capable of – and the Queen's watching too!" She seemed to back-pedal slightly. "But you know her, don't you?" Her bright blue eyes watched Sabé inquisitively.
"Yes," Sabé nodded. "I serve her." Mata rolled her eyes. "I guess you're under some kind of oath to not talk about it, right?" Sabé smiled lightly. "Something like that," she agreed. "But anyway, her highness isn't a particularly easy person to talk about."
Mata laughed, then her laughter faltered as the first competitor was announced. She bit her lip, and fiddled with her hair. Sabé smiled slightly. "The trick is, to ignore them all," she coached slightly. "If you imagine that they aren't there, it doesn't seem half so bad."
"Aren't you afraid that you're giving away all your secrets?" Mata asked, trying to smile. Sabé looked at her sympathetically. "I'm not here to win," she said softly. "I'm just here to have a good time."
Mata looked at her curiously. "That's what it should be all about," she smiled slightly. Then her name was called, and she rose, slightly shaky. "Maybe I'll see you afterwards, Sabé," she said as she moved away. Sabé nodded encouragingly to her, then leant back in her chair.
Finally her name was called, and she moved into the large square, covered in huge mats. She was ushered into a fenced-off area to remove her boots, then she was out in the main square.
She bowed to Queen Amidala, and she could see Padmé trying her hardest not to laugh. Then she bowed to the judges, and waited for the music to start.
As soon as the fast-paced notes started, Sabé moved. She did a run, and dove into a forwards roll, rolling over and over until she leapt up again, instantly twisting into a backwards leap, twisting again to do a one-handed cartwheel, landing tightly on her feet to slide down into a spilt, then using her hands to twist her body up again into a handstand, walking swiftly across the mats on her hands exactly in time to the music. Then she flipped onto her legs to cartwheel across all of the mats, turning rolls and twisting her body as the music sped up then slowed down and sped up again.
The music lasted for a full four minutes, and the crowd was captivated by her twisting body, doing things in time to the music that hardly anybody dared dance to, let alone do gymnastics to.
Then the music stopped, and Sabé ended in a split, her arms stretching towards the foot she held in front of her. When the applause rang throughout the square, she rose and bowed to first Padmé, then the judges. Then she moved to collect her boots.
"Aren't you staying for the judging?" Mata asked her queerly when Sabé seemed about to leave. Sabé shook her head. "I told you, I don't care if I win," she reminded the girl. "Besides, my daughter will be waiting." She moved off, unaware of Mata's incredulous face.
Moving through the thronging crowds back to the palace, Sabé felt a wave of loneliness wash over her, along with a sense of displacement. She brushed past people, not seeing them, and reached along her tenuous bond with Obi-Wan to feel him; she couldn't call, he was too far away already. But his presence gave her strength, and she entered the palace calmly.
By the time she reached the Queen's rooms she had been accosted by half a dozen people congratulating her on the acrobatics competition, and Sabé was getting a headache. She collapsed on the couch next to Eirtaé and moaned.
"You alright?" Eirtaé asked sympathetically. Sabé moaned again. "Remind me never to listen to your suggestions again," she replied. "If anyone else tells me how well I did in that damn thing – which was really spontaneous, actually – I am going to scream."
Eirtaé sighed. "You really should try to enjoy compliments," she said softly. "They all mean well." Sabé stared at her. "'Taé, most times in my life when I've been complimented it's because I managed to steal something," she retorted flatly. "Forgive me if I hate compliments now." She raised her hands to her forehead, rubbing her temples distractedly.
"Take something for that," Eirtaé urged, closing her book. Sabé half-nodded, then made herself rise and crawl to the cabinet at the side of the room, rummaging through it for the aspirin that she knew was in there. When she found it, she gulped it down dry and returned to the couch.
"Eirtaé, I need your help," she started. Eirtaé raised an eyebrow. "This when you've just said to remind you to never listen to my suggestions again," she remarked dryly. Sabé glared. "Alright, go ahead," Eirtaé threw up her hands.
"I can't be a handmaiden, a mother, and have Jedi training," Sabé whispered after a moment. "It's too much to take on, and you all know it." Eirtaé sighed. "We know it," she agreed. "We talked a little about it earlier."
"What am I going to do, 'Taé?" Sabé groaned. "There's no way I'm giving up Callé, there's
not even a question about that. And I
don't want to stop being a handmaiden…again."
