Falls the Shadow
Chapter 7
Eloquence
Padmé made her way back downstairs and into the small dining room. To her surprise, Pavot was waiting for her with a bowl of stew and some bread that smelled incredibly appetizing. Until now, she didn't realize how hungry she really had been.
"Your young man, is he alright now?" She asked quietly. "We were watching the holo-net this evening. They finally released the images from the front from a few weeks ago... it looks terrible. Worse than it was when Naboo itself was invaded." She shook her head sadly. "They say that the battle on Chalacta was one of the worse of the war, that the Separatist launched an ambush, that out of the sixty Jedi that were there, only a few survived at all. Terrible"
Padme's thoughts began to wander. A few weeks ago? Sixty Jedi... but Anakin had told her that the casualties were caused by Republic warships... It couldn't possibly have any connection...
"M'lady?" Pavot touched her shoulder gently. "There's a message for 'Wing Captain' Skywalker, would you like the disc? I would have brought it to you earlier but..." and here she cast her eyes down. "I'm sorry; I didn't think it was appropriate to interrupt... I mean, I brought it up earlier but..."
Padmé took the woman's hand into her own and patted it gently.
"I understand Pavot, and thank you. For both of us." she offered her a wan smile. "Perhaps you'd be good enough to get me another bowl of stew and some bread? Anakin is supposed to be sleeping but we know how likely that really is."
Pavot smiled back and returned to the kitchens.
"Finish your own supper first my dear, and I'll have some thing made up for him in a few moments."
Padmé ate her stew in quiet contemplation. The timing was right; the casualties... the casualties were the same... Could Anakin have been mistaken? In the heat of battle, perspectives could be distorted... ships misidentified... a hundred things could have gone wrong...
She pushed the thoughts aside, and decided that at least for the here and now she would try not to think about it (60 Jedi, 200 clone troopers) at least until tomorrow (maybe 5 of us lived)when she could retrieve any replies to (fired from behind) her inquiries. If there were any to be had...
"Here you are my dear," Pavot place a tray of food next to Padmé. "I also made him some Anodyne tea, if he needs it. I don't know what Guérisseur left for him but this wont hurt him at all if he drinks it as well. Might do you some good too..."
Padmé only gave her a wan smile and a quiet thanks as she made her way back upstairs. If Anakin was still asleep she wouldn't wake him, but she would decide weather or not to give him the data disc when she knew what his state of mind was. If he was as... as disturbed as he had been the night before than even the military or the Jedi Council could hang itself for all she cared. Even if he wouldn't do it, someone had to take care of him and apparently the job had fallen to her.
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She quietly let herself back into the room and wasn't surprised to see him sitting on the side of the bed. So much for sleeping.
"Ani," she chastised him gently. "Are you ever going to actually rest when you're supposed to?"
He flashed her a quick smile, and looked back down at the ground.
"I guess I missed you," he admitted. "When you're next to me, I feel... safer... content." he laughed self depreciatingly. "Brave Star Pilot, aren't I? Like a youngling with out a favorite toy..."
"Stop it!" Padmé told him suddenly. "You shouldn't act like it's a terrible thing to be afraid!
Anakin, I don't know how many time we have to have this conversation! You're human, you feel..."
"Sometimes I think I feel too much," he said quietly. "That one day..." he trailed off.
Padmé set the tray down and sat next to him on the bed and took his hand. "Ani," she said at last and kissed his hand, not knowing what else to do.
He closed his eyes and nuzzled the top of her head, knowing that it would make her laugh.
"Are you coming to bed?" he asked her quietly. "I could use the company..."
Padmé smiled at him. "Let me wash first," she said softly. "Will you eat? I don't know what they feed you in the military but I'm sure it's not as good as Pavot's stews."
Anakin's face fell and he paled. "No," he said quietly. "I'm sure it's not..."
"Ani?" she said, suddenly concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he replied, regaining some composure. "I'll tell you later, if you really want to know. Go wash, I'll wait... and eat!" he added suddenly, seeing her concern.
"Alright," she said and kissed his cheek softly, trying to avoid his bruised eye. "I'll be right back." She raised herself up and sauntered over to the fresher, turning once more before she went in.
"Eat..." she reminded him and he nodded.
Padmé shook her head and smiled, not noticing that Anakin had picked up the data disc that she'd left on the tray by mistake.