"That's it! Now somebody please hand me the long silk stole from the
dresser over there," Rabé called out as she made the last minute
arrangements of Sabé's hair. Turning to accept the stole, her eyes
widened when she saw who was about to retrieve the item. "No, Honey!
Don't get it wet!"
"Sorry," Saché sniffed, grabbing another tissue and wiping her eyes.
"Here, I'll help you," Yané cooed as she did her best to soothe Saché. " We need to fix your makeup. Eirtaé, could you be a dear and get the stole?"
The young blonde nodded and carried the material to Rabé, who draped it over Sabé's head, then around her neck and over the shoulder on one side creating a graceful flowing effect. After she pinned it in place, she moved away and waited for the reaction.
Sabé stood back and smiled. "It is very nice! Thank you, Rabé. I was hoping for a stylish alternative to a veil. This works perfectly."
Eirtaé nodded in approval. "Classy."
"Thank you," Rabé said softly. "I was hoping you would like it."
Staring at herself in the mirror for a long moment, Sabé finally let out a long sigh. "This is it, I guess. My parents and Meira are outside. Here we go."
"Wait! Put on the cloak first," Eirtaé commanded. "We have to keep the dress concealed till we get out to the site."
Eirtaé and Rabé helped Sabé into the cream colored cloak and carefully lifted the hood, arranging it all so it fell just so.
"You look like an alabaster sculpture! So beautiful!" Saché said. She was calming down considerably with Yané's help.
"There, that's more like a hero of Naboo should carry herself!" Sabé noted, then added a wink. "And would you want Ellouis to see you like that?"
"No," Saché said, allowing a smile to break through at last.
When they got to the motor pool, an enclosed transport was ready. Sabé was the first to enter as she held Meira's hand, a challenge, since the child was bouncing up and down in excitement. .
Saché, Yané, Rabé and Eirtaé followed, then a few gentlemen in Naboo formal attire: Captain Panaka, Ellouis Panaka, Rowan and Governer Bibble.
Raisa and Hasin were the next to board. Hasin kept an arm around his wife; she was doing her best to maintain a calm demeanor, but it was easy to see that her emotions ran deep.
The last person to join them was the Queen, regal and dignified as she ever was in court. She had remembered Anakin's suggestion and wore the green cloak with pink rosettes and the full length pink silk gown. When she was seated, her eyes met Sabé's. The young bride was pleased to see the excitement, happiness and pride in her best friend's eyes, but she noticed an unexpected sadness. Amidala gave her a slight encouraging smile, then cast her gaze downward and appeared to be lost in thought.
The first couple of minutes in transit were somewhat awkward. No one wanted to say anything.
Finally Meira, being a typical two year old could no longer stand the silence. She started singing some unfamiliar song in her own little language. It eased the tensions just a bit.
Saché glanced over at Eirtaé. "Did you get the wine?"
"What, the best wine in the history of Naboo from way down in the secret corner of the family cellar? That wine?
"Yes, that wine," Saché muttered, shaking her head.
Eirtaé patted the canvas bag she had brought with her. A look of alarm crossed her face. "Oh!"
The other handmaidens' eyes grew wide. "You didn't forget the wine," Yané blurted..
A smile gradually spread across Eirtaé's face. "Gotcha!"
Even Sabé laughed. She started singing nonsense words with Meira to distract herself from the jitters. She knew everything would be all right as soon as she saw Obi-Wan, but the waiting was starting to take its toll.
"Sorry," Saché sniffed, grabbing another tissue and wiping her eyes.
"Here, I'll help you," Yané cooed as she did her best to soothe Saché. " We need to fix your makeup. Eirtaé, could you be a dear and get the stole?"
The young blonde nodded and carried the material to Rabé, who draped it over Sabé's head, then around her neck and over the shoulder on one side creating a graceful flowing effect. After she pinned it in place, she moved away and waited for the reaction.
Sabé stood back and smiled. "It is very nice! Thank you, Rabé. I was hoping for a stylish alternative to a veil. This works perfectly."
Eirtaé nodded in approval. "Classy."
"Thank you," Rabé said softly. "I was hoping you would like it."
Staring at herself in the mirror for a long moment, Sabé finally let out a long sigh. "This is it, I guess. My parents and Meira are outside. Here we go."
"Wait! Put on the cloak first," Eirtaé commanded. "We have to keep the dress concealed till we get out to the site."
Eirtaé and Rabé helped Sabé into the cream colored cloak and carefully lifted the hood, arranging it all so it fell just so.
"You look like an alabaster sculpture! So beautiful!" Saché said. She was calming down considerably with Yané's help.
"There, that's more like a hero of Naboo should carry herself!" Sabé noted, then added a wink. "And would you want Ellouis to see you like that?"
"No," Saché said, allowing a smile to break through at last.
When they got to the motor pool, an enclosed transport was ready. Sabé was the first to enter as she held Meira's hand, a challenge, since the child was bouncing up and down in excitement. .
Saché, Yané, Rabé and Eirtaé followed, then a few gentlemen in Naboo formal attire: Captain Panaka, Ellouis Panaka, Rowan and Governer Bibble.
Raisa and Hasin were the next to board. Hasin kept an arm around his wife; she was doing her best to maintain a calm demeanor, but it was easy to see that her emotions ran deep.
The last person to join them was the Queen, regal and dignified as she ever was in court. She had remembered Anakin's suggestion and wore the green cloak with pink rosettes and the full length pink silk gown. When she was seated, her eyes met Sabé's. The young bride was pleased to see the excitement, happiness and pride in her best friend's eyes, but she noticed an unexpected sadness. Amidala gave her a slight encouraging smile, then cast her gaze downward and appeared to be lost in thought.
The first couple of minutes in transit were somewhat awkward. No one wanted to say anything.
Finally Meira, being a typical two year old could no longer stand the silence. She started singing some unfamiliar song in her own little language. It eased the tensions just a bit.
Saché glanced over at Eirtaé. "Did you get the wine?"
"What, the best wine in the history of Naboo from way down in the secret corner of the family cellar? That wine?
"Yes, that wine," Saché muttered, shaking her head.
Eirtaé patted the canvas bag she had brought with her. A look of alarm crossed her face. "Oh!"
The other handmaidens' eyes grew wide. "You didn't forget the wine," Yané blurted..
A smile gradually spread across Eirtaé's face. "Gotcha!"
Even Sabé laughed. She started singing nonsense words with Meira to distract herself from the jitters. She knew everything would be all right as soon as she saw Obi-Wan, but the waiting was starting to take its toll.