The Knight
Part Seven:
Padme ran her fingers through Obi-Wan's short hair as he tried to sleep in the comfort of her arms. While he had been in a healing trance earlier, she had wrapped his side with strips of soft fabric from her white slip. He had only been able to lower his fever.
He looked up at Padme. Her eyes searched the dark forest, now crested silver by the ancient moon. She slowly shifted her gaze to his. They looked at each other for a moment.
"Padme," he began, but she looked away, not wanting to hear what she knew he was going to say.
"Padme," he repeated, his voice soft. "When the first rays of the sun are visible, you must leave."
Her defiant eyes continued to search the darkness, unseeing.
"Padme," his voice was a bit stronger this time, pleading for her to look at him.
A long moment later, blue met brown.
"I am dying." She saw the truth in his eyes, but she didn't want to believe him.
"You must live," he continued. "No matter what happens. Gods, Padme, life is a precious thing. Don't you waste it." Tears slid down her cheeks as his voice trembled. "Keep the sun to your left in the morning, your right after noon," he paused, looking into her sorrow filled eyes. He felt his own tears now, and he slightly shook his head. "I don't want to leave you Padme," he touched her cheek. "But you must carry on. You will survive."
It was the truth more than he knew. She had more than just her life to save, but the lives of thousands. However, at this moment, only one life was important to her. Now she knew what it was like, to feel the greatest power in the galaxy.
"I will come back for you," she'd never felt such resolve. "And no matter what happens," she paused to fight back her sorrow some so that she could speak. "Part of you will always live in me. You'll never be alone."
Her sorrow seemed suddenly lifted as she was lost in the beautiful blue eyes of her rescuer, her savior, her knight.
Without thinking, she bent forward. Their lips met. For a few beautiful minutes, the rest of the world faded away, and all she felt was the warmth of love.
"Never alone," she repeated, her voice a whisper.
TBC