"What about the Jedi training?" Eirtaé asked gently. Sabé shrugged. "I don't know," she muttered. "I haven't even started it – to stop would be kind of stupid. And if my count is so high that they left a Jedi Mistress here to teach me, I don't want to stop."
Eirtaé stared at her for a long moment, then she sighed. "Do what your heart tells you," she counselled. "That's all I know to say." She hesitated. "However, I do know that Padmé and Captain Panaka," Sabé winced at his name, "Are looking to train a group of people to be…sort of a personal bodyguard to the queen."
Sabé raised an eyebrow. "You mean like us?" she inquired. Eirtaé looked a little shocked. "No, of course not! Just an additional precaution." She fiddled with the edge of her robe. "And since you're pretty much the best in Naboo and then some, they might ask you to train them."
"But it wouldn't be as permanent as I'd like," Sabé objected slowly. Eirtaé shrugged. "You never know," she observed mildly. "They might want you to go and be a trainer at the Royal Security Academy."
Sabé pulled a face. "Have you seen that place?" she demanded. "It's like school, only harder." Eirtaé grinned. "But you'd be a trainer, not a student," she pointed out. Sabé nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at her sleeping daughter as Callé made a noise, sighing in her sleep.
"She's really lovely," Eirtaé murmured. Sabé nodded, agreeing. "Where does she get her eyes?" Eirtaé inquired. Sabé shrugged. "I wouldn't know," she replied, her voice slightly hard. "But it's an odd combination – brown hair and green eyes."
"It is," Eirtaé agreed. Then the door slid open, and Saché, Yané and Rabé hurried through. "Eirtaé, we need you," Yané said briskly. Eirtaé nodded and rose. Then she frowned. "Why all three of you just to fetch me?" she inquired. Rabé slid a glance at Sabé.
"Because we're here to escort Lady Sabé to see Queen Amidala," Saché jumped in smoothly. She turned to Sabé, who was frowning. "Sorry, Sabé, but after that gymnastics competition, Padmé really wanted to offer you this before someone else grabbed it."
"I'll take Callé to the crèche," Yané offered smoothly. Sabé nodded, a little dazed, then rose as Saché and Eirtaé tugged at her arms. Yané disappeared, carefully holding the tiny child, and Rabé fussed with Sabé's hair as they dragged her into the corridor and through the passages to the Throne Room.
There was no one there except for Padmé and Panaka, and Sabé barely met his eyes, preferring to look at Padmé.
"Sabé, that was really incredible," Padmé enthused. Sabé raised an eyebrow. "You brought me here to tell me how wonderful that was?" she queried. Padmé laughed, shaking her head, and Panaka shifted slightly.
"No, Sabé," Padmé managed at last. "Captain Panaka and I have discussed this, and, well, we want to offer you a job." Sabé's face didn't change at all, but her hands twisted slightly. "A job?" she repeated slowly. "I'm not sure I quite understand."
Eirtaé, in her place to the right of Padmé, covered her laugh with a cough. Padmé's gaze flickered to her, uncomprehending, then returned to Sabé. "Sabé, you've got a lot on your plate right now, and don't deny it." Sabé nodded slowly. "We were wondering if you wanted to take a break from being a handmaiden and become a trainer in the Royal Security Academy."
Yané slipped in, and Eirtaé used the distraction to cough again to stop her giggle. Sabé glanced down slightly, biting her lip in an attempt not to smile. When she looked up again, however, her face was deadly serious. "Why me?"
"You're the best, Sabé," Panaka spoke up for the first time. Sabé glanced at him, their eyes meeting then sliding away from each other. "With your skills, we could have a better group of security guards than we've had in a long time."
"When would I start?" Sabé asked slowly. "One week," came the reply. Sabé nodded lightly. "Okay," she agreed. "But it mustn't interfere with my training, or Callé." Her eyes met Padmé's, fierce and uncompromising.
"Of course," Padmé responded, sounding shocked. "I wouldn't dream of it being otherwise." Sabé smiled suddenly, transforming her face, "Good," she remarked.
She managed a curtsey to Padmé, which looked a little odd considering her tunic and leggings, and turned to walk out. She was almost at the door when Panaka called out to her.
"You won the competition, Sabé." Sabé stopped and half-turned to see him. He shivered slightly when her brown eyes, which were usually so warm but now seemed cold, devoid of emotion, met his.
"Did I?" she asked vaguely. "Poor Mata." Then she was gone before anyone could question her about her comments.
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