Disclaimer: I am not George Lucas so I do not own Star Wars.
* * * *
Amidala quickened her pace, she wanted to find her handmaiden and talk to her about the situation. She could certainly offer some sound advice. She quickened her pace, but was careful not to make it obvious; she did not want Anakin to be hurt.
Anakin kept up with the queen, guessing that she was worried about her handmaiden, although, he wondered why a queen would be worried about her guard? He shrugged of the though, and figured it was a woman thing.
So they kept walking in silence, the queen because she was in an awkward position, and Anakin because being the boy that he was, simply wanted to enjoy being around her.
Once they reached the living room. Amidala saw that both her handmaiden and the Jedi master were no longer there.
"Where are they?" She asked.
Anakin focused a bit trying to find his master's life force.
"They are in the kitchen. Come on, we might as well join them." He said pulling her towards the kitchen.
Amidala's head swarmed with thought. Did her handmaiden follow her instructions, and act on her feelings towards the Jedi master? A knot appeared on her stomach, but she was too preoccupied to really pay attention to it.
She followed Anakin's lead.
"Are you hungry Ami? I'm sorry, I didn't realize sooner. You must be hungry." He said looking back at her frowning face as they walked.
She looked up and turned her face to look at him, she smiled.
"No, it's ok Ani, I'm not very hungry. I just really wanted to talk to Sabé." She said, assuring him that she wasn't mad. He nodded, and smiled again.
"Hmm, Sabé must have cooked something. It actually smells good in the kitchen." He said.
"Why do you assume it was my handmaiden, Anakin?" she asked him, as he put one hand on the door.
"Because my master cannot cook to save his life." He said opening the door.
Amidala laughed at this. And as she did, both Sabé and Obi Wan turned from where they stood closely, both hands blending some sort of flour. She stopped short marveling at how fast her handmaiden worked.
"Anakin, what took you so long? This ship is big, but it's not that big." His master said smiling.
"Oh we took the long way." Anakin answered walking up to him. "Master, what are you making?"
"Oh, I'm not doing much, Sabé here is the true chef." He said turning to Sabé, who was looking at the queen with questioning eyes. He himself turned toward the queen, and felt that her feelings were shaken. But by what? He thought. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she snapped her eyes at him, and he felt her tighten her guard up. She had indeed become a master at cloaking her feelings, even from a Jedi master.
She smiled then.
"I see my handmaiden is cooking her famous Li Kaoji, you will certainly enjoy this Anakin. It's a Nabooean delicacy."
Obi Wan noticed the relief Sabé seemed to emanate after her queen smiled. Women! He thought. He had never been able to understand them.
"Yes my queen it's almost done. So I think one of you should set the table up." Sabé said eyeing the two Jedi. Anakin looked away, as if he hadn't heard and Obi Wan sighed.
"Apprentice, you really should stop being so lazy." He said pushing the set button at the edge of the table. He punched in the number 4, since there was four of them eating.
Sabé continued to stir the food that had began simmering on the stove pot. Amidala kept her gaze fixed on her handmaiden, still wondering what had happened while she was gone with Anakin. She had now temporarily forgotten her own predicament with the young Jedi. From time to time her eyes would wander to the master, and would wonder what he had done with her handmaiden.
As these thoughts came to her mind, she suddenly felt a gaze fixed steadily on her. It brought her back from her reverie, and realized that Anakin had been staring at her all the while.
He smiled and looked over to where Obi Wan was still helping Sabé cook. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Obi Wan.
"Dinner is served your majesty, and you lazy Jediness." Teasing his apprentice.
Anakin smirked at his master, and nodded. But he stood up then to help him carry the food to the table. Sabé walked up to her friend and sat beside her, she looked down at the table, not sure what to say to the queen. She had been the one to encourage her towards Obi Wan, but when she had entered the room she had looked upset.
Amidala pushed her chair towards Sabé, and cleared her throat quietly, causing the handmaiden to look up. And as she did Amidala gave her a questioning look.
"Later my queen." Sabé murmured.
Amidala paused for a moment wondering whether she should push the subject, then nodded, deciding that her handmaiden was quite right. It would be better to discuss something so private away from the Jedi.
The Jedi set the food down, and they began to eat. Both the women were somewhat uncomfortable; they had both experienced weird encounters during the day. Especially Amidala. The Jedi did not really notice, they were used to not speaking during a meal. Although, trying to be courteous towards their guests, they struck up a conversation in which only the two of them participated. It was something about master Yoda and master Windu's teachings.
After the super, the queen excused herself politely. Explaining that she was more tired than she had thought. She bid the Jedi goodnight, and departed towards her chambers on the ship. Her handmaiden also bid the Jedi goodnight, thanked Obi Wan for helping her prepare the food. She quickly followed her queen towards their adjoining chambers.
* * * * *
The queen furiously walked throught the halls of the ship leading to her room. And the trouble was she didn't know why she was so upset. She just kept walking. She knew that her handmaiden was right behind her. She walked, and the halls seemed endless. But she came to a sudden stop at the door of her room, she opened it and stepped into the medium sized room. A simple room, not fit for a queen, but good enough for Jedi who had no use for beautiful things. She thought once more as she regarded the room once more. She heard her bodyguard enter the door right after. Sabé remained silent.
Amidala sighed and turned around. Her handmaiden looked at her in the eye, probably wondering what was going on with her. Amidala shook her head, and sat at the edge of her bed. She fell back on the bed and put her hand over her face.
As she did this Sabé was in bodyguard mode, and did nothing but watch her queen.
Amidala thought for a moment, about what she was feeling when she entered the kitchen with Anakin. She had been upset, but not as much as when she saw Obi Wan and Sabé together. It was probably shock. She concluded. I was shocked that's all, and I was upset over Anakin. She sighed heavily once more and sat back up.
"I'm sorry Sabé," She said with deep sincerity. " I know I seemed upset at you for a moment. It had nothing to do with you." She explained.
Her handmaiden raised an eyebrow but nodded, accepting her apology.
"Then why were you upset my queen? Did padawin Skywalker do something with you?"
Amidala looked at her friend and she frowned. Yes Anakin had upset her, but he hadn't meant to. She explained to her bodyguard.
She told Sabé exactly what had transpired between her and Anakin.
Her handmaiden nodded.
"Sounds like he's been thinking about his a lot."
"I think he's always believed this, ever since we met. I don't think he ever forgot about it." Amidala agreed nodding.
Sabé walked to the bed and took the liberty of sitting next to her queen.
"Anakin is a very intense boy, my queen. I think that he means what he says. The question is what are you planning to do about this?" her friend questioned with a look of worry crossing her face.
Amidala raised her eyes to the ceiling and she shrugged. As a queen she hardly shrugged, but right now she was too confused to really know.
"I read something Sabé," she said. " About the Jedi I mean. It said in the book that every Jedi that tried to love ended up going to the dark side. Or they ended up dead."
Sabé did not look surprised. She nodded.
"It's understandable. Jedi are always so worried about keeping their emotions in check, much like you my queen." Sabé said looking at Ami in the eye.
"But don't you think that's sad? They can love so much. Anakin loves so much. I cannot let that go to waste. I will not let that happen." She said determined. "He deserves to love, and to be loved.
Sabé snapped her eyes back and stared at her queen's face, contorted with intent determination.
"But do you love him your majesty?" she asked.
Amidala looked at her for a moment, and Sabé searched her face for an answer. The queen remained silent, as she thought the question over.
"I've always loved him." She said in a whisper. Neither she nor Sabé could tell who she was thinking about at that moment. She shook her head out of her reverie, and smiled.
"Of course I do, how could I not?" she asked.
"Very easily I'm afraid."
Amidala looked at her hands, and then turned to Sabé.
"How about you? How did you fare with the Jedi master?" she asked.
Sabé felt a blush creep through her face.
"He's very handsome, and gentle and kind. But he's also far off most of the time." She said.
"Far off?" the queen asked, confused by Sabé's answer.
"He's a Jedi my queen, the little time I spent with him, I realized that he is never in one place. His mind is always traveling, although he can be intently concentrating on you, he always seems to be with someone else as well. I think that he is still a very good man, but maybe for him love is not an option. Not like with his apprentices, who can love quite fiercely, by the way he looked at you." Sabé explained further. "If ever he truly loves a woman, it would prove to be a miracle, and she must be his soulmate. Because I'm quite sure that no other girl will ever do for him.
Amidala sat there trying to take in all of what her friend had just said. She felt somewhat relieved that her friend had given up on the Jedi.
"I think that Obi Wan is very capable of love, as much as Anakin." Amidala said.
Sabé glanced at her queen who now seemed lost in thought. She noticed something in Amidala's expression, she seemed to be glowing. But because of whom? Sabé thought. Her suspicions about the queen's feelings were growing everyday. Unlike the queen who was completely oblivious to what she was really feeling.
Sabé stood up and started across the room to go into her own chambers.
"Will you still ask him to the ball?" She asked.
"I think so my queen, after all we are still friends are we not? And I do not know anybody else I could look inconspicuous with." Sabé answered. The queen nodded again her eyes still cloudy. "Goodnight my queen." She said.
"Goodnight Sabé" She answered in a low voice.
* * * * * Another chapter done. I'm sorry this took so long to come, but I was gone all weekend and couldn't' write on my computer. Ok anyway hope you enjoyed. It's going to keep coming regularly. I promise. And to OBI'S Girl, please e-mail me, and explain what beta reading is. But I promise that I will eventually, correct the grammar and spelling errors I've made. Just give me time.
* * * *
Amidala quickened her pace, she wanted to find her handmaiden and talk to her about the situation. She could certainly offer some sound advice. She quickened her pace, but was careful not to make it obvious; she did not want Anakin to be hurt.
Anakin kept up with the queen, guessing that she was worried about her handmaiden, although, he wondered why a queen would be worried about her guard? He shrugged of the though, and figured it was a woman thing.
So they kept walking in silence, the queen because she was in an awkward position, and Anakin because being the boy that he was, simply wanted to enjoy being around her.
Once they reached the living room. Amidala saw that both her handmaiden and the Jedi master were no longer there.
"Where are they?" She asked.
Anakin focused a bit trying to find his master's life force.
"They are in the kitchen. Come on, we might as well join them." He said pulling her towards the kitchen.
Amidala's head swarmed with thought. Did her handmaiden follow her instructions, and act on her feelings towards the Jedi master? A knot appeared on her stomach, but she was too preoccupied to really pay attention to it.
She followed Anakin's lead.
"Are you hungry Ami? I'm sorry, I didn't realize sooner. You must be hungry." He said looking back at her frowning face as they walked.
She looked up and turned her face to look at him, she smiled.
"No, it's ok Ani, I'm not very hungry. I just really wanted to talk to Sabé." She said, assuring him that she wasn't mad. He nodded, and smiled again.
"Hmm, Sabé must have cooked something. It actually smells good in the kitchen." He said.
"Why do you assume it was my handmaiden, Anakin?" she asked him, as he put one hand on the door.
"Because my master cannot cook to save his life." He said opening the door.
Amidala laughed at this. And as she did, both Sabé and Obi Wan turned from where they stood closely, both hands blending some sort of flour. She stopped short marveling at how fast her handmaiden worked.
"Anakin, what took you so long? This ship is big, but it's not that big." His master said smiling.
"Oh we took the long way." Anakin answered walking up to him. "Master, what are you making?"
"Oh, I'm not doing much, Sabé here is the true chef." He said turning to Sabé, who was looking at the queen with questioning eyes. He himself turned toward the queen, and felt that her feelings were shaken. But by what? He thought. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she snapped her eyes at him, and he felt her tighten her guard up. She had indeed become a master at cloaking her feelings, even from a Jedi master.
She smiled then.
"I see my handmaiden is cooking her famous Li Kaoji, you will certainly enjoy this Anakin. It's a Nabooean delicacy."
Obi Wan noticed the relief Sabé seemed to emanate after her queen smiled. Women! He thought. He had never been able to understand them.
"Yes my queen it's almost done. So I think one of you should set the table up." Sabé said eyeing the two Jedi. Anakin looked away, as if he hadn't heard and Obi Wan sighed.
"Apprentice, you really should stop being so lazy." He said pushing the set button at the edge of the table. He punched in the number 4, since there was four of them eating.
Sabé continued to stir the food that had began simmering on the stove pot. Amidala kept her gaze fixed on her handmaiden, still wondering what had happened while she was gone with Anakin. She had now temporarily forgotten her own predicament with the young Jedi. From time to time her eyes would wander to the master, and would wonder what he had done with her handmaiden.
As these thoughts came to her mind, she suddenly felt a gaze fixed steadily on her. It brought her back from her reverie, and realized that Anakin had been staring at her all the while.
He smiled and looked over to where Obi Wan was still helping Sabé cook. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Obi Wan.
"Dinner is served your majesty, and you lazy Jediness." Teasing his apprentice.
Anakin smirked at his master, and nodded. But he stood up then to help him carry the food to the table. Sabé walked up to her friend and sat beside her, she looked down at the table, not sure what to say to the queen. She had been the one to encourage her towards Obi Wan, but when she had entered the room she had looked upset.
Amidala pushed her chair towards Sabé, and cleared her throat quietly, causing the handmaiden to look up. And as she did Amidala gave her a questioning look.
"Later my queen." Sabé murmured.
Amidala paused for a moment wondering whether she should push the subject, then nodded, deciding that her handmaiden was quite right. It would be better to discuss something so private away from the Jedi.
The Jedi set the food down, and they began to eat. Both the women were somewhat uncomfortable; they had both experienced weird encounters during the day. Especially Amidala. The Jedi did not really notice, they were used to not speaking during a meal. Although, trying to be courteous towards their guests, they struck up a conversation in which only the two of them participated. It was something about master Yoda and master Windu's teachings.
After the super, the queen excused herself politely. Explaining that she was more tired than she had thought. She bid the Jedi goodnight, and departed towards her chambers on the ship. Her handmaiden also bid the Jedi goodnight, thanked Obi Wan for helping her prepare the food. She quickly followed her queen towards their adjoining chambers.
* * * * *
The queen furiously walked throught the halls of the ship leading to her room. And the trouble was she didn't know why she was so upset. She just kept walking. She knew that her handmaiden was right behind her. She walked, and the halls seemed endless. But she came to a sudden stop at the door of her room, she opened it and stepped into the medium sized room. A simple room, not fit for a queen, but good enough for Jedi who had no use for beautiful things. She thought once more as she regarded the room once more. She heard her bodyguard enter the door right after. Sabé remained silent.
Amidala sighed and turned around. Her handmaiden looked at her in the eye, probably wondering what was going on with her. Amidala shook her head, and sat at the edge of her bed. She fell back on the bed and put her hand over her face.
As she did this Sabé was in bodyguard mode, and did nothing but watch her queen.
Amidala thought for a moment, about what she was feeling when she entered the kitchen with Anakin. She had been upset, but not as much as when she saw Obi Wan and Sabé together. It was probably shock. She concluded. I was shocked that's all, and I was upset over Anakin. She sighed heavily once more and sat back up.
"I'm sorry Sabé," She said with deep sincerity. " I know I seemed upset at you for a moment. It had nothing to do with you." She explained.
Her handmaiden raised an eyebrow but nodded, accepting her apology.
"Then why were you upset my queen? Did padawin Skywalker do something with you?"
Amidala looked at her friend and she frowned. Yes Anakin had upset her, but he hadn't meant to. She explained to her bodyguard.
She told Sabé exactly what had transpired between her and Anakin.
Her handmaiden nodded.
"Sounds like he's been thinking about his a lot."
"I think he's always believed this, ever since we met. I don't think he ever forgot about it." Amidala agreed nodding.
Sabé walked to the bed and took the liberty of sitting next to her queen.
"Anakin is a very intense boy, my queen. I think that he means what he says. The question is what are you planning to do about this?" her friend questioned with a look of worry crossing her face.
Amidala raised her eyes to the ceiling and she shrugged. As a queen she hardly shrugged, but right now she was too confused to really know.
"I read something Sabé," she said. " About the Jedi I mean. It said in the book that every Jedi that tried to love ended up going to the dark side. Or they ended up dead."
Sabé did not look surprised. She nodded.
"It's understandable. Jedi are always so worried about keeping their emotions in check, much like you my queen." Sabé said looking at Ami in the eye.
"But don't you think that's sad? They can love so much. Anakin loves so much. I cannot let that go to waste. I will not let that happen." She said determined. "He deserves to love, and to be loved.
Sabé snapped her eyes back and stared at her queen's face, contorted with intent determination.
"But do you love him your majesty?" she asked.
Amidala looked at her for a moment, and Sabé searched her face for an answer. The queen remained silent, as she thought the question over.
"I've always loved him." She said in a whisper. Neither she nor Sabé could tell who she was thinking about at that moment. She shook her head out of her reverie, and smiled.
"Of course I do, how could I not?" she asked.
"Very easily I'm afraid."
Amidala looked at her hands, and then turned to Sabé.
"How about you? How did you fare with the Jedi master?" she asked.
Sabé felt a blush creep through her face.
"He's very handsome, and gentle and kind. But he's also far off most of the time." She said.
"Far off?" the queen asked, confused by Sabé's answer.
"He's a Jedi my queen, the little time I spent with him, I realized that he is never in one place. His mind is always traveling, although he can be intently concentrating on you, he always seems to be with someone else as well. I think that he is still a very good man, but maybe for him love is not an option. Not like with his apprentices, who can love quite fiercely, by the way he looked at you." Sabé explained further. "If ever he truly loves a woman, it would prove to be a miracle, and she must be his soulmate. Because I'm quite sure that no other girl will ever do for him.
Amidala sat there trying to take in all of what her friend had just said. She felt somewhat relieved that her friend had given up on the Jedi.
"I think that Obi Wan is very capable of love, as much as Anakin." Amidala said.
Sabé glanced at her queen who now seemed lost in thought. She noticed something in Amidala's expression, she seemed to be glowing. But because of whom? Sabé thought. Her suspicions about the queen's feelings were growing everyday. Unlike the queen who was completely oblivious to what she was really feeling.
Sabé stood up and started across the room to go into her own chambers.
"Will you still ask him to the ball?" She asked.
"I think so my queen, after all we are still friends are we not? And I do not know anybody else I could look inconspicuous with." Sabé answered. The queen nodded again her eyes still cloudy. "Goodnight my queen." She said.
"Goodnight Sabé" She answered in a low voice.
* * * * * Another chapter done. I'm sorry this took so long to come, but I was gone all weekend and couldn't' write on my computer. Ok anyway hope you enjoyed. It's going to keep coming regularly. I promise. And to OBI'S Girl, please e-mail me, and explain what beta reading is. But I promise that I will eventually, correct the grammar and spelling errors I've made. Just give me time.